(RM) Communication, part two

Communication, part two

Before leaving civilisation, I put an entry into this blog explaining how I thought the communication infrastructure worked. I thought it was correct, and now know that it mostly was. There are a few details that need to be cleared up, however. Please read that entry first, and then read the following additional points.

1. I like emails!
It's basically the only connection we really have here to the outside world. Let me know what's going on in your lives, and what's going on in the outside world in general. We're really isolated here.

2. I'll probably write back
I may actually be better at responding to emails than I was in my suburban life, because I've got plenty of free time to sit at the computer and type stuff. I may not bother repeating stuff in personal correspondences that's already been covered in blog entries, but I'm open to suggestions for topics that may be of interest.

3. 20kb maximum per email
The maximum email size that can be sent or received by the camp's email address is 20kb.

4. 23kb packets, regardless of mail size
The messages are sent and received via satellite phone, in packets of information that are approximately 23kb each. This means that if I write a 1kb message, it is still sent out in a 23kb packet. So I am basically encouraged to write long messages!

5. The satellite connection is a total pain in the ass.
Sometimes it only takes 20 minutes or so to log in to the satellite, log into the server, download messages, and upload messages. Sometimes it's a two-hour ordeal that ultimately sees us give up until the next day (we chopped a tree down the other day to get a better opening for the receiver, and it's been working more efficiently since!)

6. Be brief
It is unclear as to whether or not incoming emails are lumped together in packets or if each one gets its own 23kb. It appears, from our end, that incoming messages are lumped together, suggesting that people sending us email are encouraged to write short messages.

7. About $7/MB
I pay for all the kb that are sent or received on my behalf. I am charged about US$7 per MB (deducted from my paycheque), in units of 23kb at a time. The IT guy in Leipzig (Alex) sorts through the messages and attributes each to different camp members, based on who he thinks they were sent to/from.

8. Put (RM) in the subject heading
I am adding "(RM)" to the subject line of all personal emails I send, and ask that anyone who sends email to me here also include my name or initials in the subject line. This not only facilitates billing, but also facilitates our sorting of incoming mail here at camp.

9. No emails are private
They are perused by Alex in Leipzig so he can determine who to bill, and they are perused by campmembers to determine who they are for. Putting a name or initials in the subject heading makes it easier to sort, so therefore less likely to be read by everyone else.

10. I favour Canadian spelling
In case you were wondering, I'm here with an international team, so I use the international (ok, Canadian) English spellings. So no, I am not misspelling 'favour,' 'paycheque,' or any other words that have different spellings in the States.

OK, to sum up, please write to me, don't send anything over 20kb, and put my name or initials in the subject heading.

-Ryan