john schuler
New member
What is the best sat phone for the Pacific North West? Anybody have one? thanks john
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sat phones
- Thread starter john schuler
- Start date
John,
You can rent or buy the phone the service plans have minutes for sale and all the kinds of options. I would carry one, a rental probably and get a minimum amount of minutes and use it for emergencies only. Here's a few links to get you started. I did a search on the price grabber site and came up with a bunch of options.
D.D.
http://www.ocens.com
http://www.satellitephonestore.com/irid ... ite-phones
You can rent or buy the phone the service plans have minutes for sale and all the kinds of options. I would carry one, a rental probably and get a minimum amount of minutes and use it for emergencies only. Here's a few links to get you started. I did a search on the price grabber site and came up with a bunch of options.
D.D.
http://www.ocens.com
http://www.satellitephonestore.com/irid ... ite-phones
I looked into this extensively for the last two summers. The Iridium phone service is best by far--don't even consider the Globalstar servcie.
The Motorola 9555, with the package which includes an external antenna, extra battery and 12 volt as well as 120 volt charger. These are relitatively expensive, and the air time is also expensive, in comparison to data or cell phone plans. If you want to buy there are a couple of places which sell used phones which are sold by military returning from deployment, compete with some un-used minutes.
Even though we had a relitative who we knew could be critical, we decided that other communciation would be adequate. In BC at least up the Broughtson, we found that almost every little marina had wireless internt, and most were free, or a minimal charge. Cell phone coverage was also fairly good. In Alaska the cell phone coverage was really fairly good, and there were less internet connections. We were able to make contact at least every other day.
If you worry about your own safety--then get an Personal Locator Beacon--EPIRB--they are about $300 complete with internal GPS and will get help very quickly in most cases. If you want others to know where you are, then get SPOT, with its tracking ability and limited messages, it can assure folks you are OK. Also VHF radio is fairly good up there. When we were in the Inland Passage in the Cal 46 we participated in several Maydays, via the lighthouses relaying the distress calls. I also had both Canadian and US coast guard folks tell use that in the case of emergencies from home that they could relay messages, especially if they knew approximately where you are.
For most of our long distance cruising, I used Ham radio. This gave me daily contact via phone patches or relays. The cost is less than a satellite phone by far, Ham can do slow text messages (Winlink) or Marine SSE Sail mail. There are also several good nets for information in the PNW. You can find a good older ham set for $500, and a tuner plus antenna a couple of hundred more. Morse code is no longer necessary for a "general" license--which allows voice frequencies.
Unless you are going to be way out of the beaten boating track--and it is hard to think where that may be, I think that the Satellite phone is a very expenisve and probably not necessary item.
Enjoy some of the best cruising in the world.
The Motorola 9555, with the package which includes an external antenna, extra battery and 12 volt as well as 120 volt charger. These are relitatively expensive, and the air time is also expensive, in comparison to data or cell phone plans. If you want to buy there are a couple of places which sell used phones which are sold by military returning from deployment, compete with some un-used minutes.
Even though we had a relitative who we knew could be critical, we decided that other communciation would be adequate. In BC at least up the Broughtson, we found that almost every little marina had wireless internt, and most were free, or a minimal charge. Cell phone coverage was also fairly good. In Alaska the cell phone coverage was really fairly good, and there were less internet connections. We were able to make contact at least every other day.
If you worry about your own safety--then get an Personal Locator Beacon--EPIRB--they are about $300 complete with internal GPS and will get help very quickly in most cases. If you want others to know where you are, then get SPOT, with its tracking ability and limited messages, it can assure folks you are OK. Also VHF radio is fairly good up there. When we were in the Inland Passage in the Cal 46 we participated in several Maydays, via the lighthouses relaying the distress calls. I also had both Canadian and US coast guard folks tell use that in the case of emergencies from home that they could relay messages, especially if they knew approximately where you are.
For most of our long distance cruising, I used Ham radio. This gave me daily contact via phone patches or relays. The cost is less than a satellite phone by far, Ham can do slow text messages (Winlink) or Marine SSE Sail mail. There are also several good nets for information in the PNW. You can find a good older ham set for $500, and a tuner plus antenna a couple of hundred more. Morse code is no longer necessary for a "general" license--which allows voice frequencies.
Unless you are going to be way out of the beaten boating track--and it is hard to think where that may be, I think that the Satellite phone is a very expenisve and probably not necessary item.
Enjoy some of the best cruising in the world.
Hi Dave,
I agree with Bob.
In my experience with AT&T (GSM) service, cell phone coverage is pretty good, the main exception being the north coast of BC.
In 2005, between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert I was mostly out of touch unless I came into town and found wifi or a pay phone. Some folks with Verizon (CDMA) phones found coverage in a couple of places where I did not. Shearwater and Lagoon Cove come to mind. Don't know how much has changed on the BC coast since then.
Cell coverage is remarkably good in some pretty remote locations in SE Alaska.
I agree with Bob.
In my experience with AT&T (GSM) service, cell phone coverage is pretty good, the main exception being the north coast of BC.
In 2005, between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert I was mostly out of touch unless I came into town and found wifi or a pay phone. Some folks with Verizon (CDMA) phones found coverage in a couple of places where I did not. Shearwater and Lagoon Cove come to mind. Don't know how much has changed on the BC coast since then.
Cell coverage is remarkably good in some pretty remote locations in SE Alaska.
In may of 09 we had coverage with Verizon in port hardy nothing in rivers inlet Duncanby landing let us us there sat phone to call home. shearwater has coverage as well as bella coola. Klemtu did't have service,I think you can not for sure though get a message out on email from the store. Duff
We have iridium service, never any problem with coverage in the Northern hemisphere, sometimes spotty when we were in Costa Rica, worked great in French Polynesia, Tonga and SE Asia.
Our service plan is $32 per month and minutes are 95 cents. We have the original motorola 9500 phone.
A good source of information is Don at Skyhelp.net
Eric
Our service plan is $32 per month and minutes are 95 cents. We have the original motorola 9500 phone.
A good source of information is Don at Skyhelp.net
Eric
We have had the Motorola 9505 sat phone with iridium service since 2002 for very remote Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories use.
Bob is spot on in his analysis as usual, so won't bother to repeat it all. Main points to consider is don't go for anything other than iridium and as its very expensive and most likely only worth it if wanting to access the most remote areas
I didn't think it was worth the cost when I ventured alone, but when Jo-Lee started going to the very remote areas with me decided the cost was worth it.
Jay
Bob is spot on in his analysis as usual, so won't bother to repeat it all. Main points to consider is don't go for anything other than iridium and as its very expensive and most likely only worth it if wanting to access the most remote areas
I didn't think it was worth the cost when I ventured alone, but when Jo-Lee started going to the very remote areas with me decided the cost was worth it.
Jay
john schuler
New member
Those are some great ideas. This will help me in my (wifes) thinking.