Hardware:
Macintosh iBook
Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Elph
Globalstar Qualcomm GSP 1600 Tri-Mode satellite phone
Belkin USB Serial Adapter for Macintosh (F5U103-MAC)

Software:
Fetch FTP program (requires FTP account).
A text-writing program - I used Simple Text. BBEdit is capable of more.
Canon Image Browser (comes with the camera).
Globalstar Data CD to install modem scripts (obtained from Globalstar).
Belkin USB Serial Adapter Installation (comes with the adapter).

Test Everything Prior to Leaving for the Field!!!
NOTE: Allow several full days to familiarize yourself with all the hardware and software, and to do the testing.

• 1) Load all software onto the iBook and begin testing.
• 2) Follow the instructions for how to configure the Apple Remote Access for the Globalstar phone.
• 3) IMPORTANT: plug all USB devices (camera and satellite phone) into the iBook AFTER it is booted up. If you plug them into the computer and then boot up, the devices will not register as being connected.
• 4) IMPORTANT: on the Qualcomm phone, be sure to set the baud rate at 9600. Press "menu, 4, 4" on the phone keypad and set the rate to 9600. You will not be able to send files at any other rate.
• 5) In the Apple menu of the iBook, open Control Panels, then Modem. You should see a window called Modem (Setup Modem Configuration). You should see "Connect via: Printer Port USB" and "Modem: QUALCOMM Globalstar phone." If you don't see these two things, you won't be able to use the phone.
• 6) You'll be sending text and photo files separately. When naming files, do not have any blank spaces in the names. Examples: use "10_Caribou.jpg" for photo file; use "10_1.txt" for text file.
• 7) Familiarize yourself with the camera operations and how to download photos into the computer. Take some photos and download a few into the iBook.
• 8) Create a text file about the length you'll be sending from the field.
• 9) Open Fetch.
• 10) Connect to your FTP account.
• 11) When you've made the connection to the FTP account, click "Put File" to send a text or photo file. You'll be asked to choose a format for a file. When sending text files, choose "text." When sending photo files, choose "raw data." You can set these formats as the default in the Fetch program.

• 1) If you won't be near a power source, you'll be relying on battery power only. Conservation of battery power will be your top priority. For 16 days in the field without electricity, I exhausted one battery for the Qualcomm phone (bring a spare), almost two batteries for the Canon Elph (might want to bring a third), and two complete batteries for the iBook (I definitely could've used a third).
• 2) To conserve battery power, do all of your writing on paper and when you've got a final text written, then boot up the computer and transpose.
• 3) Set your preferences and extensions on the iBook to maximize battery power.
• 4) Depending on where in the world you are, you may or may not have a difficult time getting and maintaining satellite connections. Talk to the tech guys at Globalstar, let them know where you'll be and they can give you statistics on what to expect.
• 5) Transporting and carrying the equipment will be critical. I used a Pelican case, the best there is for sturdiness. Pelican cases are waterproof and they float too. The case took some pounding, rain and a soak in the bottom of a raft. The equipment survived unscathed.

email: info@amygulick.com