Satellite phones

[square]

Anyone have a satellite phone? Seems like it'd be the handiest of tools to have if you go down or ditch in the bush (knock knock,) I think they have some with moving map GPS things and that. After all, just having a GPS may not be quite enough if you've got a broken leg in -30 temps, 50 miles from the nearest deserted road. And I don't quite feel comfortable relying on cell phone reception when mine likes to go offline in the middle of the city.

Any suggestions? Thuraya has a neat looking one ( http://www.thuraya.com/content/thuraya-smartphone.html ) runs for a whopping $1200, but hey, so do those Bose headsets.

[brokenwing]

sat phones are ok, if there is absolutely nothing else. but from my experience, for the service you pay, you get no reliability, they are very tempermental. I have needed one twice and both times i could'nt get signal. I hate them

[square]

well that's lousy to hear.. then again I don't suppose you really need one, they have satellites that pick up ELT signals anywhere on the globe, yes?

[Adam Oke]

My company has sat phones. I have yet to see one work.

[The Mole]

We have global star portables at work. Heres my take.

If the batteries aren't dead, It can take from 3min to 30min to get a signal.
Even with a signal you may not be able to dial out.
Don't dare move when your talking.
They do work, just not with the reliability most of have come to expect from mobile device's.
I wouldn't count on it, in an emergency.

Never used the Iridium phone, heard there better.

[bkn4thr]

We have global star portables at work. Heres my take.

If the batteries aren't dead, It can take from 3min to 30min to get a signal.
Even with a signal you may not be able to dial out.
Don't dare move when your talking.
They do work, just not with the reliability most of have come to expect from mobile device's.
I wouldn't count on it, in an emergency.

Never used the Iridium phone, heard there better.

I'll second that...I got one and its as stated above. I have allways got through but with great frustrations and time..lots of time.

[sky's the limit]

I use both,

Iridium is slightly better, Global Star is junk. Can't get either to work today, but I'm typing this on satellite INTERNET.... go figure.

stl

[Dust Devil]

We use Iridium in our aircraft. No problems yet. We used a globalstar when we were in pond and it was pretty much useless.

[SuperDave]

I have used both, too.

The Globalstar teaches you patience, lots of it. It seemed to help pointing the antenna in a south-westerly direction, but you almost have to consult the chart that tells you during which time of the day at your particular lat/long you'll get reception. It's got a fancy name that I can't remember at this time of the day.

Iridium...never had a problem yet. Fast connections, so far 100%...and I use it every day.

That's been my experience, yours may vary.

Peace,

Dave

[Northern Skies]

the handiest of tools to have if you go down or ditch in the bush

[Dust Devil]

the handiest of tools to have if you go down or ditch in the bush

That stuff is all good too but it's also kinda nice to be able to pick up the phone and say "hey I crashed come pick my ass up"

[ScudRunner]

Global Star is shit, Iridium I never had any problems getting a signal or anything like that. Global star satilites orbit east -west and Iridium are North-South this is why the signal services is better up north on the Iridium network.

First off consider where your going to be flying and such, if your out in the middle of nowhere flying in the bush there another tool to have. If your just out and about on the weekend with the ability to talk to ATC most of the time your porbably better off investing the 1200 bucks in something else. If you do plan a big trip out somewhere you can rent these phones from some stores.

[angry inch]

Hmmmmm I'll take the sat phone please..

[mikegtzg]

For the application you have described. Consider the SPOT. Spot Satellite messenger...with the caveat of where you want it for. There was a previous thread on this and the far north may be not so useful. Although the website has a recent testimonial about a life saved in Alaska. The unit has worked well from my airplane or car while moving in Southern Western Canada.

http://www.findmespot.com/

[Mr. North]

. is correct about Global Star being shit since their satellites orbit east-west. I also heard that one of their satellites shut down on them some years back reducing reliability considerably. For my work I call in on the Iridium every hour to update my position and have yet to encounter a problem. Iridium works great.

[x-wind]

I carry a cell w/ no plan. all cell phones that work can always dial 911. But yeah coverage area...

[sheephunter]

I have had both and got spanked by both. Started with Iridium, they went broke so for $200.00 I traded the Iridium in for a Globalstar. Iridium came back and Globalstar quit working so back I went and bought the Iridium but this time didn't trade in the Globalstar.

