What are the dimensions and weight of the GO exec?
200mm high x 200mm wide x 30mm deep. The GO exec weighs 1.2Kg
Is the DataHub required for tracking with the GO exec?
Yes. The Iridium GO! exec does not have any tracking features of its own.
Do SIM cards for Iridium GO! work in the GO exec?
No. The Iridium GO exec uses a different type of SIM card, made for the Iridium GO exec. When you purchase the exec, it comes with a SIM card. The good thing is that the SIM can be activated and deactivated, so you only need one.
What are the charging options for the exec? What plug type does the charge input use, and at what voltage/amps?
A USB-C connector powers the Iridium GO exec and comes with a USB-C, 5 Volt, 3 amp power adaptor. It uses less power to transmit, though. It is around 15 Watts on send/receive and 5 watts on standby. If you already have one on the boat, it can be powered from a 2 amp USB outlet.
The Iridium Go Exec must not be connected directly to house batteries. If you try connecting 12v to the Iridium GO exec, it will blow the charging circuit inside.
Does the Iridium GO exec use the same battery as the Iridium GO!
The Iridium GO exec has a built-in battery, which differs from the Iridium GO! It is not user-replaceable; it must be returned to Iridium for replacement.
Is the GO exec external antenna the same as the Iridium GO!? I already have the old Iridium GO! antenna installed.
No. An Iridium GO! antenna will not work with the GO exec.
The external antenna is spec'd for Certus 100; it has different internals but looks identical to the Iridium GO! external antenna. The cable is 5 meters long, so we recommend mounting the Iridium GO! exec aft in the boat, closer to the pushpit, if that's where the external antenna is mounted.
We don't recommend extending beyond 5 meters with the LMR400 cable, as this is the length specified by Iridium. Please review this help article for more information about the GO exec External Antenna.
Is buying or using an external antenna with the GO exec mandatory, or is the internal antenna sufficient for use inside a fibreglass sailboat?
No. It is not mandatory to have an external antenna. However, to get the best coverage, the built-in paddle antenna on the exec unit needs to have a clear view of the sky to connect to the satellites. This means the device will need to be on the deck.
Does the GO exec include a speakerphone so a Wi-Fi-connected device is not required to make phone calls? Can calls be made with an external device?
Yes. The GO exec has a built-in speaker and can be used to dial out directly. This makes it ideal as an emergency safety device for a life raft or dead ship situation. The GO exec also has built-in Wi-Fi, which you can connect a mobile phone to and use the GO exec App to make and receive calls.
Does the GO exec have an Ethernet port to connect an external router?
Yes. The GO exec has an Ethernet port to connect to a computer or router. By default, the GO exec acts as a DHCP server on the Ethernet port, so we recommend you connect it to your DataHub or Router WAN Ethernet port.
Are GPS tracking messages sent through the GO exec from a DataHub billed as MB, or is this data sent as free SMS messages?
GPS tracking is done by the DataHub connected to the Iridium GO! exec. It activates the GO exec to connect and send tiny tracking data packets, then turns off the connection.
Tracking is set to hourly by default on the DataHub. This can be adjusted upwards or down to 15 minutes.
The data transferred is counted against your plan for tracking on a GO exec MB plan or is all-inclusive as part of the GO exec Unlimited PredictWind data plan.
How much data will tracking use per month set to 1 hourly tracking?
The amount of data for one position report is 200 bytes. That said, the minimum charged billing increments for an Iridium GO exec connection is 5kb.
For tracking only, hourly, over 30 days, 3.6 MB will be charged to your data plan.
This can be adjusted upwards or down to 15 minutes. You can also use the DataHub to check PredictMail every hour and send the tracking reports together to use the 5kb minimum billing increment efficiently.
If you have opted for the GO exec Unlimited PredictWind data plan, you do not need to worry about tracking data usage as it is included.
What is the difference between the GO! exec service and the slower Certus data plans? What are the expected exec upload/download speeds?
The Iridium GO! exec includes a Certus 100 modem. Download speeds are up to 88 kbps; upload speeds are up to 22 kbps.
If I purchase an annual data plan for the GO exec, what happens to unused data/minutes at the end of the year? What if I exceed my data usage for the year?
The unused data does not roll over, unfortunately. You will receive alerts by default when you reach 80% and 100% of your plan's data allowance. If you exceed this, you are charged per MB. On the yearly 1000MB plan, the overage rate is US$2.50/MB.
What is the phase-out plan for the Iridium GO! and the existing unlimited data plan?
PredictWind continues to stock, sell and provide airtime for the Iridium GO! unit. There are no plans to discontinue this because the GO! is a great device suitable for some customers. The GO! is a very popular device with a large established group of users who need new sim cards and airtime.
Some customers kept their GO! because they valued the fixed price GO! Unlimited Plan at US$159.95/month, including GPS tracking, SMS and Iridium WebMail.
With the recent launch of the GO! exec Unlimited PredictWind plan backed by the DataHub and great features such as unlimited PredictMail, GPS Tracking, PredictChat, which includes unlimited WhatsApp text and SMS capability, plus the Anchor Alert App, now is the ideal time to buy a GO exec Complete Package, including the External Antenna and DataHub, and opt for the GO exec Unlimited PredictWind data plan.
Can I buy an extension for the external antenna?
