shot high

Does anyone have any experience with Satellite Phones? I'm in an area where cell phones don't work well/at all. It would be nice to have a phone that worked for emergency purposes from anywhere that I may be hunting.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Shot high

kevin1

Shot high ,
I also live in an area where cell use is very limited to nonexistant , and a sat phone may be what you're looking for . They are expensive compared to cells , so you will probably want to use it for more than just emergencies and hunting safety . Only you can determine your tolerance for cost . Sat phones are also not infallible , you still have to be where you can send and receive signals just like a GPS .

Jorgy

Iv'e rented sat phones a few times for hunting trips. I backpack hunt in the mountains alone, and I own a business that is hard to be out of communication for 2 weeks. I don't know how rates are when you actaully own the phone, but the last one that I got (2 falls ago) I was paying a little over $2.50 a minute, and that was with alot of shopping around. Not the cheapest rates around that is for sure. Like Kevin said though, they are still fickle bastards and don't work in every case.

I would have to say that you have to have a good chunk of change in your pocket not to worry about the cost of one of them. Some day they will come down, just like everything else.

shot high

Thanks guys. Kevin1 if I can get a GPS signal does that mean I can get a signal for satellite phone or are they different animals?

Any model and make preferences?

Thanks again.

kevin1

Since both items work on the same general principle , yes . A GPS is useless in a cave , you have to have a clear line of sight to a satellite . The sat phones also have to have a clear line of sight to work . They are really "different animals" only in the way that each is used .

Goodguy

It's pretty much been said but I'll add my 2 cents. We do a 10 day fly-in moose hunt in northern Ontario. In years past we were completely out of touch for days at a time. The last 2 years we rented a sat phone. Yes it's expensive but on the other hand what price can you put on dealing with a serious emergency quickly instead of waiting days for the plane if one of us did have the misfortune of gettin hurt or took ill. We haven't needed to use it (except to test it and it works great) but just having it is re-assuring and takes away that little bit of concern, "what if something happens"? gg.

windriverhunter

My uncle and I rented a satellite phone for a dall sheep hunt in Alaska last year. I got mixed feelings about the thing. It was complicated to use, and we had to read a thick instruction manual for about two hours before we even knew how to place a call. We had to hold the dang thing just right, enter all kinds of numbers, and do all kinds of technical mumbo jumbo. Then, when it finally did work, we were able to fly out early since we had already bagged a sheep and drive back to Soldotna to fish for the rest of our time in Alaska. That little call costed us something like $5 a minute, though. I will say, however, it was nice to be able to call from the middle of nowhere for a flight out.