Anyone have experience with sat phones?

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   I have one.  I bought it on Ebay for 300 and I buy prepaid minutes from the satphonestore.com  Wierdest thing is its like calling from another country so you have to dial 011, call quality is OK.  Phone size is OK.  It beats running back to town however.  I pay about 10c per minute with is OK with me for as little as I use it.
Derek

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
computerfixitguy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 04 Jun 2016 Location: Littleton, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 91	Topic: Anyone have experience with sat phones? Posted: 18 Sep 2016 at 10:31pm
	I have one. I bought it on Ebay for 300 and I buy prepaid minutes from the satphonestore.com Wierdest thing is its like calling from another country so you have to dial 011, call quality is OK. Phone size is OK. It beats running back to town however. I pay about 10c per minute with is OK with me for as little as I use it. Derek

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 04 Sep 2016 at 11:34am

	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1454	Posted: 03 Sep 2016 at 10:13pm
	I keep trying to stop saying, "I remember when," because it makes me seem old (which I guess I am, but still....) Anyway, I remember when we went on vacations and didn't talk on the phone for the duration unless we stopped at a payphone somewhere to check in with whoever. Texts and emails hadn't been invented or probably even thought of. Not sure what that has to do with anything.... We still camp regularly in places with no cell service though, and survive. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 03 Sep 2016 at 9:43pm
	Definitely need to get my General. On that long list! It turns out Globalstar (which is the system I was considering) has stopped selling their prepaid minutes and they no longer have their lowest-cost monthly plan. So this is on hold for now.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 02 Sep 2016 at 7:46am
	Another reason to get your amateur radio license. Some stations are equipped with "autopatch" or "phonepatch", which allows you to connect to the telephone system. If an operator/station is not equipped, nearly all would likely make a "courtesy/distress call" for you. Depending on your location, there may not be any VHF/UHF repeaters nearby but, with a General license or better, you'll always find someone on the HF freqs. "Autopatch" was very popular in the "pre-cell phone" days but, not as common today. It was also used quite a bit by military personnel to "phone home" and get to speak with their families (MARS). Between this and OnStar, I can always get in contact with someone.

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 8:32pm
	Thanks for the link. I probably should have had a SPOT device many years ago. codycountry - I agree a sat phone wouldn't be used as a normal cell phone replacement. Partly due to cost, partly because incoming calls are problematic (for several reasons). Good post.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

codycountry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Jan 2014 Location: Wyo Online Status: Offline Posts: 168	Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 8:41pm
	Sat phones can be rented via the internet, and then they also cost several bucks a minute to use. They are expensive to rent. I have used them on occasion for almost a decade in the remote backcountry wilderness (for work) south of Yellowstone NP as a safety back up communication to a VHF/UHF hand held radio that don't work well in those remote locations unless you are on top of a mountain. The sat phones have saved several lives around here that I know about. Every hunting outfitter in the wilderness areas here has at least one in camp, and every year they save someone's life or help greatly in extrication of seriously injured or ill people from the backcountry. They work pretty well indeed, unless the battery goes dead, or you drop them in the spring or creek. Been there, done both of those. They don't come cheap, and the need vs the cost is a big factor. Not for casual phone conversations unless you are wealthy. I don't carry one on my own nickel. I just drove thru Yellowstone today and my cell phone didn't work most of the time. I don't think it worth getting a sat phone for that minor factor. In fact, I sure like watching the frustrated kids who's cell phones don't work there at most of the Yellowstone attractions.......

Leo B Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4518	Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 2:36pm
	Can't remember who the state had the contract with but it was back in 2008-2009 before I retired.
	Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171

ronahue Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 317	Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 2:34pm
	Have you considered a Satellite Messenger like the Spot Gen 3 or a PLB their are plusses and minuses to both a PLB and a satellite messenger and on going cost. I'm not recommending one or the other but the REI link below might help you decide if one is right for you. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
	Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

osage Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2016 Online Status: Offline Posts: 146	Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 1:25pm
	check out consumer cell. My son went with them 2 mo. ago and likes them has service where he lives in the country now he didn't have on the att or vis.