(The Iridium GO! exec is described in more detail at the Iridium site.)

The Iridium GO! exec provides a convenient and simple way to download data across the Iridium satellite network to anywhere in the world - Iridium has true global coverage.

In simplistic terms, the GO! exec creates a WiFi hotspot, and has the ability to open an internet connection. The GO! exec acts as a bridge between an app and the internet. This ability can be used by LuckGrib to download GRIB weather and ocean data.

The original Iridium GO! supported download speeds of roughly 2.4k bits per second, or approximately 300 bytes per second. This newer device has much faster download (and upload) speeds. The exec can download data at an advertised 88k bits per second, around 11,000 bytes per second, which is over 35 times faster than the original GO!

As mentioned in the advertising literature surrounding the GO! exec, the device can be used by many apps, including Twitter, WhatsApp, FaceTime, all without requiring any application modifications.

LuckGrib can use the internet connection provided by the GO! exec, as will be described below.

Metered, not unlimited data

While the original Iridium GO! device has unlimited data plans available for it, in practice the amount of data you can download is limited by the amount of patience you have in waiting for it to arrive. The unlimited data plans are quite affordable and do provide peace of mind, but as a practical matter, they do not allow you to download very large files. (Having said that, the Iridium GO!, its unlimited data plan and the LuckGrib Offshore Data service is an outstanding combination for receiving weather data at sea.)

By contrast, the GO! exec does not (currently) have any unlimited data plans, and in general the data plans that it does have tend to be more expensive than with the original GO!. This of course may change over time.

When using the GO! exec, You will want to be careful to only download the data you need. For example, you don’t want a device you connect to it to start doing a software update, as this would burn through your data plan and is both unnecessary and unwanted.

The GO! exec provides the ability for you to create custom Web/App profiles that can be used to restrict which internet connections are allowed. This guide will describe how to create and use a custom profile to be used with LuckGrib.

You are encouraged to use the Offshore Data service in LuckGrib while downloading data through the GO! exec. The Offshore Data service provides much higher compression than is available when using the standard download method. In addition, you are able to set a maximum file size for your downloads when using the Offshore Data service. This can be very useful to avoid accidently downloading a very large file and burning through your entire data plan.

User manual

If you already own, or are considering the purchase of a GO! exec, you should read through its user manual. A link to the user manual can be found in the Resources section of the Iridium GO! exec page.

A direct link to the user manual is here.

This guide is not meant to be a replacement to your reading and understanding the user manual. The user manual describes how to get started with the exec. For example, as part of the getting started process, you will need to download an Iridium app to your smartphone and use it to help setup the exec.

Overview of the process

When using LuckGrib and the exec, there are two preliminary steps that are taken, and then each time you want to download more data, a short series of steps is performed.

The two initial steps, before leaving shore, are:

1. create a custom Web/App profile to allow downloads from the LuckGrib server cluster. (Note that this is only done once, as part of the device/app setup.)
2. ensure that LuckGrib is setup to download through its Offshore Data, satellite, direct internet download method. (Note that is is done before you leave shore. When you arrive at your destination, normal downloads should be restored.)

The general workflow to download fresh data, while at sea, will be as follows:

1. turn on the exec and wait for it register with the Iridium network.
2. connect your iPhone, iPad or Mac to the exec’s WiFi network.
3. in LuckGrib, add the weather and ocean data requests to the download queue. (This is described in more detail here.)
4. have the GO! exec open its internet connection, using the custom LuckGrib Web/App profile you created. (This is done by tapping the internet icon on the exec’s screen.)
5. in LuckGrib, start the download process.
6. when the download is completed, disconnect the exec’s internet connection.

Some of these steps are described in more detail below.

Creating a custom Web/App profile

Once you are familiar with the exec and have the ability to use the companion smartphone app with the device, you will be ready to perform the steps in this section.

This guide encourages you to create a custom Web/App profile that can be used with LuckGrib. By doing this, you are able to open a limited internet connection session, which only allows LuckGrib data to be downloaded. This will avoid the case where unrelated applications can use the connection to download their own data.

To get started with this process, follow these preliminary steps:

1. in the Iridium smartphone app, navigate to the Application setting tab, by pressing the bottom right gear icon.
2. then choose the Device Settings menu.
3. then choose Web/App Profiles.

Please refer to the user manual section: Creating and Managing Custom Web/App Profiles (page 84.)

From the Web/App Profiles screen, create a custom LuckGrib profile:

1. press the + icon in the top right corner to add a new profile.
2. profile name: LuckGrib
3. description: LuckGrib Offshore Data profile
4. DNS blocking: on
5. rule policy: block all except filters
6. use the + button in the Profile Rules section to add a rule to the profile.
7. rule ip address: 138.68.37.107
8. rule port: 7671
9. rule type: UDP

After this profile is created, it should be used when downloading data via LuckGrib.

Switch to the Offshore Data download method

When you are heading offshore, you need to switch LuckGrib into its Offshore mode. This is done by opening up the application settings, and then:

• in the Download Method section, select Satellite or other low bandwidth connection.
• scroll down and then select: Direct Internet.

(When you return to shore and have access to high speed internet again, switch this download method back to High Speed Internet.)

Downloading data using LuckGrib

Make sure your WiFi network is connected to the GO! exec. This is described on page 48 of the user manual: Connecting to the Iridium GO! exec device.

You now need to queue up the weather file downloads you want LuckGrib to request from the servers. This is done in the usual way. Submit the first request to the queue, and then if you want to add more, add those as well. There are some details for this step in the workflow section.

Before starting the download from LuckGrib, you need to open the internet connection from the GO! exec. To do this, follow the steps in the user manual section titled Connection Manager, starting on page 48.

• tap the internet connection icon on the exec’s screen.
• select the LuckGrib Web/App profile.
• choose a session duration. 5 minutes is probably around right. Adjust this as your experience grows.
• tap the Connect button to start the connection.
• wait for the connection to be established.

Now, in LuckGrib, tap the Start Download button. LuckGrib will now open its internet connection to the LuckGrib server cluster and obtain the data you have requested.

At the conclusion of the download, disconnect the GO! from the internet by tapping the Disconnect button on the exec’s screen.

Note that the order of the two steps is somewhat arbitrary. You may find that opening the internet connection first, then working in LuckGrib to queue and download the GRIB requests may be easier.

Suggestions and feedback

If you have gone through the process of using LuckGrib with the GO! exec, your feedback is welcome.

Please send suggestions for any changes and improvements to this page to Craig (craig@luckgrib.com).

Integration of the exec directly into LuckGrib is also possible. This would avoid the step of having to setup your own custom profile, and remove the need for you to open and close the internet connection. If you are interested in seeing this happen, please let Craig know.