wireless hi speed internet

[mfolta1]

i know this is a radio forum but we have a lot of intelligent members here so i wanted to ask if anyone uses a laptop and hi speed wireless(mobil) internet??????

im looking for a way to get online in my car when im chasing wx, i really dont want to spend 1000.00 on wx worx xm..

any ideas????? :?:

 

[WhatsnOKC]

I use a Cingular wireless card. It is very fast in the OKC metro but slow as can be when browsing web pages in rural southwest Oklahoma. I especially notice this when trying to pull a large full screen graphic such as an updated satellite photo. It can take up to 3 minutes.

I usually don't need to browse the web since I work for WxWorx's parent company and ingest the small radar files directly into the radar software out in the field. Doing it that way, I usually pull about a meg of data per chase since I keep my ingest limited to base reflectivity, vil density, echo tops, and SRV tilt 1.

 

[K5MAR]

I also use the Cingular EDGE (GC-83) card and have found that an external antenna, such as the Wilson Cellular Trucker series, does wonders for my connect speed when away from metro areas. A solid connection effectively increases your speed by reducing retries. I've got the model with the extended mast/groundplane, but may switch to the NMO roof mount version in the not too distant future.

I previously tried some of the cellphone-laptop connect kits, but the EDGE card has them all beat!

Mark S.

 

[mfolta1]

wow, im looking into the edge and gc 38 card,
is the access unlimited? how much is monthly service? thanks.

 

[ae5me]

Cingular service

wow, im looking into the edge and gc 38 card,
is the access unlimited? how much is monthly service? thanks.

Cingular "all you can use" data service runs $79.99 per month with the PC Cards. They have an entry service for 5 MB per month at $19.99 per month, but (if you're like me), you use that up in a few days downloading weather graphics and the like.

--Jeff AE5ME

 

[okla-lawman]

I have both sprint and Nexrell set up as modems. The sprint phone/modem has a 200+ mps speed. It downloads very quickly. It is not very stable. I beleivr this is do to the cell phone heating uo and slowing
data transfer way down. This is using a sanyo phone as a modem. I know one storm chaser in Tulsa who uses this set up to transfer photos. I also have a motorla nextell phone. It willl transfer data at just above 100
mbs. It is very stable and can download fairly quickly... a lil faster than dial up. It will download the national Wether service radar map in just a minute or so. Using my Storm Predator program it take forever to download the intialt weathe history maps but once loaded it updates failrly
quickly. I have seen the motorola phones go for as low a $5.oo on ebay.
According to the nexrell rep one local police dept is using their system. I know ATT is also now offering data and US cellular is supposed to be soon so prices may be droppins.

 

[mfolta1]

well, i went with xm and i am glad, this is well worth the money and will be less expensive in the long run, i reccomend it! new laptop and xm ran 1650ish...