Satphone, HF Radio, EPIRBs

[noddy]

Ok - Jason's other post on a recovery service intiative got me thinking.

Who carries either a Satphone, HF Radio or EPRIB when going bush solo, or when travelling in the company of others has at least one of these devices available to the group in the event of an emergency?

For me I have always been fortunate enough to have access to a work satphone.

[Yabbie]

None at present, but limit my 4wding due to not having them.

[Redback]

:oops: I must say i've been "gunna" buy these for ages now and have never got around to doing it, just plain slack i guess but and i mean but cost and the fact we have not gone anywhere i would call remote and have got by with CDMA, CB (27meg) and UHF albeit handheld. So to my point instead of gunna i should have just bought it because what is the price of a life aspecially your families or yourself, so these things will be purchased along with the accessories for the car, starting with in car UHF and EPIRB.

A sat phone will come when finances become availible. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

Baz.

[hiline]

i'm after a satphone style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

noddy are they as good as ppl say :?:
and how about the running costs :?:
what sort of cost for calls :?:

cheers

[noddy]

Originally posted by hiline
i'm after a satphone :lol:

noddy are they as good as ppl say :?:
and how about the running costs :?:
what sort of cost for calls :?:

cheers

Hiline -- from my experience with these, I would steer clear of Globalstar and only use an Iridium based provided. The phone I use is a Motorala 9305 (?). It has been great, although there is still some delay at the other end. I don't think this will ever be overcome (a function of physics). The phone is especially good (quick) in initialising and finding satellites.

As for charges, work has always paid style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif Although I know they have come down considerably in recent years. Bearing in mind that your usage patterns will not be the same as a terrestrial/cellular mobile, but for emergencies or short duration calls. Keep it out of reach of the females! :wink:

Handsets can be bought outright for not much more than your high-end CDMA/GSM cellular mobile.

Check out the following site for pricing info:
http://www.telstra.com/countrywide/default...sp'sn=6&vp=1130 (http://www.telstra.com/countrywide/default.asp'sn=6&vp=1130)

[one_iota]

Can you SMS on a satphone?

[noddy]

Originally posted by one_iota
Can you SMS on a satphone?

G'day OI, welcome back!

I think it depends on the handset. I am pretty sure that the Motorala has message terminating (can receive SMS), but I am not too sure whether it has message originating (can send). I will give it a go and see what happens

[noddy]

Originally posted by one_iota
Can you SMS on a satphone?

You can, but depends on the handset. Costs over a $1 8O Think you will need to lock it away from the kids as well as the women!!!

[Redback]

I have heard that can use your GSM sim card if you are not connected to the networks (Globe/Irrid). so you only pay for calls.

[one_iota]

Hi Noddy,

I was thinking that a "sched" via SMS with location would be a great way of keeping people informed. The voice calls could then be left for separated $weethearts.

Impressed with the watertank installation BTW.

[Ace]

Hi guys, i dont have anything like the products listed above. Its on the to-do list but money is an issue at the moment, the business and Marco take priority at present, but when things settle down and we can start saving again, they will be on the shopping list. Vehicle mods will be first though. Matt

[noddy]

Originally posted by one_iota
Hi Noddy,

I was thinking that a "sched" via SMS with location would be a great way of keeping people informed. The voice calls could then be left for separated $weethearts.

Impressed with the watertank installation BTW.

Yeah -- not a bad idea. Between CDMA (external antenna)/Sat you would have the place covered. You can also use the sat for data transfer (but VERY slow).

I am playing at the moment with Telstra's CDMA 1x network (trying to scam a freeby for the trip). Not bad. Get data speeds bursting up to 144kps wherever there is CDMA coverage.

[one_iota]

Originally posted by Ace
Hi guys, i dont have anything like the products listed above. Its on the to-do list but money is an issue at the moment, the business and Marco take priority at present, but when things settle down and we can start saving again, they will be on the shopping list. Vehicle mods will be first though. Matt

And on Marco the money is well spent. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

When you've got the sprogg(s) through higher education then you can lash out on accessories :wink: .

