Sutron Corporation X-Link Operations & Maintenance Manual, Rev 1.63 5/24/2016 pg. 141
15.
Collecting Data
This section helps you get set up to collect the data from your stations.
15.1.
Understand Your Selected Communications
Method
15.1.1.
IRIDIUM
Iridium is network of more than 66 orbiting satellites that provide voice and data
communications anywhere in the world. The coverage is continuous and
complete – at any moment there is an Iridium satellite in view able to relay your
data to its intended destination. IRIDIUMLink uses an Iridium service called Short
Burst Data (SBD). SBD is designed to efficiently send messages of up to 340
characters each. If more characters are needed, multiple messages are sent.
Iridium SBD messages are
passed from satellite to
satellite until they are received
at the ground station in
Tempe, AZ. From there, the
messages are delivered to up
to five destinations via the
internet. Iridium can also
deliver messages directly to
other Iridium modems.
However, this does double the
cost, as you pay for both the
transmitted message and
received message.
Iridium is very cost effective when sending small amounts of data a few times a
day. Those costs quickly escalate as you pay $1.50 for every 1024 bytes of data.
However, even $50 to $100/month in communications cost is quite a bargain
when you consider the value of the data provided by the station or the costs of
driving to a remote station to do something that might be done remotely.
Sutron provides the Iridium service in a bundled plan that includes 12Kbytes of
data for a low monthly fee. Every additional 1024 bytes cost $1.50.
(Note that the prices are subject to change and the above prices are for
illustrative purposes only)
