satellite phones

[JodyH]

I just picked up a Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 satellite phone for my adventures into the wild country.
I'm often alone and very, very far away from civilization and the wife wants me to have comms.
Anyone have experience with Inmarsat phones and their coverage in the southwestern US, northern Mexico?
I'll be using Blue Cosmo prepaid service.

[GJM]

We have two Iridium sat phones, for our use, primarily in AK and western Canada. Get a 406 PLB!

[JodyH]

I had a Spot for a while and actually had to activate it when a guy I was riding with went down hard breaking multiple ribs and we thought he might have had a punctured lung.
I've looked into PLB's but around here the Spot/Inmarsat satellite coverage is pretty good (due South, 60-70 degrees above horizon) and the terrain is conducive to LOS (no heavy tree cover and few deep narrow canyons).
I thought about just upgrading my Spot or buying a dedicated PLB but the sat phone seems like it would be more useful, especially if the emergency was at home instead of where I'm at.
On the motorcycle (like backpacking) space is at a premium so I figured the multi-purpose phone would be better.

My plan is to do a 2-3 week Continental Divide Trail off-road motorcycle ride either this fall or next spring and this is part of my preps.

[GJM]

Each year the PLB units get smaller and less expensive. Quick activation gets the rescue coordination center with access to your data file of contact info. Great comp to the sat phone.

[GJM]

4.6 ounces and $280:


http://m.rei.com/product/815753/acr-electronics-resqlink-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon


Sent from my iPhone

[JodyH]

$269 on Amazon Prime

[Default.mp3]

$269 on Amazon Prime
And a 50 USD rebate: https://www.acrartex.com/media/1376035/plb-us-rebate-form-summer-2015-new-template.pdf

[GJM]

Lots of professional shoppers in this thread.

[Joe in PNG]

We've got a couple of Spot locators for our folks on road trips or long hikes.
Happily, this country has fairly good cell phone coverage (with internet)

[Default.mp3]

How does the DeLorme inREACH stack up against a 406 MHz PLB, e.g., an ACR ResQLink, in terms of SOS coverage/reliability, particularly in mountainous terrain/canyons in CONUS? It appears to be that the DeLorme utilizes the Iridium network, FWIW.

[Drang]

I have no personal experience with any of this, but here is Doug Ritter's "Equipped to Survive" page on satellite phones and personal locating beacons:
EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm) - SIGNALING GROUP (http://www.equipped.org/signal.htm#ElectronicS.O.S.)
(ETA: But it looks like it hasn't been updated in a while...)

[JodyH]

Shoot... I may use the sat phone as my only voice number. You have to really want to talk to me to pay $12/minute for the privilege of calling me. Outgoing calls are only $1.35/minute.
Would cut down on those annoying auto warranty and home security robo-sales calls.
I'm not a fan of actually talking to people anyway.

[JDM]

Shoot... I may use the sat phone as my only voice number. You have to really want to talk to me to pay $12/minute for the privilege of calling me. Outgoing calls are only $1.35/minute.
Would cut down on those annoying auto warranty and home security robo-sales calls.
I'm not a fan of actually talking to people anyway.

God that's tempting.

[TAZ]

Shoot... I may use the sat phone as my only voice number. You have to really want to talk to me to pay $12/minute for the privilege of calling me. Outgoing calls are only $1.35/minute.
Would cut down on those annoying auto warranty and home security robo-sales calls.
I'm not a fan of actually talking to people anyway.

Wow. How does that incoming thing work?? If someone calls your number they have to pony up the cash???

[JodyH]

Sat phones often have a "international" number, +870 country code for Inmarsat. You can pay for a US number (about $15/month), but then incoming calls would be on my dime (actually $1.35/minute).
This phone is for my convenience, you want to inconvenience me you can pay $12/minute.