Looking to get an idea of how some of you go about Sat. phones. Do you have your own? Rent from somewhere? In the event of ever needing one in the future, would like to learn a little more about them.
Satellite Phones
- Thread starter Wyoming Hart
- Start date
Retterath
Veteran member
u using it just around wyoming and surrounding states? I know in alaska that the idridum are about the only ones that really work good. I have been thinking of getting a spot for this year.
Yeah, I'm thinking Wyoming and Montana for the near future. Alaska is a possibility 5 years or more.
CrossCreeks
Veteran member
Used one a couple of times when I really in the backcountry of Wyoming. Rented it I believe from AT&T ( Not 100% sure it been about 3-4 years) I am sure the cost was by the minute of use.
When I've used them for the back country in Idaho I rented them from a local shop here on Reno. They worked well.
Don K
Very Active Member
Last time I rented I got one from here Good people to deal with and the prices where not too bad.
https://www.mobal.com/satellite-phone-rental/
Since then I have purchased a Delorme InReach and used that last year and loved it.
You have to ask yourself:
How much am I going to use it?
Why do I want one?
https://www.mobal.com/satellite-phone-rental/
Since then I have purchased a Delorme InReach and used that last year and loved it.
You have to ask yourself:
How much am I going to use it?
Why do I want one?
In God We Trust
Very Active Member
Spot has one that you purchase and then just buy minutes for. I am not sure if I am going to buy a spot tracker with messenger or a sat phone. Since I do a lot of back country hunts alone my wife and parents finally demanded I get one. They have a coverage map on their website
mntnguide
Very Active Member
I have used sat phones for years....Iridium works best in my opinion, GlobalStar is POS with satellite reception where i have used them... Iridium has 66 satellites in the sky for communication...so not sure about that "satellite is dying" thing... Nonetheless...they will go in and out of reception no matter as satellites move and weather permits...I have used Spot before and have heard great things about Delorme InReach...that will probably by my goto in the future. But if you want to be able to communicate quickly, renting one is pretty easy for week or month from different sites. Just google satellite rentals and you should be set.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
On my WY sheep hunt I rented one for a month from Explorer Satellite. It was recommended to me by a friend. Worked very well to call in every evening from camp to let my fiancé (now wife) know I was safely "home" for the night. I wore a SPOT tracker during the days.
http://www.explorersatellite.com
http://www.explorersatellite.com
On a LE elk hunt in SW Utah last year I rented a Global Star sat phone and it worked very well. The phone was cheap feeling, but I kept it well protected in my pack. It was pretty nice to pull it out after I shot my elk to call my wife and tell her I was done. The phone and reception worked just like my cell phone and you couldn't tell at all that you were bouncing off satellites.
I appreciate all the feedback from everyone. Will definitely need to sort through it all and get a plan together.
2rocky
Active Member
- Sep 10, 2012
- 290
- 0
I used Mobal.com mentioned earlier in the thread. Iridium 9555 i think.
Was able to connect with my wife at home and another Satellite phone. Yeah you drop calls as sat's pass out of view. If calling a land line it works better to call them from the sat phone.
I've sent text messages to one for free. It is a good way to send weather reports.
I think a week worked out to $100 plus calls at $1.99 per minute. I'd use them again.
Was able to connect with my wife at home and another Satellite phone. Yeah you drop calls as sat's pass out of view. If calling a land line it works better to call them from the sat phone.
I've sent text messages to one for free. It is a good way to send weather reports.
I think a week worked out to $100 plus calls at $1.99 per minute. I'd use them again.
Caribou Creek
New Member
- Sep 8, 2012
- 6
- 0
I had a global star phone at work for a couple years and had nothing but dropped calls on it during search and rescue missions,(very frustrating) Later I bought two Iridium phones and had great service with them, very few problems.
Just my personal experience with the over several hundred SAR missions.
CC
Just my personal experience with the over several hundred SAR missions.
CC
gonhunting247
Veteran member
- Jan 21, 2014
- 1,206
- 771
My Buddy rented the Iridium from a local dealer and it worked great. It actually saved us a major hike out to cell reception in uncharacteristic sub-zero temps. We were floating a river on a sheep hunt and we got totally froze in. We were able to reach family to let them know we were just fine and we'd be a few days late. Although we were prepared to handle the situation and it made for a great adventure, it was a big relief to our families to know we were okay.
On my Wyoming hunt this year my buddy had trouble with his SPOT phone. Pretty much would have to climb up onto a ridge to get it to work and even then struggled with dropped calls. I had my InReach SE and was able to send and receive text messages from inside the canvas tent in the river bottom. He ended up just having me send text messages to the people he was trying to call instead of climbing up on the ridge and struggling with dropped calls.