Sat phone rental & text?
Elk
I need to rent a Sat phone for a solo trip to AK. First where is the best place to rent? I will need it for about 10 days.
Next is there any way I can I use it to check my personal cell phone text messages?
check with mobal. i used them before and at the time the price and service was good.
Sat phone and your cell phone, I don't believe it's possible, but could be wrong.
You can text all you want with an In-Reach! You can actually just borrow one and temporarily transfer the service to your name. In-Reach can walk you through the process. It's pretty simple, but does have a fee attached.
Explorer Satellite Communications 5201 Ravenswood Rd. Ft.Lauderdale, FL. 954-763-8650 www.explorersatellite.com
I have rented from these guys and have one coming for this year on 9-4-19. I always got the plan with pre-paid minutes. Never had any issues at all with them. Great to call home on Sundays to find out the scores of college football games the night before.
InReach will serve you much better than a SAT phone, unless of course your pilot is requesting that you bring a SAT phone specifically. There is a place in Fairbanks to rent a SAT phone, hell I'd even loan you mine if you are coming through here and I am in town. You'd have to buy the minutes (available in town) for it as I haven't used it in a few years since the InReach came out and made communication in the field much simpler.
I agree with the above. The sat phone is over kill for 90% of us. Buy an in-reach for not a lot more than renting a sat phone for a week and have it forever. Then the service on and off as necessary and text away. Easy. Have not taken a sat phone since 2 trips using it 0 times, just use the in-reach.
As for the forwarding text from cellphone to in-reach (or sat phone) I’m afraid you are screwed. That is a significant problem for me as well and I have looked hard for a solution. I use an iPhone. I can change my VM easy enough and set-up auto replies for the emails. But texts just sit in limbo until I get back to cell service, which sometimes can be weeks. A significant problem for my business stuff. I would love to hear if you find any kind of solution to that problem!!!!
—Jim
Don, I have an Inreach and have had good results with it. My iPhone communicates with the Inreach device via Bluetooth so can type and read texts on the cell phone. Can access my entire contacts list as well. Sometimes it takes a while for text to send depending on the satellite positions but I had similar problems with the three sat phones that I had.
If your going to do anymore hunts where you will have no service InReach is the only way to go! I’ve had mine about 4 years and love it. It will Bluetooth to your phone but it’s a different number to send txt to. When I leave I send a msg to everyone that would need me that way they can reach me if needed. As far as I know it won’t work for people that just msg your regular number. But mine is a few years old. Mine will do something with FB and Twitter but I don’t do any of that so know nothing about it. A quick call to Garmin would answer those questions.
Guys - been looking at these, my elk spot in Wyo has poor cell coverage. I am hoping I will need to text packers in once I get an elk down.
It appears you can get a Delorme Inreach or a Garmin The Garmin inreach SE is 289 on amazon for a refurb with 90 day warranty(no maps) The Delorme inreach explorer is $299 no maps The Garmin explorer with maps refurb is $389 (with topo maps)
I have a pixel with OnX that I need for boundaries so I don't really need maps.
Just what are you guys using and liking? Garmin or Delorme?
You never mentioned where in Alaska you are hunting.......if hunting on Kodiak Island, I’ve used Kodiak Kamps in Kodiak.
Interested in which one is better myself, Grasshopper. Any info there?
I just bought an inreach mini, and I did a lot of research before buying. One thing to note on the amazon refurbs, Garmin will not service them. So if they die after 90 days, you are SOL.
I went the mini inreach as I use the phone for maps. If I really needed maps, I would consider the explorer, but with its clunky interface and lack of touch capabilities it was a no brainer for me to go the mini route. I have taken it on 8 weekend trips so far testing it out and it has worked every time. A great peace of mind for my wife when I am off solo this year.
Curious, what is an "In-Reach", a text only device using satellite?
Zbone, yep that’s it pretty much. Every time you send a text it has a link with your exact location on the map that is sent along with your text. It also has an SOS feature in case of any emergencies.
Zbone - InReach is a satellite communicator that can pair with your I-Phone via Bluetooth. You download the Earthmate app and send texts through the app on your phone. It has an SOS button for emergencies. It also sends your position when you text which is an added safety feature. One of the InReach models also has GPS built in. You cannot check email or send pictures/ data at this time.
There's a yearly subscription fee, $25.00. To use the InReach you have to select a monthly plan. The Freedom Plan is about $66 for one month's service and gives you unlimited texting capabilities. You can turn on the plan when you need it and turn it off when you don't.
DeLorme was the original InReach. Garmin owns it now.
Also, you don't have to attach your location to your texts if you don't want to. I would skip the Explorer model. When you get your InReach, you'll want to get the Earthmate App which will give you maps and aerial imagery to work with the InReach. I don't use the Earthmate much if at all anymore since getting OnX, though.
Thanks guys. My schedule is looking like a solo goat and this would be very useful where I’m elk hunting this year!
I also have the Mini and faultless so far. We just went through a tense time this past weekend with a friend that got snowed in on a solo hunt in northern BC. He had borrowed a Spot, but with only one way messaging, he wasn't sure if anyone, including SAR's, had received his messages. And we only knew he was in trouble, but no idea what kind. Grizzly, sprained ankle, cut bad or fallen off a cliff and was stuck? Two way communication would have made a bad situation more bearable.
Talked to him today and he's buying an Inreach this week. So is the guy that lent him the Spot.
Haven't made a purchase yet, leaning towards the 66i which is the full blown $600 unit. Ouch.
The 66i is the only one that has a mini-SD card slot, so I can use Onx chip from my old unit. The mini has no screen which is weird to me, I will always wonder if it is working. Having one device would be nice too. It is only money...
I just wish they ran on AA batteries, recharging in the field can be problematic.
Grasshopper, the mini most certainly has a screen.
I bought the 66i today, so far I am thinking about taking it back on a 30 day return policy. Holy cow what a complicated piece of garbage. Connect app, explore app, needs a firmware and map update that says it will take 3 hours over the net. Won't bluetooth or sync up with my phone, and a manual that just sucks. Not impressed yet.
well a pile of folks advocated for inreach and you went 66i. turn it in and get inreach mini and sync to phone. get good mapping and aerial photos as a free add on. that way you really have the ‘one device’ as you say since you already have a phone anyway...
66i is an inreach, it is the latest "buggie one" they went to market with before they should have.
ahh. pricey. inreach mini with a decent phone and onx subscription to get good pvt land boundaries works great. Before that I had the delorme inreach SE, also a good unit.
I finally am mostly retiring my Garmin Oregon with Onx chip.
Another vote for the Mini. Mine's been on a couple weeklong backcountry excursions and loving it so far. Pretty simple and uncomplicated.
I will have a Delorme communicator. I was told that does text - my question is can I text anyone? I still want a sat phone to call kids & girlfriend.
Thanks for info keep it coming.
