The current method of transferring data, e-mail or files, to the R/V Wecoma while at sea is via the Quick Pigeon Messenger Service.
Quick Pigeon Messenger Service
The Quick Pigeon Messenger Service provides both e-mail and file transfer services.
E-mail addresses are assigned to individual users.
Addresses are of the form: login@pigeon.shipops.orst.edu.
Messages are filtered for size, and can be filtered by
author upon request.
The standard size limit of 10,000 bytes can be altered upon request.
Attachments are discouraged, they increase a file size by about 30%.
If you would like to transfer a file, use the file transfer services.
Accounts are created on the ship by the Marine Technician.
To allow the ship based user to control data transfer costs, file transfers are effected by a staged process. Shore-side repositories have been established where files can be placed for retrieval by ship-based or shore-based users.
Directions are available for the shore based user and the ship based user
Highly restricted direct Internet access is available
on specific ship's computers.
Direct Internet access is NOT available for other computers.
WARNING: Direct Internet access is deceptively expensive.
As of 2007, rates for all data services are $0.10 / 1,000 bytes. The ship's daily rate currently includes $100 for communications. Communications exceeding the budget will be directly billed to the Chief Scientist in the communications billing.
Data connections are attempted hourly. Actually establishing a connection depends on various factors: ships heading, weather, location, equipment, etc. There may be many hours between connections.
Data are received on the R/V Wecoma by a dedicated computer on the ships network. Users may send and receive data via any machine connected to the ships network.
The Quick Pigeon Messenger Service is always under development and is therefore highly subject to change.
Last modifed:
20 July 2007 by
Toby Martin
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
Oregon State University
541-737-4447