Wifi Roaming

[Wayne]

I have been looking into wifi options for my van. Im considering an extended road trip to the more remote parts of Europe and beyond.

I'm known for taking vehicles down tracks never designed for them. Wading rivers in a Corsa in Iceland and taking my estate car onto the ice roads in the arctic.

Ok the point. The easiest solution is just to tether my mobile or my Sat Phone to my ipad. However using the Sat phone to check weather forecasts and check in is not a cheap option. Data charges smart.

I have looked at the mobile starlink, again that's hideously expensive and needs a stationary van. Well i think its expensive at nearly £100 a month.

So what other services or options would you technical network engineering types come up with that wont cost me a kidney?

 

[Nice65]

Take it 4G isn’t an option in these remote locations? Living in the van up at the farm in East Dean and we had only one bar of 4G and only some of the time. A 4G booster sorted that one bar into a really decent signal. But it won’t boost what isn’t there, as we found out plenty of times.

 

[photonician]

How remote is remote? Iceland (for example) seems to have surprisingly good 4g mobile coverage, even away from civilisation: https://www.siminn.is/en/network. I'd assume that you can find a similar map for most countries to get an idea of coverage where you're hoping to go (for example, OFCOM do one for the UK https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/ofcom-checker).

If you're happy with intermittent access to the web and/or you're somewhere with OK(ish) mobile signal, using a dedicated mobile broadband router instead of tethering your phone would likely give you the best chance of picking up a weak phone signal and maximising your range away from the phone mast, especially if you get one that can use an external antenna.

Still likely to be a ~few hundred quid for a decent router and antenna(s). You could use a UK SIM with a provider that gives you free roaming, but that can often be time limited or have limits on the amount of data you can use. You're also going to be tied to whichever specific local network your UK provider has a relationship with, so you're relying on the coverage of that local network being usable where you want to go.

I think there are travel SIMs that can use multiple networks abroad but I've not got any experience of those personally.

Obviously, if there's a big mountain sat between you and the nearest mast or if you're a long, long way from civilisation... satellite is probably going to be your only option.

 

[Broch]

I only have experience of professional mobile satellite data systems and they can cost thousands.

I watch with interest

 

[TeeDee]

Following

 

[Bishop]

If it's just a need for local weather information and the ability to say I'm alive, Send Help, Put the kettle On etc then you could use the ham radio APRS network. At the most basic level it's basically just a Baofeng radio plugged into a smartphone. Completely standalone and independent of cell networks.

 

[photonician]

If it's just a need for local weather information and the ability to say I'm alive, Send Help, Put the kettle On etc then you could use the ham radio APRS network. At the most basic level it's basically just a Baofeng radio plugged into a smartphone. Completely standalone and independent of cell networks.

It's been a while since I've dabbled in ham radio, but wouldn't you be dependent on someone else running an APRS station or repeater being in range of you to use it for anything useful?

also, for someone based in the UK to legally use amateur radio abroad, they'd need a full (Advanced) UK radio licence. Most countries in Europe recognise the UK full licence and will (temporarily) let you operate with one, but depending on the country you're planning to operate in/how much time you plan to spend there you might have to apply for a reciprocal licence in the country you're visiting, which can take months.

Getting the full UK licence involves sitting at least 1 pretty difficult technical exam on the theory and practical aspects of radio and electronics (it used to be 3 exams total to get to the Advanced stage).

 

[photonician]

Apparently the Garmin inReach devices now do weather forecasts (using the companion app) in addition to messaging, although it does seem to cost a fair bit (maybe less than you'd pay for mobile data over a satellite phone?)

On top of the device (at least ~£250 new from Garmin) the minimum cost seems to be ~£15 per month for 10 text messages included, a basic forecast 'costs' 1 text message and a premium forecast is £1, although they seem to have a long list of additional charges: https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/837461/pn/010-06000-SU

 

[Buckshot]

I've looked into various mobile options for our van and trip.
From what i can tell, the main advantage of having an external antenna and wifi on the van is the lack of metal blocking the signal from getting to the antenna.
Rather than spend £500 ish and drilling another hole in the roof, at the moment I just put the phone in the skylight opening so it has good vision of the sky and tether the laptop to it.
It's worked for us so far. We've not been hugely off road but on the trip to Scotland earlier this year we wild camped in all sorts of places with zero problems. had a good signal the entire time.
Looking at various youtube videos it seems any boost in signal can be very variable depending on lots of factors, some of which you have no control over. On some videos the conclusion was signal is better using the phone rather than the van wifi set up.
Perhaps the provider is as important too? EE, BT, etc etc

 

[Van-Wild]

For weather conditions, could you not use the BBC World Service SW radio frequencies?

BBC - Global Short Wave Frequencies

How to listen to BBC World Service on short wave radio for the region you're in

www.bbc.co.uk

A Garmin InReach GPS is the way ahead for checking in with loved ones. When I'm in remote places I always have preplanned check ins with my wife. I also factor in a 'missed check' procedure, where if I miss the evening check in, (2000hrs) I must make the morning check in at 0800hrs. If I don't do that, then she will call MR without fail. I've never missed a check in since using Garmin InReach.

 

[Nice65]

The OP specifically asked about wifi.

 

[Buckshot]

Wayne, did you manage to sort anything yet?
Just wondering if you have a recommendation.

 

[TLM]

Now weather one can get up to a reasonable degree from radio, the Old Analog device invented during the stone age.

So checking in is the problem. That could be a very short message but still it needs a sender.