Satellite Phone

[MGnoob]

Once again im not much of a prepper or survivalist, but this seems like the right forum. Im going through a phase of just being tired of thing not working.No carriers work at my house, i often have landline trouble. When i travel certain areas require different carriers. I buy throw away phones and have several. There very good for what they are. When they get low on minute but have alot of service life i just leave them in equipment i use as a safety precation.

For about 6 years i didn't even own a cell. This year i tried carrying a samsung s4 smart phone...well that was an awful experience they were about $100 and lasted an average of 30 days before id break them...im a real ball buster about calling people out on having a broken phobe and not fixing it..
my travel Solution has been to carry one phone and leave compatible sim cards in with the battery..


So im about to take a dive and try a sat phone, i am aware of how they differ from your standard cell.
The phone price isnt even bad when compaired to a top of the line smart phone.
the plan im looking at is $450 a year prepaid....not out of line with what most people pay yearly for a decent plan.

what made me hesitant though was for $60 they provide you a US number instead of your international number. So when family and friends call the US number it uses my cell minutes...
I was really counting on using the free incoming calls but if they call the international bumber it costs like $3-$12 a min! Mine would be prepaid but if i had a contract its like $1 a min if you exceed your plan.. which isnt unlike how all cell contracts use to be 15 years ago.



So in summary since i dont use more minutes in a year than i prepaid for this experiment wont cost me more than i would spend if i ran out and got the latest apple or android device.

Does anyone have any experience with any of this?
Tell me why i shouldnt do this?

If i do get one and like it, ill probably get one for my mother rather than her getting gouged $12 to call me..if I dont get her one im making her take mine when she head's back to the mohawk trail.

 

[MGnoob]

Edit... and for comparable money to all these new smart phones.. you get somthing thats almost indestructible, waterproof, and has a stanby battery life expectancy of 7 days with a talk time of something like 20 hours. Its not big and bulky either

although i wouldn't want to pay the bill for 20h of Strait use.

The kit also includes alittle solar panel, i doubt ill use it but cool none the less

 

[clampett]

What about incoming text, do they charge you for that too?

 

[MGnoob]

Incoming txt are free.. im haggling with them over some details now...one place has a reasonable deal on the plan i want. The place where i will be getting the phone from insists i dont want that plan.. they did talk me into a slightly cheaper phone. The one i was going to get without a 125 a month plan wont let you use the features i wanted and you have to own 3 of them for it to work..which is way more than i want...it was global push to talk feature.

Texts are bill at 20 seconds per. So 3 for a min.
the place with the cheaper price has alot of info on what you get. The more expensive place wants to screw me on txts, charge me adition activation fees and wont even price match the cheaper place before the taxes and fees.
the only down side to the cheap plan...or atleast what the more expensive place says.... is that once my years up my minutes dont roll over, and can't renew it without a $250 fee.. which i dont believe.. the cheap place specifically says you can refill it and there is no fee. Regardless if i cant renew it or if there was a fee, id just buy a new plan..there wont be any minutes to roll over.

Also i may or may not abeable to use the US number thing... but international txt isnt that expensive or free depending on your plan..

i hope i can get the plan thIng worked out. Ill primary use it for txt and email, but i dont mind burning a few min here and there even in a non emergency situation. Im buying it to use it..it is a shame you cant keep an un activated sim very long for you prepper guys.. they expire which is pretty lame.

it comes with a magnetic antena for the roof of your truck, and ill probibly throw one on the roof of my house.

 

[RImike]

Are you going to be on land or on water?

 

[MGnoob]

Good question. both my cousin recently bought a boat and ive been spening alittle more time on the water. This will compliment my new garmen gps nicely. Call me a pussy but i have great respect for how dangerous water can be..people are dumb..ya they know fires dangerous...but water sneaks up on them.

I will probibly use it on land more. I understand sat phones limitation. But ill take some that i can to work over something that just wont work.ill be keeping a throw away with it for in city use and such.

 

[42!]

Internet access?
Are you charged for incomplete calls (in or out)?
What is the minimum time billed for a call (1s, 20s, 1m)?
Hows the voice quality?
What other features does it have (voicemail, etc.)?

