Iridium Extreme - Wiki

Iridium Extreme is above all a satellite phone but one of the few to handle a true tracking feature operating over the efficient Iridium LBS channel with an integrated true SOS button. It's actually the only portable voice and tracking solution over satellite !

It's the Iridium’s most compact handset to date and is enhanced with more features and unique accessories than ever before. It enables up to (4) hours of talk time, (30) hours of standby and enhanced SMS and email messaging capability.

More details on the official brochure : Brochure ENG

Tough and rugged

• Military-grade (MIL-STD 810F) durability
• Ingress Protection (IP) rating of IP65
• Dust proof, shock resistant and jet-water resistant
• Includes speakerphone and wind-resistant microphone
• Diamond treaded tapered grip provides superior in-hand ergonomics

Main Features supported with Traksat platform

• Emergency alerts mode with SOS button
• Remote cancel of the SOS mode
• Position and waypoints reports
• Send and receive text messages
• Diagnostics reports
• Remote change of the reporting interval
• Geofencing (hardware)

How to set-up your Iridium Extreme on the Traksat platform

Registration

You need first to have a valid subscription for standard voice through a postpaid or prepaid simcard as most of the tracking features only work with active simcards inside the terminal (Check what is working and what is not working without an active simcard inside). We can provide the voice simcard and voice subscription for Iridium service or simply provide the Iridium service for tracking. You also need a valid Traksat account with the SBD service active and the asset already created and displayed onto the platform.

Then proceed as follows for the initial registration with Iridium LBS portal that will authorize the link with our servers / platform :

• Power on the Iridium Extreme handset and enter *#575# and press the green button. The IMEI and registration code will appear like this :

• Log in Traksat platform, and open the asset config menu, Enter the registration code to generate the registration PIN using the button Get PIN. A pop-up window will display the Registration PIN, take note of it and click OK

• Go back on the phone and press Register on the phone
• Enter the registration PIN from the Traksat platform and press OK on the phone
• Take the Iridium Extreme outside to complete the registration process
• If the handset is powered on, power it off and back on again
• The handset will complete the registration process and you may see a welcome message flashing quickly on the display. This can take up to 30-60 seconds after network registration

Firmware

Make sure you have an up to date firmware mainly because recent firmware enable reduced message size for GPS tracking over SBD. If you purchased your Iridium Extreme after April 2015 you may already have this version of firmware. To check your firmware version please perform the following actions:

• Power on the Iridium Extreme.
• Press the Menu key.
• Scroll down to and select Setup
• Scroll down to and select Phone Information
• If your phone displays a version below HL15002 proceed to the upgrade (contact us)

You can also check on the Traksat platform the Power-Up message content received, It will indicate the firmware version :

Check GPS options

Starting from the main screen, press the left soft key Menu. Use the 2-way Navi-key to scroll until Setup is highlighted and press the left soft key to select Setup. Enter the same way in the Location Options menu where are GPS Options, Portal Options, Emergency Options, Message Options, Format, and Current Location.

GPS Settings Lock

Within the GPS Options menu, enable the GPS Settings Lock to prevent modifications to GPS settings unless the GPS Settings Lock PIN is entered (which should not be the case on your unit). The default setting for GPS Settings Lock is Disabled. To enable GPS Settings Lock, move the 2-way Navi-key until the Enabled option is highlighted and press the left soft key, labeled Select. To modify the GPS Settings Lock, you will be prompted to enter the GPS Settings Lock PIN. The default GPS Settings Lock PIN is 3333 and can be modified in the Security Menu by navigating to Change PINs and then GPS Settings Lock. Once the default or personalized GPS Settings Lock PIN is entered, press the left soft key, labeled OK. This is up to you to enable this but I would not recommend to enable it …

GPS Update Options

Within the GPS Options menu, the GPS Update Options will allow you to set how frequently a GPS position is updated for viewing the Current Location on the phone screen. To access Update Options, use the 2-way Navi-key to scroll and highlight this feature. Press the left soft key, labeled Select. Within the Update Options menu, the options are provided to have the GPS location updated One Time, Real Time, every 5 minutes, or every 10 minutes. To modify this setting, use the 2-way Navi-key to scroll and highlight the desired update rate and press the left soft key, labeled Select.

