Thrane & Thrane Say, “Ya, Sure, Ya Bet’cha,” to Volvo

Helping teams and organizers communicate via mobile satellite communication during the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 is a huge endeavor. Thrane & Thrane has signed on to become an official sponsor of the race with their satellite and radio communications equipment. The company’s newly introduced SAILOR 500 FleetBroadband, which provides data rates up to 432 Kbps, will deliver HDTV and live audio/standard video to Volvo Ocean Race headquarters. From there, the race will be broadcast via TV and the Internet. VHF and MF/HF radios are also being put to the test. Each boat will be equipped with one FleetBroadband 500, one Fleet 33, and two Inmarsat-C terminals, as well as MF/HF and fixed and portable VHF radios. Additionally, Volvo Ocean Race officials and race umpires will carry the recently introduced SAILOR VHF Scrambler portable radios for secure and confidential communication during race starts and in-port races—Copenhagen, Denmark