What sat phone????

[Tod osier]

I'm looking to buy a sat phone. I'm not opposed to used, looking for lightweight and good for serious adventuring use. I want an iridium phone, an extra battery, car/wall charger. Last phone I rented was a 9505, I know there are smaller phones. I'd pay for smaller/lighter to a point. I would want a monthly/quarterly plan.

Any comments on models as far as reliability or use? Any comments on phone models, retailers, or the monthly plans? Comments on buying used? I was looking at ebay as a start.

I looked for recent threads, but didn't find one.

 

[duchntr]

I bought a used 9505 a few years ago and I purchase a half yearly "Alaska & Canada plan" which comes with 200minutes. It works fine, drop calls happen but not regularly enough to be a hinderance. As far as plan pricing goes I usually pay around 200$ after little google searching.

 

[Tod osier]

I bought a used 9505 a few years ago and I purchase a half yearly "Alaska & Canada plan" which comes with 200minutes. It works fine, drop calls happen but not regularly enough to be a hinderance. As far as plan pricing goes I usually pay around 200$ after little google searching.

Thanks - given what I've seen, that would work price-wise. With all sat phones, I'm expecting drops.

I want the phone for 2 reasons. I'm pretty sure cost wise, I'll be ahead given my expenditures the past several years. Secondly, I hate the last minute hustle of getting a phone and trying to figure it out and not being sure of the quality ahead of having it in hand (or if the one I reserved would be there or if the batteries are charged/good, etc...). I've got phones/accessories and service that were great (Surveyors Exchange - Fairbanks) and also equipment and service that was a little dicey. I've also had times when I would have liked a phone, but didn't get one because of cost.

200 minutes would be plenty. I'm often travelling with my wife, so little chit-chatting on the sat phone. Usually I'm calling the transporter or calling for weather.

 

[Blockcaver]

This is coming from Canadian so take it for what it is worth and costs......the Northern BC air charter service I used this fall really prefers dealing with InReach emails/texts versus Sat phone calls. Hard copy written down instructions versus missed verbal communications was the reason given. I emailed back and forth with the charter service about 20 times over a 4 hr period about our local weather conditions when we were getting picked up. We had low celings and were at a higher elevation lake. All were nearly instantly received. Communications were very smooth.

In the Mackenzie Mts in the NWT in August all base camp and pilot communications were done via InReach on my Dall hunt. Again, perfect results that come with location coordinates.

My wife was at home so could send detailed daily and 5 day forecasts to me.

Anyway, I am a happy InReach user and saw that it was the predominant means of communicating being used this year where I was at.

 

[Molon Labe]

I second the inreach suggestion. It is really nice to have info on hand.
Weather updates were very nice to get and keep...plus don't have to set certain times for calling.
You can just reply when you want and it uses very little battery to have it check every 20 minutes.

This was also the preferred method by both the transporters I used this year.

Cost you are way better off with inreach. $65/month for unlimited texting and cost to have plan is maybe $50/a year?
So total cost for me was around 120 to have service for my entire month of hunting.

 

[Tod osier]

Thanks guys, I can't imagine texting a flight service, I don't text in general, tho. I'll ask the guy I'm flying with next fall, but I can't get my head around that, especially remote, like off the road system in AK or in an emergency.

I have a 406 MHz PLB already.

 

[Blockcaver]

Tod, I used email rather than texting with the InReach for my off grid flight communications. Sure works in Canada! Check it out and good luck.

 

[flyinsquirel]

You can text with any sat phone its just not as easy as you'll be using the number pad and a small screen. The iridium plan I have let's me receive incoming texts free from the messaging page on there site. Not sure if all plans are that way or not.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Russp17]

Thanks guys, I can't imagine texting a flight service, I don't text in general, tho. I'll ask the guy I'm flying with next fall, but I can't get my head around that, especially remote, like off the road system in AK or in an emergency.

I have a 406 MHz PLB already.

Yeah my recent experience in Alaska they also like the inreach. It makes it so conversation doesn't get missed. Sat phones can be hard to hear etc. There is no missed communication with it being written down.

 

[Low_Sky]

Another +1 for InReach. I got one after talking to the transporter when booking this year's hunt. It's his preferred means of communicating.

Everything is right there in writing, nobody can play the "I thought you said...." game. Every message you send has your location attached, so you can say "meat is on a gravel bar right here" and not worry about fat fingering a gps coordinate.

If you are a normal smartphone user in the year 2017, your smart phone Bluetooth paired to an InReach is the best you can do in the backcountry.


Edit to add: my transporters reason for preferring InReach is that also uses one in the field and so can communicate directly with clients in the field, which helps him provide better, faster service. Getting a message in the air can save him a trip back to town, which could save days depending on weather.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tod osier]

lot of InReach love, but man, I have a hard time with that idea (then again, I don't like texting). Thanks guys.

