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SPOT or satellite phone or other?


genepires

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So I was thinking of getting some kind of emergency device. Satellite phones look like the best idea but I was wondering about the cost per year and size/weight of the newer models. Spot look good but the $100/yr subscription price is hard to swallow. The three different messages of the spot are ok but if the weight and price is comparable between the spot and sat phone, then it is a no brainer.

 

is there a better alternative?

 

thanks for the opinions,

gene

 

 

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I have heard mixed reviews from my SAR friends about the reliability of the SPOT signal. In particular that the location is or has been in the past quite a bit off. That may have changed but definitely something to consider.

As R said the cost of the spot is not so bad but in my opinion the one time cost of the sat phone in conjunction with a pre paid option could in the long run be more cost effective on a per use basis. Not to mention the vastly superior communication ability and versatility of the sat phone.

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Will Gadd has written some pretty good articles about this - go looking at willgadd.com. My conclusion from reading his pieces - a SPOT (not the SPOT/cell phone combo, just the plain old SPOT) - seems to be the best way to go.

 

Blake Herrington told me about a clever strategy he used in Alaska: when he and his partner were ready to be picked up a week earlier then scheduled, he sent an OK signal three times in one hour. When his SO saw the status updates, she gave their pilot a call to go pick them up.

 

That's a clever and much cheaper way to send a message than any sat phone!

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Blake Herrington told me about a clever strategy he used in Alaska: when he and his partner were ready to be picked up a week earlier then scheduled, he sent an OK signal three times in one hour. When his SO saw the status updates, she gave their pilot a call to go pick them up.
Now that's a GF that knows how to think like a climber. Definitely a keeper...
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Gadd's blog and my good friend recently got one made me think about getting one also.

 

I guess I was dreaming that a sat phone might be expensive up front but cost a lot less than $100/yr for use considering the amount of time I would use it. Hopefully zero minutes /yr.

 

"100/yr for a Spot is less than 9/month or 0.30 per day, more or less."

I would really hope that I am not popping off the spot signal every day for a year. Maybe sending a OK signal on the drive home from work?

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On the other hand, a friend had a sat phone on the wapta a couple weeks ago and they are pretty incredible (great to be able to call for a weather report at any time). Relatively small and light nowadays also. The key thing is to spring for the extra $$$ and get one that is hooked into the Iridium network (phone is around $1K). The competition is pretty weak in comparison (I know a comm. fisherman that has one and he isn't real excited about it) b/c there are lots of times/places when they don't work. Iridium works 24/7, anywhere on the globe. Sound quality is amazing, like talking on a decent cell connection, but it isn't cheap at around $0.75 a minute or so.

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I know a dude who has a VHF handheld radio programed with his states SAR frequency when winter climbing. Much cheaper then a sat phone by all accounts.

 

Several states allow you to use state SAR channels for "search and rescue operations"

 

Washington state info on SAR channel is found here...

SAR authorization

Edited by Laughingman
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HAM radios operate through a series of repeaters (just like cell phones) as their first line of operation. But you're correct in that they have a wavelength that allows them to bounce around between atmospheric layers and get extended ranges, but that's not how they're designed to operate. It's just a nice side benefit.

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Folks, I'm dubious about the success of HAM radios for climbers. I've taken my radio numerous times up into the mountains and tried to bounce repeaters back to Seattle. Often times the repeaters in the mountains are down or inactive - and I've only ever had success getting back to Seattle from Granite Mt. once (where I believe I had line of site to Rattlesnake).

 

I'm actually going to Denali this summer and I'm going to purchase the DeLorme inReach device for the whole expedition to use. The benefits of this device over the SPOT: two-way messaging, confirmations your messages were received, doesn't require a cell phone to do all it's basic functions. On the other hand, the SPOT connector only has an SOS button on it and REQUIRES a cell phone to send one way messages.

 

What I want is a lightweight good communication device for an expedition that will mean we don't spend a ton on Satellite phone minutes.

 

The drawback of the inReach is $120/year + an upgrade downgrade option for $24... Yep, pricey... but cheaper than a full on sat phone.

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