Sat. Phones
- Thread starter newguy220
- Start date
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
If it is strictly for a special hunt, I rented one for a month for my sheep hunt. This is the place I got it from:
http://www.explorersatellite.com/satellite_phone_services.htm
Topgun 30-06
Banned
I'm with UH on this one. For just a hunt I'd rent one for a month and not worry about buying. If you're just using it for basic emergency purposes I wouldn't think charging it would be an issue.
UH---What did it cost you for that one month rental if you recall?
UH---What did it cost you for that one month rental if you recall?
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Topgun 30-06
Banned
That sounds very reasonable if you don't need to do a lot of minutes talking on one!
I agree, and I think we are going to go ahead and rent one for our WY trip. Just for checking in occasionally, and safety in general.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
I recall it was in the $200 to $250 range for a month, including some prepaid time. I used it to check in each night on my solo Wyoming sheep hunt (avatar). I also wore a SPOT so my wife (finance at the time) could keep an eye on if I was moving, and so I could send out a distress signal if needed. In the grand scheme of things it was a bargain compared to an outfitted hunt. Having redundant safety lines was a good feeling.
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It is cheaper to buy one because every year we are some place that doesn't have cell service, so it would be nice to have one. We have borrowed a Globalstar phone before, but couldn't get it to charge using a small two or three panel Goal Zero solar charger. That is why I was wondering if any of the newer sat. phones would be easier to charge this way.
After using a sat. phone and than looking at the limitations of a spot for communication, we are going to stay with a sat. phone.
Thanks,
newguy220
After using a sat. phone and than looking at the limitations of a spot for communication, we are going to stay with a sat. phone.
Thanks,
newguy220
dustin ray
Veteran member
spot phone can only be charged with the charger that comes with it but you can get an extra battery you can only receive a tex. The iriidium is a better phone and better service it has a usb port an can be charged no extra battery an you can send a tex but the cost is alot more than the spot. you get what you pay for but im looking to buy the spot i like the extra battery and
Musket Man
Veteran member
We paid $800 for a used one. He was going on a 2 week sheep hunt, so that was a deciding factor due to the length of time. We are both usung it this year for 3 separate trips total. After this year we will be past the breakeven point on purchase vs rental
I think that was a smart move. Thanks for sharing. Do you still pay by the minute as well?
From what I can remember it cost me $120 to rent for 10 days and then about $2 per min. I haven't had to get a sat phone in a few years so I would guess it would cost more.
Check ebay for used phones. Also there are a few differant providers so check the coverage for the area you want to hunt. Sounds weird that is a sat phone to be concerned about coverage but some carriers have more satalites wich In Turn gives you better coverage. At times you will have to watch the phone to see when the signal come up when a satalites passes over head to make a call. Others have many satalites that you will almost always have coverage.
Check ebay for used phones. Also there are a few differant providers so check the coverage for the area you want to hunt. Sounds weird that is a sat phone to be concerned about coverage but some carriers have more satalites wich In Turn gives you better coverage. At times you will have to watch the phone to see when the signal come up when a satalites passes over head to make a call. Others have many satalites that you will almost always have coverage.
Yes, we pay by the minute. About $2 per minute plus a $50 per month activation fee. Nothing cheap about sat phones no matter how you look at them.
I think if you hunt where you needed a sat phone every year or two, it would be best to buy one as you guys have. And having a buddy to split it with is a bonus! Thanks for the info.
libidilatimmy
Veteran member
^^^This is good advice. I'll add to this. Some companies may have several communication satellites, but are concentrated on the southern hemisphere equaling very limited service windows for the Northern latitudes. All of these companies should be able to give you a chart/graph of some sort that shows available service times for your particular area on any given date in the future as this is predictable.