 

[muddydogs]

lot of InReach love, but man, I have a hard time with that idea (then again, I don't like texting). Thanks guys.

You do realize the inreach texts over the satellite network and not the cell network right? Sounds like you need to start practicing your texting skills.

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

I looked at renting or buying a sat phone. Just bought the Inreach instead. I'll activate it on a plan this week.

 

[Blockcaver]

Pair ir with a phone and send an email, just like emailing off cell coverage or wifi.

 

[Tod osier]

You do realize the inreach texts over the satellite network and not the cell network right? Sounds like you need to start practicing your texting skills.

Yes, I have good understanding on how they work and I've kept track of them over the years. I have no interest in texting beyond 2-3 word strings. No way I would want a texting device for what I want a sat phone for, which is calling people. I understand the InReaches are cheaper. Price isn't driving my decision - function is (as has been said you can text on a sat phone). If I didn't have a 406 MHz PLB already, I'd consider an InReach and a sat phone.

 

[muddydogs]

Well as a guy that runs 80 sat phones and 90 inreache's I can tell you that the inreach is way more reliable and like stated above by others the information is written down and reviewable so nothing gets lost, misunderstood or disconnected. Of the 80 some employees using the sat phones and inreache's (they carry both) I don't know anyone that prefers the sat over the inreach.
I understand the resistance to texting, I was there a few years ago but realized that its the way of the future and started doing it some. I can text with the best of them now but refuse to carry on a length conversation via text. For my field communication needs short texting works well but then again I see no reason to call anyone when out hunting.

 

[Trial153]

no more sat phones for me. inreach been perfect. more consistent, easy to use and multi functions as a GPS and SOS....

 

[Tod osier]

Well as a guy that runs 80 sat phones and 90 inreache's I can tell you that the inreach is way more reliable and like stated above by others the information is written down and reviewable so nothing gets lost, misunderstood or disconnected. Of the 80 some employees using the sat phones and inreache's (they carry both) I don't know anyone that prefers the sat over the inreach.
I understand the resistance to texting, I was there a few years ago but realized that its the way of the future and started doing it some. I can text with the best of them now but refuse to carry on a length conversation via text. For my field communication needs short texting works well but then again I see no reason to call anyone when out hunting.

Very eye opening, I'm taking what you say into consideration.

Here are two examples that come my head that I have experienced.

Last year we did 2 weeks in the Frank Church... Wife's dad had open heart surgery scheduled on day 2 or 3. Texting isn't going to cut it for wife talking to mother.

Dog gets bit by rattlesnake in the UL bend area of CM Russell with no cell service. Texting isn't going to work to find a vet and ask them to stay open until we get there.

 

[Becca]

I guess I will be in the minority here, but for our AK travels we much prefer a sat phone versus a texting device like the InReach. I should admit we haven't used the inreach (although we did use an early generation SPOT device for a bit). What it comes down to for us is logistics, and instantaneous conversation with anyone in the event of an emergency. Being able to call the flight service and discuss in real time, weather, changes in pick up time, how much meat we need to fly out, etc is really just so much easier. Sure calls occasionally get dropped, but you know right away whether the other party heard the info you are trying to convey, and nothing gets lost in translation. Being able to call anyone with a phone number in an emergency (state troopers/dispatch, family or friends, flight service, etc.) is much simpler and faster than having to text someone at home to call those agencies or numbers on your behalf.

Ultimately I think both devices serve their purpose, and provide a necessary means of communication from the field. For our immediate family's uses up here in AK between 50-100 days a year, the iridium sat phone can't be beat.

 

[muddydogs]

Very eye opening, I'm taking what you say into consideration.

Here are two examples that come my head that I have experienced.

Last year we did 2 weeks in the Frank Church... Wife's dad had open heart surgery scheduled on day 2 or 3. Texting isn't going to cut it for wife talking to mother.

Dog gets bit by rattlesnake in the UL bend area of CM Russell with no cell service. Texting isn't going to work to find a vet and ask them to stay open until we get there.

Your first problem with the wife and mother would be hard with texting and I suppose there's no way around that but let's hope something like this isn't to common. Then again my wife and kids can carry on quite the texting conversation and get all the info they need without ever saying a word.
The dog being bit by a snake I would have hit the SOS button, sent a text to the SOS people asking them to find me a vet and telling them what time I was going to be there then I would have beat feet for the vet. Or texted someone I know and have them go a google search for a vet and make the calls. Less time I have to spend dealing with the calls and search means more time I can be hauling ass down the road.
We have had a couple false alarm SOS's over the last 3 years and I can tell ya that the emergency service sure has there stuff together and if I'm ever in need of serious help I'm glad I have them in my pocket.
Also we are carrying on a conversation typing away on this forum which isn't to much different then texting on a smartphone. You definitely want to uses a smart phone bluetoothed to the inreach for texting as the inreach unit text editor is a hunt and peck deal.