The Iridium will work at least 95% of the time in any country anywhere in the world. The other 5% means you might have to re-dial or the signal might get dropped after a few minutes. Mine will even work most days from inside a plywood building.

The Globalstar is useless at least 95% of the time and the other 5% it is almost useless.

For us that work and fly in remote locations or for that matter travel outside Canada & the US and require communication should consider the Iridium as part of their survival kit. As well, I have never found the phone at fault when the batteries went dead.

I reactivate mine every spring ($69.00) and pay $39.00 / month for service and pay as you play at I think $1.70 / min. I have never shopped around and would be interested in what others are paying. At the end of float season I shut it down again.

So yes, if you have a use for one buy Iridium because they will work. If you don't really need one but want one, I have a sale on Globalstars. I think they actually have something going on now that you don't even pay for their service but if you do actually get a call through they then charge you. Could be a rumour.

Almost forgot, you can recieve free text messages sent form a computer through the Iridium website. I think 120 characters. It works great.

[CID]

http://www.globalstar.com/en/news/update.php

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Concerning the Globalstar Satellite Constellation
Globalstar is the only mobile satellite operator currently launching spare satellites for its existing network. Globalstar has also contracted for a new second-generation satellite constellation, which the company anticipates taking delivery of beginning in the summer of 2009. With the launch of eight spare satellites in 2007, along with the existing satellite network, Globalstar will continue to provide and support services through the launch of the second-generation constellation.

Two-Way Voice and Duplex Data Services - Advisory
Until the transition to the second-generation constellation, Globalstar two-way voice and duplex data satellite services will not be operating at optimal or peak efficiency. Customers may experience difficulty connecting or sustaining longer calls at certain times in certain specific locations.

In order to most effectively manage two-way voice and duplex data access, Globalstar offers an optimum satellite availability tool, which predicts when a satellite will be overhead at any specific geographic area.
Simplex Data and Asset Tracking Services – Fully Operational
The Globalstar constellation of 40 operational satellites is completely stable and fully operational in supporting Globalstar Simplex data satellite products and asset tracking services. Recent monitoring tests indicate that the Simplex data network is currently operating at a successful transmission rate of greater than 99 percent. And because Globalstar's Simplex data products are designed to work with the second-generation satellite constellation, they are expected to provide customer's with years of high quality reliable service well into the next decade and beyond.

[DFione1]

We use the Iridiums and they aren't reliable at all. Every single time I need to make a call, its either I don't have a signal or the other phone I'm calling doesn't have a signal. Very dissappointing.

[sky's the limit]

After careful consideration, our company is retooling once again....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_pigeon






stl

[mountkidd]

For the application you have described. Consider the SPOT. Spot Satellite messenger...with the caveat of where you want it for.

One more caveat fwiw... SPOT is a subsidiary of Globalstar.

[Doc]

Still....if you carry a sat phone, and even the cheapest hand held GPS (they all show present position) you are just a phone call away from rescue....pretty cheap insurance.

[carholme]

We have the Iridium and it has been exceptional for us, from sitting on the water away from base for three days due wx. to getting an immediate notification about an engine failure. As well, it has served us very well in the far nothern parts of Ontario where ETAs have had to be changed for a variety of reasons.
It has been a tremendous comfort factor and has not let us down in four years of operations.

carholme

[sheephunter]

DFione1, this post may prove differently, but you have the only Iridium that I have heard of personally that doesn't work. I have used mine in the MacKenzie Mountains, Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, Spain, Mexico, UAE, Krygystan and a lot of places in between. All I can say is the one I have works and it might be worth having yours looked at or even try another antenae on it.

I also have an M-Sat base phone that used to work great for around .99 / minute. About the size as a standard laptop. I used it both with the built in antenae as well the remote dish. Anyone still using these. If so, how does it work?

[DFione1]

Actually we've tried switching antenea many times. Its just not one phone, it seems to be company wide. We use the Iridium phones to call in our next ETA, for flight following purposes, and we never seem to get any signals. However, I do agree that the Iridiums are much more reliable than the Globalstar. We used to use Globalstar and switched real quick.