Satellite phone

I just ordered 2 Inmarsat pre paid forr the company I work for.
About $1,000 per phone $100 credit lasts 6 months before expiry. You can purchase less credit but it expires sooner.

Most company's will throw in accessories, which ones are best is personal preference.

Because of where I drive the Govt has subsidized both phones by $500.
Very cheap insurance IMO.

When I head up to the top end I will probably sort one out for myself and apply for the subsidy.

To be eligible you have to prove that you go areas where there is no signal at least 90 times per year, for a company you have to have less then 20 employees. Or live or work where no signal is available from any provider.
I just had the Optus and Telstra coverage maps out and located the black spots I travel to.

Hope this helps a little. Hope to pick them up on Tuesday as I am heading to Hughenden via Undarra Wednesday (Big Blackspots).

Some extra info

Calls about $1 per minute, texts 50c.
Calling to the sat phone is expensive, sat phone to sat phone is astronomical.

From their website, you can send Unlimited free SMS to the sat phone.

Apparently a lot of guys take them offshore fishing and the wife at home sends them weather updates for free.

It all sounds like a good reason to stick with SSB HF radio.
Cheaper and always got some comms.

Didiman

Well I hate to disillusion you Didiman but the systems isn't quite as reliable these days as it was. Even the RFDS have acknowledged that the bulk of their callouts now come via phone and not HF in remote areas. They went to Selcall systems on HF and ditched the old two tone ECD a couple of years ago.

Between that and the rash of sunspot activity that seems to be on the increase again (thank you el nina) HF is taking a beating.

Having said that you can still get to just about any of the bases around Oz via HF, the signal just isn't always as strong and clear as it used to be. On some occasions it is marginal at best. The beauty of it being an open communication system though is that is likely somebody can hear you even if your intended station can't. If your satellite based phonecall fails then you have a problem.

I always went for HF communications and will probably continue to do so because I have a fairly significant investment in the equipment (and it's what I know). These days though I'd also carry a SatPhone because the technology has reached a point where it's robust, reliable and cheap. Just like HF used to be. Also the cost of acquiring and licensing HF equipment these days is at least four times that of a SatPhone (new to new comparison) and that equates to a LOT of phonecalls via satellite paid for in breaking even.

Can't remember the last time a satellite couldn't be acquired on InmarSat, that wasn't down due to maintenance (a very infrequent event anyway). Thousands of users worldwide rely on the system and it's still going strong for good reason. Not sure what is happening with Iridium.

Also as someone earlier pointed out. If you have to bail out in a hurry you can grab the SatPhone. Not usually so easy with the HF gear as it tends to be a fixture in the vehicle.

Satphone technology is, and always will be, much simpler to use and clearer than HF can ever hope to be. HF can, and does, get through when all else fails. Choose your poison. Each has plus and minus points.

Another 5c worth. Didn't mean to hijack the thread. Just felt a need to clear up this myth about the wonders of HF.

Cheers,
Iain

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Boxhead63

Contrary to DMDigitals opinion regarding the Iridium I use it most days in the Kimberley or try to. We have had endless problems with them from Handset not talking to the docking station, calls continually dropping out, lag between transmision and receiving (this causes great frustration), Handsets and docking stations require frequent software updates.......
On one occasion I broke down up the Gibb and was stuck there until I actually worked out what the problem was with the car and fixed it myself. Luckily I carry 3 days food and water with me wherever i go. The whole time I was there I was trying to call my office to let them know there was a problem. The phone did not work. This incident caused a national safety audit with my company. The outcome was that there is a need for a new and more reliable SAT Phone system. Which is still under review. The upshot of all this it's making a lot of people sit up and think about where they are going. and what they're doing. and how they're doing it.
Anyway that's my 2c worth. I don't trust the Iridium system. Actually no one should trust any Sat phone. The technology that's available for civilian use is unreliable. But we're stuck with it for now.


Cheers
Rob

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Exactly my opinion as well,in fact i try not to use them at all anymore....