Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Tracking the Gold Race

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 22:37:32 -0400

Tracking the Gold Race

Wednesday, 30th July 2003

Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
tracked by SecTrack, using
Satamatics' satellite-based
technology and global-coverage network

Global satellite-based telematics operator Satamatics, in partnership with
its service provider SecTrack, has supplied location tracking technology and
services to the 68 yachts taking part in the 18th annual Sydney Gold Coast
Yacht Race, which started on Saturday, 26th July 2003. Conducted by the
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), with the co-operation of Southport
Yacht Club, the race runs for 384 nautical miles along the eastern seaboard
of Australia - from Sydney Harbour to Southport. SecTrack and Satamatics'
technology enabled regularly-updated yacht positions to be displayed on the
CYCA's web site to maximise visitor attraction and involvement in the race,
for the benefit of the club, participants and sponsors. This project built
on the success of the CYCA's 2002 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, for which
SecTrack also supplied the same technology and services.

During the run-up to the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, SecTrack worked with
Sydney-based satellite communications specialist TC Communications, to
ensure that the participating yachts were equipped with the Satamatics
miniature satellite terminals. Operating via SecTrack, and utilising
Satamatics' global network, the terminals were configured to transmit
reports initially at synchronised 15-minute intervals, with the report rate
being re-configured remotely to suit the race circumstances. For example,
the reporting frequency was increased for yachts racing in close proximity
to each other, especially for the leading yachts, and reduced for the yachts
that had reached Southport.

Luc Martens, CEO of Belgium-based SecTrack, commented:

"Our company works in close partnership with Satamatics to provide airtime
and D+ modems to a variety of companies supplying fleet management, asset
tracking and remote monitoring solutions. We won this project for our
overall expertise in this area, for our 24/7 service and competitive
pricing, and due to the proven success of the working relationships we have
established during previous yacht races. The Satamatics on-board terminals
are eminently suitable for this type of event, with their installation
simplicity, low power consumption and remote programmability. These
attributes combine with the seamless global coverage that Satamatics offers
via its satellite gateways and SecTrack's message handling systems to make
this the ideal solution. The data we receive from Satamatics is processed
and delivered to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and is combined with
their charting and weather information for display by the highly
professional boat tracking facility on the club's website. The advantages of
this facility are wide-ranging - the club and race sponsors benefit from the
increased visibility of the website, the public can enjoy substantially
enhanced involvement with the race's progress, while the sailing industry as
a whole derives greater exposure. We see these developments becoming more
and more a standard component of competitive yachting."

The position reports were transmitted from the race yachts via Satamatics'
global-coverage network of satellite gateways, and SecTrack's message
handling systems and data processing centres, to provide an information-feed
for the race. Satamatics' satellite gateways are installed at Land Earth
Stations around the world, including New Zealand, to manage communications
with the geostationary Inmarsat satellites, with this race utilising the
Asia Pacific region satellite.

Although not part of the participating yachts' required safety equipment,
the Satamatics terminals represented a useful safety back-up, as the
regularly updated position reports could prove invaluable in a rescue
situation if a yacht's other communications equipment had been rendered
inoperable or a yacht had moved beyond range. The Satamatics terminals are
designed to meet the forthcoming SOLAS X1-2 specification for a Ship
Security Alert System - activated by a panic button, this triggers the
transmission of an automatic alert message to a competent authority, if a
vessel is under threat from circumstances such as crew illness or accident,
untenable weather or piracy.

Race Results

First across the line in the 2003 Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race was the Open
66 yacht Grundig. Skippered by owner Sean Langman, Grundig finished the race
in just over 1 day and 5 hours. The full results can seen on the CYCA web
site (www.cyca.com.au/goldcoast), where the site's Yacht Tracker facility
includes a Plot Time option, allowing visitors to view the historical yacht
positions at any selected time during the race.

About SecTrack

SecTrack operates internationally, supplying airtime and D+ modems to
partners worldwide who are specialist in fleet management and asset
tracking/monitoring services. The company has strong, established markets in
the Americas, across Europe and Africa, as well as in the Asia Pacific
region. The company's Value Added Partners meet every year in March and, in
March 2004, the fourth conference will take place in Greensboro, North
Carolina. (For further information, please see www.sectrackglobal.com)

About Satamatics

Satamatics' worldwide telematics services provide the critical enabling
technology for track and trace monitoring, two-way messaging and SCADA
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) capabilities for remote
installations. Headquartered in the UK, Satamatics works with Application
Service Providers around the world, such as SecTrack, to develop and deploy
end-to-end service solutions across the world's ocean regions and land
masses - for fleet management, asset tracking and tracing, controlling and
monitoring remote sites, and for security applications.

Satamatics Ltd is part of the Richtec plc group of companies, which is
active across a range of communications, electronics and process control
technologies, with annual revenues in excess of £25 million.

http://www.satamatics.com/frames/nav2.htm

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