 

[MGnoob]

The internet access is slow and expensive not intended for multimedia messages or web viewing

not charged for incomplete calls

that was the part of the dispute i was having with them the cheap plan is 20 seconds and the one they want to sell me is one min

Voice fax and that stuff

it is nice that you can track the unit from every min to every 15min (or somthing like that)

I has a red button under a cap that can contact whoever you with with your location or contact what ever alphabet org that does international rescue.

does a few other things to...no camera, no mp3 play.
only downside is i dont think my model has speaker phone

 

[MGnoob]

I dont know about the voice quality but im confident itll be better than any phone i have now land or cell...but thats a really low bar

 

[MGnoob]

I did it. Went with different phone and different plan.
The whole billing scheme is retard with these things.if you have a contract you pay more than of you go prepaid in several ways. The only downside to prepaid is you cant get a US phone number.. but you can use 2 stage dialing.. the person wanting to call me calls an AZ number then enters my number.

So the plan was $750 (edit...its actually 725)for the year or $62.50 a month for 500 min .. Outgoing SMS messages & tracking updates use 1/10th a voice minute, incoming SMS messages are free.minimium time billed 20 sec

with a contract they bill you .$60-1.00 per text and the minimum time billed is 1 min

The reason i went with the more expensive plan was if refilled before experation i get to keep my minutes and the txts are 1/10th a voice min.. on the $450 plan they were 1/3min. So i get 5000 txts or 500 min

i primarly plan to txt, but it isnt outrageous if i want to make a call.
Most cellular services have free international texting

im going to thow out all my crap phones, buy 1 new one and keep it with my sat phone..use the cellular when it works and the sat phone when it doesn't.. im probibly going to set up call forwarding on the cellular to the sat phone. So i can receive all my txt messages on the satphone which ill carry and call or text back with the cellular if it is working.

i ended up sacrificing battery life for a more compact phone.

 

[MGnoob]

Im thinking about giving out the sat number when i fill out forms and such...ill laugh so hard knowing they be paying $12 a min for a minimum of 1 min..

 

[BenDover]

I have an Iriduim sat phone and pay 50 bucks per month for 10 non rollover minutes. I use it for emergency com's while snowmobiling in east but**** nowhere places. I typically cancel at the end of sled season but may keep it for ATV riding season this year.

You realize that sat phones won't work inside or a car right? You need a clear line of site to the satellite. With leaves on trees it's sometimes hard getting a signal in the woods. That's Iridium, there are other networks, maybe those are better but I doubt it.

 

[MGnoob]

I just realized i didnt actual provide you guys any info on what i got..i boubt a used phone on ebay and my other stuff from various websites to maximize savings using coupon codes......you always should use a coupon code if available...it take 2 sec to google one.

so to keep it easy ill just use amazon to show the items
I paid $650 for the phone
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D5EQI30/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solar panel and battery
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6X0MBQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0181MJN5Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1 pelican and 2 smaller cases 1 for gps one for phone
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QYF5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CCVKQPI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I only bought the battery to keep in my centerconcle of my truck....my truck has usb and micro sd capabilities with a 120v inverter from the factory......its all useless.. it puts out so little power you cant use a device while charging it...forget about charging a tablet with it.. so ill let the truck charge this battery slowly and use it to transfer a charge to whatever device needs it.

 

[MGnoob]

I have an Iriduim sat phone and pay 50 bucks per month for 10 non rollover minutes. I use it for emergency com's while snowmobiling in east but**** nowhere places. I typically cancel at the end of sled season but may keep it for ATV riding season this year.

You realize that sat phones won't work inside or a car right? You need a clear line of site to the satellite. With leaves on trees it's sometimes hard getting a signal in the woods. That's Iridium, there are other networks, maybe those are better but I doubt it.

Iridium is the best suposidly, thats what i got. With the plans it all depends what your intended use is. I plan to use mine in none emergency situations...
You can use it in a vehicle.. you just slap the magnetic antenna on the roof.
im not so sure ill set an antenna up for my house though.. for the one time i may need to use it ill probibly just step outside


the more sky you see the better, but even with a small opening in the trees you just have to wait for the satellite to pass by

 

[MGnoob]

$50 a month sounds like allot
For $50 month for access to 66 satellites it doesnt seem as bad when you think about what your really getting, a truely world wide lifeline, assuming your on the earths surface.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Im thinking about giving out the sat number when i fill out forms and such...ill laugh so hard knowing they be paying $12 a min for a minimum of 1 min..

Is this obvious from the number, or is it one of those non-US area codes that look like a domestic call?

Useless trivia: It was named Iridium since the original plan was 77 satellites (the atomic number of Iridium). It was scaled back to 66 satellites, so they really should have renamed it to Dysprosium.

 

[MGnoob]

Is this obvious from the number, or is it one of those non-US area codes that look like a domestic call?