Turning GPS On/Off

Within the GPS Options menu, the GPS On/Off will allow you to turn the built-in GPS receiver on or off in your phone. Features that require GPS on will prompt you to turn GPS on. Use of the programmable SOS button will automatically turn GPS on. To adjust GPS On/Off, access the GPS Options menu and use the 2-way Navi-key until the GPS On/Off menu is selected.Press the left soft key, labeled Select. The default setting for GPS On/Off is Disabled, meaning that GPS is off. It is recommended that GPS is enabled for frequent use of GPS and our online tracking portal, and disabled for infrequent use to conserve battery. To Enable GPS and turn it on, use the 2-way Navi-key until the Enabled option is highlighted and press the left soft key, labeled Select Note: the GPS receiver automatically saves your location to your phone when the phone is turned on even if the GPS receiver is off.

Setting Emergency Options

The Emergency Options menu items are used to personalize your settings for the programmable SOS button located on the top of your phone. The programmable SOS button gives you the ability to flip open the protective SOS button cover, press the red key located underneath, and initiate an alert message to the Traksat portal and/or phone call to your dedicated contacts. Iridium has partnered with GEOS Travel Safety Group to provide an emergency response coordination service for every Iridium Extreme and the terminal may have been preconfigured with their contact details ! This is very important to change those settings to enable proper alarm relay to Traksat and avoid unwanted solicitation of GEOS service ! To access Emergency Options, access Location Options and scroll down with the 2-way Navi-key until Emergency Options is highlighted. Press the left soft key, labeled Select. Within the Emergency Options menu are Emergency Mode, EmergencyActions, Emergency Beep, Message Recipient, Call Recipient, and GEOS Service.

Emergency Mode

In the Emergency Options menu, the Emergency Mode allows you to initiate an emergency call and/or message to Traksat platform. The more direct way to initiate Emergency Mode is to press the red SOS button located on the top of your phone. If Emergency Mode is active, this menu item can be used to cancel Emergency Mode. When Emergency Mode is activated, the option to cancel Emergency. To initiate Emergency Mode from the menu, highlight “Emergency Mode” and press the left soft key, labeled Select.

After selecting Enter Emergency Mode the countdown screen appears. You will have 20 seconds to press the right soft key labeled Cancel to stop Emergency Mode if initiated accidentally. This feature is designed to help reduce false notifications. While in Emergency Mode the dedicated SOS LED will illuminate and SOS icon on the phone screen will appear. The SOS LED will change colors from red to green depending upon the transmission status and an audible tone will also occur (if programmed) when the Emergency Mode message is being sent. Emergency Mode can be cancelled by pressing the right soft key, labeled Cancel.

Note: if you do not cancel Emergency Mode, your phone will continue to remain in Emergency Mode even after you turn off and on the phone. If you attempt to turn off power while in Emergency Mode, you will receive a countdown warning timer that power down will commence and then a notification that the phone is sending a power down notification to emergency contacts. You will be provided the option prior to this screen to immediately turn off the phone or you can wait for confirmation that the power down notification was successfully sent and then the phone will automatically power down.

Emergency Actions

In the Emergency Options menu, Emergency Actions will allow you to determine the types of call and/or message actions that will occur when Emergency Mode is initiated. The default setting is Message and Call, which means that a message and call will be initiated to your programmed contacts in the event that Emergency Mode is started by pressing the red SOS button on the top of the phone or by selecting Emergency Mode from the menu. To change the default setting to either Message Only or Call Only, use the 2-way Navi-key, highlight the preferred option and press the left option key, labeled Select. Note: If the GPS Settings Lock is enabled, you will be prompted for the GPS Settings Lock PIN when attempting to change this setting

Emergency Beep

In the Emergency Options menu, if Emergency Beep is enabled, the handset will beep three (3) times every five (5) minutes to enable responders to hear where the handset is located. The default setting is Disabled. To change the default setting to Enabled, use the 2-way Navikey to highlight Enabled and press the left option key, labeled Select. Note: If the GPS Settings Lock is enabled, you will be prompted for the GPS Settings Lock PIN when attempting to change this setting.

Message Recipient

In the Emergency Options menu, Message Recipient will allow you to program up to three (3) contacts that will receive Emergency Mode notifications via messaging. In order for this feature to operate, “Message and Call” or “Message Only” needs to be selected in Emergency Actions. The default setting for Message Recipient is “empty”, meaning that recipients need to be added in order to notify a designated contact in the event of an emergency.