No. We don't recommend extending beyond 5 meters, as this is the length specified by Iridium. Please read here for more information about the external antenna cable length.
Can I cut the external antenna cable to run it through a hole?
Yes. You can do this. The cables can be used when shorter. They cannot be extended longer than supplied. Cutting the cable will void the product warranty. Please bear that in mind before deciding to do it. The end connector is a TNC-M - for attaching a replacement connector.
How long will a battery last in a life raft situation?
The GO exec offers a maximum of 6 hours of talk time and 20 hours of standby.
Without a DataHub, is there any way to send a GPS position for the tracking page from the Iridium GO exec except to manually enter and message/send a position read from another device?
No, there is no other way. The DataHub is an affordable and complimentary device for the GO exec to automatically update your GPS tracking page, including your live wind conditions, if you have an NMEA2000 network connected to it on your boat.
Can you post from the GO exec to social media such as Instagram or Facebook? How can I do this?
Yes. You can add posts to most social media platforms using the App if you connect using the appropriate GO exec Web/App profile. For more information about Web/App profiles on the GO exec, please review the help article GO exec Web/App Profiles for data sessions (Advanced).
Please be aware social media apps are not optimized for satellite connections, so you may transfer a lot of data. Please read this help article carefully Step 5 - How to prevent billshock. Alternatively, switch to the GO exec Unlimited PredictWind Data plan and buy Any App data to use social media. You'll never experience data billshock again!
With the GO exec, how can I control which Apps can use the Internet connection to manage my data usage?
The Iridium GO! exec includes a built-in firewall to allow only permitted Internet traffic. Apps like the PredictWind Offshore App can open a firewall pinhole GO exec satellite Internet connection to download only your chosen GRIBS or weather routing data and then disconnect the GO exec.
To open a webpage on your laptop, select the Web/App profile Browsing and connect your GO exec to the Internet, then open your web browser and connect to Iridium GO exec or DataHub Wi-Fi.
For more information about using Web/App profiles with the GO exec and creating your own custom Web/App profile, please see this help article GO exec Web/App Profiles for data sessions (Advanced).
How fast is the GO exec? What is the GO exec speed?
Iridium GO exec offers data speeds up to 88kbit/s download and 22kbit/s upload. By comparison, the Iridium GO! provides a maximum download and upload speed of 2.4 kbit/second.
Can I connect the GO exec to a 12v or 24v battery?
No. The Iridium Go Exec must not be connected directly to the 12/24v house batteries.
The Iridium GO exec is powered by a 5V USB power supply like you would charge your cellphone at home.
If you connect 12v to the Iridium GO exec, it will blow the charging circuit inside it.
The unit has a USB cable, a cigarette lighter adaptor, and a USB socket (5V output). If you have a cigarette lighter socket on your boat, please use this.
However, Cigarette lighter connections are notoriously unreliable on boats for a good connection, so we recommend getting a 12V-powered USB plug installed.
Something like this DaierTek 12V USB-C Car Charger Socket would work well. USB outlets that are powered 12V / 24V compatible, such as this MICTUNING Dual USB Charger Socket 2.1A & 2.1A Power Outlet, would also be suitable.
If you prefer to use the standard USB-A charge port, you will need a different cable than the supplied one, but they are very common in electronics stores if you still need one.
You will also be able to find a USB-C version of the converters, similar to the links above.
What GO exec power settings are available, and how should I configure them with the External Antenna?
When the GO exec is connected to an External Antenna, lifting the Internal Antenna will power it on. The GO exec will not power off if the Internal Antenna is lowered.
The GO exec will power off automatically if the External Antenna pigtail is disconnected or by activating the power down sequence via the App or touchscreen. Do not disconnect the External Antenna pigtail connector frequently, as it is delicate. To power down the device with the External Antenna connected:
On the touchscreen, you can either:
Tap and hold the power button for five seconds, then tap Yes.
Or, tap the touchscreen Settings wheel, swipe down and tap Power off the device.
In the App:
Tap the Setting wheel.
Under the Basic header, tap Device Settings, then tap Admin Settings.
Swipe to the bottom, and under the Power header, tap Power off my Iridium GO! exec device.
Do not activate storage mode, as this will set the device into a deep sleep, making it more difficult to power on.
By default, the GO exec will not power on when connected to the External Antenna if a power source is provided via USB.
You can configure this setting. To do this via the touchscreen or App:
Tap the Settings wheel.
Touchscreen - Swipe down and tap Device Power Config.
App - under the Non-Admin Settings header, tap Power Control Settings.
Tap to Disable Power On/Off Based on Antenna Lift - with this setting disabled, lifting the antenna will not cause the device to power on or off.
Tap to Enable Automatically power on the device on charger connection - this setting will automatically turn on and boot up the GO! exec as soon as power is enabled. This is recommended because it will switch on your GO! exec when the power circuit is enabled or the power switch is turned on.
Save the setting by tapping Save on iOS (top right), or the checkmark on Android (top right) and touchscreen (bottom centre).
Important Note: When automatic power on is enabled, the GO! exec will remain on when the power switch is turned off until it runs out of battery. To preserve battery life, you must manually turn it off using the touchscreen or App.
PredictWind recommends you enable the automatic power on the device on the charger connection, as this means the device will power on when the circuit is switched on. To power down, you'll need to use the touchscreen, App, or disconnect the External Antenna by removing the pigtail - though this is not recommended.