Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Backcountry Hunting => Topic started by: skagitsteel on January 06, 2014, 08:56:42 PM

Title: Backcountry communication
Post by: skagitsteel on January 06, 2014, 08:56:42 PM: does anyone have experience with the Delorme in reach? I am do a lot of solo trips in the backcountry and need to keep tabs on my business when Im away, was curious what others experiences have been with sat phones, ect..
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: actionshooter on January 06, 2014, 09:12:47 PM: My buddy has one and we have used it a lot, I think it works better than the SPOT as I used to have one and it had service issues in Idaho.... We haven't had any problems with service and have used it in Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. He has also sent me several messages from Africa.
The cool part is sending yourself messages and then checking out where you were on Google earth when you get home. :)
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on January 06, 2014, 09:25:44 PM: OK. A couple hundred bucks for the inReach,... How much for a monthly or yearly service contract?

That's another 11oz to add to my pack!

-Steve
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: shanevg on January 06, 2014, 09:32:17 PM: That's what I was going to say. Great investment, unfortunately the two-way messaging costs a lot! ($50/month for 120/month.)

I'm guessing those companies are making a fortune off two-way messaging. Can't cost that much to carry a message over the network.

I still wonder why cell networks haven't just transferred to a satellite network. How convenient would that be!
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: actionshooter on January 06, 2014, 09:47:00 PM: Messaging your pilot after 16 really hard days = Priceless :chuckle:

Cost isn't bad, you can keep the minimum service $10 a month and then have it activated for $25 monthly and there is no per message cost.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on January 06, 2014, 09:50:53 PM: I DON'T WANT TO BE IN TOUCH! I just want.. (or the wife wants) a means to get attention from emergency services if I get in trouble. I can't justify the cost for one of these yet. (yes, I know that someone will say that the cost is very little for a life.) I don't run a million dollar business that can't do without me for a week or two at a time.

I'm sorry, I'm off topic.

Looking forward to more people that have experience with one of these and SPOT's though.

-Steve
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Bob33 on January 06, 2014, 10:05:40 PM: Quote from: JackOfAllTrades on January 06, 2014, 09:50:53 PM
I DON'T WANT TO BE IN TOUCH! I just want.. (or the wife wants) a means to get attention from emergency services if I get in trouble. I can't justify the cost for one of these yet. (yes, I know that someone will say that the cost is very little for a life.) I don't run a million dollar business that can't do without me for a week or two at a time.

I'm sorry, I'm off topic.

Looking forward to more people that have experience with one of these and SPOT's though.

-Steve
A PLB is a much better solution if you only want to communicate in an emergency. It will communicate more reliably and has no monthly service fees.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: WAcoueshunter on January 06, 2014, 10:11:29 PM: I usually take one trip a year where I'm truly out of reach of cell service for extended periods. For that week I rent a satellite phone. It costs about $100 for the week for the rental, plus a little extra for minutes if/when you actually use it. With the rental, I don't have to worry about the big cost of purchasing the device, and I always have the new technology. The company I've used is Bluecosmo.com in case anyone is interested.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Jburke on January 07, 2014, 12:04:01 AM: I used a SPOT and it worked good last year. But no two way messaging
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 07, 2014, 05:08:30 AM: I do it the old fashioned way, smoke signals. If I can't get a fire, or the wind is howling or dark then I am screwed.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: McCRIZZLEY on January 07, 2014, 12:32:20 PM: Has anyone on here actually used one of these devices for their S.O.S. function? I've heard some stories claiming they're not as great as they sound. But all just rumors to me, never heard from someones first hand experience.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: TheHunt on January 07, 2014, 12:49:20 PM: If I did anything solo in years past I would rent a sat phone. They have packaged deals for hunters.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Bob33 on January 07, 2014, 01:08:47 PM: Satellite phone: you KNOW your message got through.

PLB: you're ALMOST CERTAIN your message got through.

All others: you HOPE your message got through.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: et1702 on January 07, 2014, 01:19:20 PM: Rented SAT phone last time I disappeared way back in the woods for more than a week. Cheaper and more reliable in the long run. Last time I rented one, I didn't even turn it on (thankfully). So, no additional cost for extra minutes used either.

ET
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Bmcox86 on January 07, 2014, 04:23:31 PM: Get a plb, it will work, anywhere in the world. Send it in every 5 years to have battery replaced. No monthly and it simply works.

http://www.rei.com/product/843146/acr-electronics-resqlink-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon (http://www.rei.com/product/843146/acr-electronics-resqlink-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon)

If you search a while back I posted on a search and rescue I assisted on where a spot was used. They work, but a plb is more reliable. :twocents:
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Bmcox86 on January 07, 2014, 04:30:16 PM: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,126166.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,126166.0.html)
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: skagitsteel on January 08, 2014, 08:52:37 PM: Quote from: Bob33 on January 07, 2014, 01:08:47 PM
Satellite phone: you KNOW your message got through.

PLB: you're ALMOST CERTAIN your message got through.

All others: you HOPE your message got through.

I was thinking sat phone is probably more reliable

I was concerned about reliability of the messaging on the In reach. I have read it can take 45 minutes to transmit messages. I understand for some being in the back country is about not being connected, for me most of my trips are day trips into the back country during the week and i need to be reachable by four or five crew leads. Texting works great and is easy to do while glassing when there is cell service. In reach looks cheaper but I will pay for sat service if it is that much more reliable. Anybody text much from a sat phone?
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: Bmcox86 on January 08, 2014, 09:02:23 PM: I'm not sure about text messages, I know it's not cheap, phone calls are an average of $7-12 a minute.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: actionshooter on January 08, 2014, 09:05:31 PM: I don't see how there is a difference in reliability between Sat phone and the Inreach, they are both Iridium and same satelites. :dunno:
I guess there is some instant gratification if someone picks up when you can make a call.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: skagitsteel on January 09, 2014, 12:11:46 PM: I think I will probably try the in reach 1st to see how it works. Phone calls are nice but my main thing is knowing what my crews are up do, can do that just fine by texting.
Title: Re: Backcountry communication
Post by: WAcoueshunter on January 10, 2014, 10:42:28 AM: Quote from: Bmcox86 on January 08, 2014, 09:02:23 PM
I'm not sure about text messages, I know it's not cheap, phone calls are an average of $7-12 a minute.

The max rate for the company I used was $1.85/minute, without buying any minutes upfront. Buying minutes upfront brought the price down, but I think the minimum bundle was like 25 minutes.