Useless trivia: It was named Iridium since the original plan was 77 satellites (the atomic number of Iridium). It was scaled back to 66 satellites, so they really should have renamed it to Dysprosium.

i think thats an interesting useless fact..
it comes in like any international call.. so you know your calling long distance but i am unsure if it warns you or makes you say "i agree" to additional charges..long distance isnt usually outrageous so i could see someone going ok it wont be that bad, then leaving a 5min rambling voicemail that ends up cost $60+

 

[MGnoob]

I just wanted to mention a less expensive option for those out there with similar travel/reception issues.
for $20-$40 you can get phones with multiple sim slots.this can be pretty handly if your in an area where some services are better than others.i should have been using these the whole time.

i usually use $100 one year plans.. 2 to 3 a year...not because of minutes, because i needed multiple providers.when my new phone arrives im going consolidate all of my old sims into one phone.

 

[FreeWillie]

I only bought the battery to keep in my centerconcle of my truck....my truck has usb and micro sd capabilities with a 120v inverter from the factory......its all useless.. it puts out so little power you cant use a device while charging it...forget about charging a tablet with it.. so ill let the truck charge this battery slowly and use it to transfer a charge to whatever device needs it.

You do realize that with a minor wire upgrade and a new inverter you can change that. My Jeep came with a 170 Watt inverter installed which was to small for what I wanted. I replaced the whole mess with 4AGW wiring and a 3000 Watt inverter and it'll power a TV, refrigerator and a air conditioner now , not to mention power saws, drills and work lights.

 

[MGnoob]

Ya i know, last year i installed a 3 battery bank system with 4 lightbars and a winch.....it has 2/0 run front to back because its a multimount winch(front and rear).
I have yet to get an inverter though...im setup so i can put the two aditional battery banks in the bed of the truck for using an inveter..
im a comfortist not a survivalist, hopefully well have popcicles and ac for my tent by the 2017 NES car shoot

 

[MGnoob]

It rediculiois that i can't charge anything with the factory equipment...it so lame to put that stuff in there and not have a min 1000watt inverter

 

[Tooth]

I have one that is just for texting. You can sign up for a month at a time. I use it for offshore fishing. I think it's the delrome inreach. I got it for maybe 250 @ cabellas.

 

[MGnoob]

I have one that is just for texting. You can sign up for a month at a time. I use it for offshore fishing. I think it's the delrome inreach. I got it for maybe 250 @ cabellas.

Thats a very good choice.i seriously considered that unit.

- - - Updated - - -

Garmin bought delrome and now offers the inreach and explorer

 

[MGnoob]

Well i just had a breakthrough ive been googling the heck out of phone services...
so apparently if you have a smartphone with a tracfone account you can buy $10 international cards that let you call iridium satellite customers for $

0.0147 per min.​

..... all i have to do is set up the cellular service with an app and leave it on and charging and anyone will be able to call me on that US number for free to them and cost me less than a .02 a min.

I find it hard to believe it works that way but after reading several hours of fine print i discovered a few interesting things.ill have my phone in two days so ill confirm this if it works

 

[MGnoob]

My phone hasnt shown up and may not because of the storm, but i can confirm that the sms forwarding app works and is cheap...i had it on with a generic phone number entered and like 15 of my ex girlfriends txt got forwarded to someones sat phone... some real lewd stuff too.

 

[MGnoob]

My phone showed up today. While larger than your typical phone i was shocked how light it is.It feels almost empty.Its charging and i'll activate/test it tommarrow..

The pelican case i got, doesnt hold everything the way i thought it would. Im sure ill figure it out.i only got to case because it floats, incase we capsize the boat or somthing.

 

[MGnoob]

Im pretty happy with the phone...so far it doesnt seem like i need to see very much sky.....voice quality better than my cell or land... but somehow different. I just have to experiment with some prepaid incomeing calls and call forwarding to see what the cost really is.. i figured out the pelican case thing.. photo coming soon

 

[MGnoob]

just need one of these so I can charge my surefire headlamp

 

[ivarr]

looking at iridium right now as well.
model 9575 extreme push to talk. i am now dealing with some people that use strictly sat coms for all business communication.
https://mjsales.net/collections/iridium-satellite-telephones/products/iridium-push-to-talk-ptt-extreme-ptt?variant=2711113793http://

 

[MGnoob]

I wanted the push to talk but you need 3 phones to use the feature.

An update...... tree cover causes some loss in call quality but still functional.. being near too many tall buildings causes problems. Fortunately you dont ned a sat phone in the city 90% of the time.