[Ace]

Originally posted by one_iota+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(one_iota)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Ace
Hi guys, i dont have anything like the products listed above. Its on the to-do list but money is an issue at the moment, the business and Marco take priority at present, but when things settle down and we can start saving again, they will be on the shopping list. Vehicle mods will be first though. Matt

And on Marco the money is well spent. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

When you've got the sprogg(s) through higher education then you can lash out on accessories :wink: .[/b][/quote]

We have already started the Marcos Land Rover fund. If anyone wishes to donate to said fund please send me a PM. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif Matt

[Dinty]

G'day I have a Codan HF 8528 (14 years old been in 2 different Landrovers has never failed me in all that time) with auto tune aerial, UHF (128 channel) + 2 hand held units, 27 Meg (40Ch SSB) Low band VHF Magellan GPS so i can tell em where I'm lost at, and a good ex-military heliograph (signal mirror) 30 y.o Engel fridge to keep the cans cold while we wait for the cavalry to arrive (hopefully) :oops: :oops: style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Tusker]

Originally posted by Noddy

The phone I use is a Motorala 9305 (?). It has been great, although there is still some delay at the other end. I don't think this will ever be overcome (a function of physics). The phone is especially good (quick) in initialising and finding satellites.



The delay on the Motorolas is coz the Iridium satellites have their ground station system in the US.. so the signal has to travel a long way. Voice call quality is best on the Globalstars. From what I've seen the new Qualcom handsets are reliable enough, its the 3 ground stations that seem to give problems..

I was chatting to Peter @ Marlec P/L the other day, apparently the Globalstar has more blackspots in the north - the closer to the equator, the more blackspots becuase of the 50 degrees plus 50 degrees minus pattern of the satellites, its more marked how they come in and out of range. Didn't understand it all, but it sounded plausible.

I've got both Optus satphone & and old Barrett HF. Bought both 2nd hand, for the cost of a new HF system. The satphone is good for keeping in touch with office and family. The HF , with VKS737, is great for logging in, hearing the weather etc. With a satphone though, you'll never know that another 4WD is nearby in an emergency. With HF, someone often will offer help, apart from raising the normal emergency services.

And you can make phone call with HF, if you use Radtel or someone like that.

But times are a'changin. Last I heard, the RFDS said that HF accounts for only 2% of calls now.

Regards
Max P

[Pedro_The_Swift]

When we went through the simpson in '97 we hired a HF for two weeks,,
Split the cost up between the two cars,,

never even unpacked it style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif .

I imagine there must be a similar service available today,,,

[DEFENDERZOOK]

isnt that supposed to be good....never needing to use it?

[Pirate]

I have a Codan NGT HF unit fitted to the Defender.

Is fairly easy to operate once you have it set up. Phone calls are easy to make if you a interconnect.

The other good thing about the HF unit is being able to listen to others on the the ground around you on the "scheds".

Bit more bulky and complicated than sattelite phones but great to listening to the cricket where ever you may be.

Regards

Pirate (P2)

[gghaggis]

Hi all,

I have an Erricson Sat phone I purchased 2nd hand on Ebay and use the GlobalStar network. It's a dual sat/gsm phone. Nice thing about this setup is that I use the one simm card for both my mobile (GSM) and the sat phone - I just transfer the card into the sat when out of range, then back into the mobile (cause it's smaller) when in town.

Costs don't seem too prohibitive, as long as you keep the calls short (around $1 a minute sat, $0.30 for gsm).

There are a few drop-outs now and then (here in WA), and it doesn't work well in a moving vehicle (at least not in mine!), but providing you're not in the middle of the Impenetrable Forest, you can usually pick up a signal within a few paces or so. Didn't seem to have any trouble up in the North West.

Cheers,

Gordon