To allow emergency alerts to be sent to Traksat portal, you need to edit or program a new Message Recipient using the 2-way Navi-key to highlight the listing that you would like to Edit or Delete. Press the left option key, labeled Options. Next, use the 2-way Navi-key to highlight the desired option to Edit, Delete, or Delete All. If Edit is selected, the phone will allow you to Edit or enter a new message recipient. If Delete is selected, it will delete the previously highlighted Message Recipient listing. If Delete All is selected, all Message Recipient listings will be delete (which is probably the best to do if you don’t know what is already configured). Once the desired action is highlighted using the 2-way Navi-key, press the left option key, labeled Select.

Next, if Edit is selected, the Select Recipient screen will appear providing the options to Enter Number. You need to enter the number *3 pressing the left option key, labeled Select, and once your recipient has been added, it will appear in your Message Recipient listing.

Call Recipient

In the Emergency Options menu, Call Recipient will allow you to program one (1) contact that will receive an Emergency Mode phone call. In order for this feature to operate, “Message and Call” or “Phone Only” needs to be selected in Emergency Actions. The default setting for Message Recipient is blank, meaning that a call recipient needs to be added in order to notify a designated contact in the event of an emergency. Additionally you may have already configured by default the contact of GEOS service. You need in this case to delete it ! To program a new Call Recipient, type in the desired number and press the left soft key, labeled Save

Note: a + sign is automatically added at the beginning of the dialing string to automatically insert the international access code, therefore 00 is not required. The call recipient number must include the country code and number (ex. +12125551212) or emergency number (ex. +911). Note that Iridium only supports 911 in the US and 000 in Australia and these numbers will not work in other geographies.

Message Options

In the Location Options menu, Message Options will allow you to program settings for Regular Updates of location and also use of a Quick GPS list feature. To program Message Options, press the left soft key, labeled Select. In the Message Options menu, Regular Update do need to be configured as it is automatically linked to Traksat portal.

However this is possible here to change the Update Frequency parameter. To modify the Update Frequency, press the left soft key, labeled Select. The default setting is No Update, meaning that no update message will be sent. The options are: No update, Startup only, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 1 week.To modify the default setting, use the 2-way Navi-key, highlight the desired option and press the left soft key, labeled Select.

Message Size

The payload size is not that easy to calculate. First of all it depends of the firmware and of the location size chosen but also of the message type, here are some examples with firmware HL12003 or higher :

Standard Message (with heading, speed, etc …) :

• Automatic Position Report = 19 bytes
• Geofence, when crossed message = 22 bytes
• Location request (response to poll) = 18 bytes

Reduced Message (without heading, speed, etc …) :

• Automatic Position Report = 12 bytes
• Geofence, when crossed message = 15 bytes
• Location request (response to poll) = 13 bytes

When registered with LBS Portal, the handset should send a “Switch-On” message to the portal each time it is turned on. The size of this message is dependent on whether or not the reduced location block is being used (standard location block = 69 bytes, reduced location block = 53 bytes).

The Switch-On message contains the handset’s location, Phone Settings, Canned Messages Hash, Distribution List Hash, Handset Firmware & Hardware version information (the firmware and hardware information is provided with handsets running firmware HL12003 or later). This is important to take into account because if you do not use tracking at all but do switch on the handset once a day, it will still use some data for this and it cannot be removed (this is actually why Iridium did set up a LBS1 free plan with 1000 bytes offered to cover those switch-on messages)

Based on our own experience, we would advise to keep in mind the following as a for a 20 day work month, using standard header and messages size, the 17KB plan would cover 1 power-on per day with location report and 1 automatic position report every 30 minutes during 10 hours a day

SIM Card Functionality

Features in the handset that are NOT dependent on the use of a SIM:

• When using a Portal both regular position and emergency updates CAN be sent by SBD without a SIM.
• Calls to 911 / 112 CAN be completed without a SIM.

Features in the handset that are dependent on the use of a SIM:

• Free text SMS or free text SBD messages CANNOT be sent or received without a SIM.
• Non-Emergency calls CANNOT be made or received without a SIM.
• SMS messages CANNOT be sent or received without a SIM.
• If the handset does not have a SIM when the user presses the emergency button then the handset auto-dials 112 instead of the configured emergency number.