Western Arctic Shelf-Basin Interactions (SBI) Project

SBI Computer Support Details

The following information describes the general features of the Healy Science Data Network

The science user's computer must have an Ethernet interface card and functioning software

Connection to the SDN requires an RJ-45 connector on an Ethernet cable

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is used for Internet Protocol (IP) address assignments.

The network operating system is Windows 2000.

The Coast Guard strongly recommends bringing computers that operate under Windows 2000.

Computers using Mac and Unix operating systems can be connected but the USCG cannot support them, provide instructions on connecting to the SDN or otherwise assist with major problems.

The shipboard email service is Window Outlook.

The shipboard web service is Internet Explorer.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and ship data system disk sharing is available.

Email messages of any length can be exchanged aboard ship. Email messages leaving the ship via satellite or being received from shore will have their length strictly limited. Plans now call for a 1 Megabyte limit. This may be altered in the future.

The Healy uses the NOAA SCS software for recording and archiving most underway data.

There are 87 parameters stored on the ship's underway data stream. Day files are generated every 24 hours and time/ship position information is available every 2-10 seconds via the shared disk.


**NOTE** The Healy uses UTC for all time information. This will be the standard for all SBI datasets. In addition, the date/time format standard for all SBI exchange data is:

yyyymmddhhmmss.ss

where:
yyyy=year (2002, etc)
mm= month (01-12)
dd=day (01-30)
hh= hour (00-23 UTC)
mm= minute (00-59)
ss.ss= seconds and tenths/hundredths, as appropriate (00-59)


Other General Facts about Ship Communications

The ships crew is connected via a separate USCG network. This network is not accessible to SBI participants. Healy crew members will have user addresses on the SDN as necessary.

There will be a separate science users INMARSAT-B satellite communications system. It will have both voice and data capabilities. Costs are:
~$5.00/minute for voice
~$8.00/minute for data at 64 Kbps
Restraint is required in the use of the satellite communications to shore. There are plans to allow access to the INMARSAT voice line via the ships telephone system, using an access code.

Email messages leaving the ship via satellite or being received from shore will likely have their length strictly limited.

Healy staff can assist with limited data message exchange via International Marine Satellite (INMARSAT) system. Message length will be limited.

The Healy will typically engage the satellite link for exchanging email/data from shore twice per 24 hour period.

The ship has an Iridium satellite communications system available for use by the science users for both voice and data. Cost are:
~$2.00/minute for voice
~$2.00/minute for data at 2.4 Kbps (very slow and NOT recommended)

Personal phone cards can be purchased from the USCG. Suggest combining users to minimize the $50.00 connect fee for each card issued. There is only a single Iridium phone instrument aboard ship. It is inconveniently located in the Chief Scientist stateroom. It is permitted to bring a separate Iridium phone for use aboard ship.

Any satellite link from the Healy will go through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) named Seanet in Seattle, WA. Seanet will handle all email staging (1 megabyte length limit) and ftp link-up is possible.