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Iridium GO! and DataHub - essential steps before downgrading your plan
Iridium GO! and DataHub - essential steps before downgrading your plan

How to update your DataHub and Iridium GO! configuration when downgrading your Iridium GO! airtime plan to avoid overages and bill shock

Matt Crockett avatar
Written by Matt Crockett
Updated today

To avoid unexpected airtime overages and bill shock, before downgrading your Iridium GO! airtime plan when the GO! is connected to a DataHub, you must:

  1. Power off the Iridium GO! to disconnect any active satellite internet connection started by the DataHub.
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  2. Disconnect the Iridium GO! from the DataHub to ensure Tracking, Polars and PredictMail via the Iridium GO! are disabled.

  3. Set your Iridium GO! GPS Tracking to hourly, which will use 1480 SMS messages out of the 1500 messages included in the Iridium GO! Basic plan.

1. Power off the Iridium GO! to disconnect any active satellite internet connection initiated by the DataHub.

Power off the Iridium GO! to disconnect it from any active satellite internet connection the DataHub may have started. If it is not disconnected first, the DataHub may keep an internet connection open through the Iridium GO! after your plan change has become effective.

You can power Iridium GO! back on again after the DataHub configuration is updated.

2. Disconnect the Iridium GO! from the DataHub to ensure Tracking, Polars and PredictMail via the Iridium GO! are disabled.

The DataHub will not connect through the Iridium GO! to update GPS Tracking and Polars or check PredictMail when the 'Enable' selection box at the top of the DataHub > Internet > Iridium GO! page is unchecked.

To disconnect the Iridium GO! from the DataHub:

  1. Connect to DataHub Wi-Fi.

  2. Open a web browser, and enter "10.10.10.1" in the address bar.

  3. Log in to DataHub using the default username and password: admin

  4. Click on the Internet > Iridium GO! menu.

  5. Uncheck the 'Enable' box at the top of the page.

  6. Click SAVE & APPLY and wait until the page refreshes. The 'Enable' box will be unchecked, and at the top right of the screen, a light blue REFRESHING icon will display, showing the changes have been applied.

The DataHub can stay Wi-Fi connected to the Iridium GO! when powered on, and it will not attempt to use it. If you prefer to stop the DataHub from reconnecting to Iridium Wi-Fi, connect it to another Wi-Fi network, such as a hotspot on your mobile, on the DataHub > Services > Settings > WiFi > Connect to Internet (2.4Ghz) page.

To keep using the DataHub for GPS Tracking, AI Polars, and PredictMail, connect the DataHub to the internet in another way.

3. Enable hourly SMS updates for Iridium GO! Tracking

You might downgrade your Iridium GO! plan for several reasons:

  • Using Starlink as your main internet, always on: If Starlink is always on, do not enable hourly Iridium GO! GPS tracking updates. If you do, GPS position updates from the Iridium GO! will overwrite the DataHub’s last position update, which means you will not always see the True Wind Speed or True Wind Direction displayed on your GPS tracking page until DataHub uploads its next position.

  • Using Starlink part-time to save power: If you only run Starlink a few hours a day (e.g. morning and night), the DataHub will store GPS positions while Starlink is off and update them when it’s back online. If you want to keep updating your position while Starlink is off, enable GPS tracking on the Iridium GO!.

  • Using Iridium GO! as a backup: If the Iridium GO! is only for emergencies, enable hourly Iridium GO! GPS tracking updates. This way, it will send positions from when it is powered on.

You can enable Iridium GO! GPS Tracking in the Offshore App on iOS, Android, Windows PC or Mac. When tracking is enabled in the Offshore App, it is set to hourly.
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​GO! Basic Plan: If you have already enabled GPS tracking on the Iridium GO!, check or update the GPS Tracking Interval to hourly to avoid overages. Set to hourly, the Iridium GO! will use 1480 SMS messages out of the 1500 messages included in the Iridium GO! Basic plan each month.

PC/Mac Offshore App - Enable Iridium GO! GPS Tracking

  1. Connect to Iridium Wi-Fi and open the Offshore App on your PC or Mac.

  2. PC: Click on the 'File' menu in the top left corner of the screen, then click on 'Settings' or 'Preferences'.
    ​Mac: Click on the 'PredictWind Offshore' menu in the top left corner of the screen, then click on 'Settings' or 'Preferences'.

  3. Click on 'Iridium GO!'

  4. The default username and password 'guest' should not need to be changed.

  5. Click 'Verify Settings.'

  6. Set 'Tracking On' and your 'GPS On'.

  7. Click on 'Apply Changes.'

  8. Once these settings are saved, GPS tracking messages will be sent automatically via SMS every hour if the Iridium GO! is powered on and has coverage, even if the Offshore App is closed. This will send 1480 SMS messages of the 1500 messages included in the GO! Basic plan.

iOS / Android Offshore App - Enable Iridium GO! GPS Tracking

  1. Connect to Iridium Wi-Fi and open the Offshore App on your iOS or Android device.

  2. In the main menu, tap Preferences.

  3. In 'Download Methods', tap 'Iridium GO!'.

  4. The default username and password 'guest' should not need to be changed.

  5. Tap 'Verify Settings'.

  6. iOS: Tap to set 'Tracking Enabled' ON and 'GPS Enabled' ON.
    ​Android: Tap on 'Tracking Option' and 'GPS State' to select 'Tracking On' and 'GPS On'

  7. Tap 'Apply Settings'.

  8. Once applied, hourly GPS tracking messages will be via SMS by the Iridium GO! if it is powered on and has coverage, even if the Offshore App is closed. This will send 1480 SMS messages out of 1500 in the GO! Basic plan each month.

Check or update the Iridium GO! Tracking frequency to hourly

By default, the Iridium GO! uses hourly tracking. To check this or update the frequency to hourly:

  1. Connect your mobile to Iridium GO! Wi-Fi and open the Iridium GO! app.

  2. Login using the default username and password: guest

  3. Tap Settings > Track and check the Tracking Frequency is set to '1 Hour'.

  4. If it needs to be updated, tap Tracking Frequency, select '1 Hour' then tap Save twice to update the settings.

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