Actually, you can do short-term rentals on real sat phones for much. Allan
Sent from my iPhone On Sep 21, 2010, at 3:20 PM, Diana Tomchick <[email protected]> wrote: > For emergency messaging, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger might be the best > way to go. It's somewhat limited in the amount of info you can communicate > relative to a cell phone, but for $99/year (service only; device costs an > extra $170) you have a way to go hiking in the wilderness by yourself and > summon help when needed--assuming you aren't so incapacitated that you can't > find the device and press the button. > > http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102 > > Diana > > On Sep 21, 2010, at 1:19 PM, [email protected] wrote: > >> We have practical experience with the Iridium sat phone. It is a practical, >> though expensive, solution to communicating with the rest of the world from >> really remote areas. >> >> Since our land on Taurus Mesas in South Brewster County is so remote, the >> only telephone that will work without a land line is the sat phone. No >> chance at all of a cell phone working. Internet is through a 9-mile highly >> directional WiFi lash up from a DSL line on the highway, but you cannot move >> around with that. >> >> The sats are all over the place - you don't need just a southern sky. I get >> a usable signal about 90% of the time when I turn it on. If not, just wait >> a few minutes and another sat comes into view. You do have to have clear >> sky overhead - won't work well under an overhang or in the tropical jungle >> (tree cover messes up the signal), but what the hey - this is the Big Bend >> or the Guadalupes. There, it is quite reliable. And it works everywhere in >> North America and the Caribbean. I've used it in the Black Hills, Death >> Valley, Montana, and elsewhere (like between Carlsbad and Terlingua - once >> away from the interstates cell coverage becomes squirrely). Actually, all >> over the world, but we would have to buy greater coverage. >> >> Remember, I was used to remoteness in the Big Bend and Lower Canyons in the >> 60s and 70s. Paddled like hell for 2 days to get a snake-bit companion out. >> With a really serious injury, you would die. No chance for any communication >> out - you were on your own. I admit the communication capabilities of the >> modern world are nice to have available for emergency situations, especially >> as I become more mature. But I really like being away from being linked in. >> >> It ain't cheap. If I had to buy it and the service just to have for >> emergencies on cave or back country trips, I would not do it. There is a >> greater chance of your getting whacked in your truck on the highway in more >> populated areas. There, cell phone is more likely to work. Additionally, >> someone else will probably come along with one that will. >> >> DirtDoc >> > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Diana R. Tomchick > Associate Professor > University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center > Department of Biochemistry > 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. > Rm. ND10.214B > Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. > Email: [email protected] > 214-645-6383 (phone) > 214-645-6353 (fax) > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
