View Full Version : Two-Way Communications
xftnfnb7
11-25-2013, 16:09
All,
While I’m I the backwoods I have a need to be able to be able to receive communications reliably. Voice would be great but text messaging would be fine. Clearly a satellite phone would take care of the voice communications. But, does anybody have experience with satellite two-way texting services and equipment.
Thanks in advance
IS this for the AT or a more remote area?
Wasn't there a handheld gps & locator combo that did this? It wasn't Garmin, but a competitor.
While I try to find that, there's this if you only need to communicate with someone else on the trail.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-trail/two-way-radios/rino-655t/prod82799.html
I have this in mind for next year on the Colorado Trail:
http://www.inreachdelorme.com
This looks interesting. Two way texting, using your smartphone as the user interface.
http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/inreach-smartphone.php
Unfortunately it's a minimum $410 investment. That's a lot to me, but it's worth it if that's what it takes to give you a leash long enough to go hiking.
http://www.inreachdelorme.com/assets/images/products/inreach-smartphone-product.jpg
I have had a Delorme Inreach for Android for the past couple of years and it seems to work fine for me. You can use it either as a stand alone unit or it can be paired with an Android smartphone and will allow text messaging both to and from. Great item to keep the folks at home in a calm state of mind.
It looks like we were both thinking the same thing. I was wrong about the minimum cost. The annual safety plan costs a little less. The more expensive plans have shorter seasonal options.
The nice thing about the InReach SE is that it can be used as a stand alone device without pairing with a smartphone.
So I used a SPOT 3 extensively all summer - just bought and Inreach SE. Hoping for better coverage as InReach uses Iridium, a satellite constellation so extensive that it bankrupted the people that put it up! Now running smoothly and owned by a publicly traded corporation, it offers total coverage of the whole earth and is used extensively. The most annoying thing about SPOT is not being able to know that messages were received. The InReach device also queues messages for transmission when a satellite link can be established, even if it is hours later, so tracking data will be uniform as long as GPS fixes can be obtained. The device is $299, the service costs about $300 per year.
Lowergear offers a reasonable rental option to test the InreachSE before buying: https://www.lowergear.com/product.php?id=510&gclid=CI3-0arsg7sCFSLxOgodsEwAkg I'm planning to test this device out early next year.
Maui Rhino
11-27-2013, 04:34
+1 on the inReach. It has performed flawlessly for me in remote areas. The spot (gen 1) I tried, failed miserably, however I hear good things about the newer spot.
Christine_Runs
11-27-2013, 09:09
Get the inReach. It is amazing. The new one is yellow and can do more than the one in the above picture. It is more expensive upfront than the spot (I have both). It is worth it. You can text and receive texts anywhere. I used a 30$ a month plan this summer which gave me lots of texting to text regularly about my location. I got it because I canoe solo and we decided that it was worth it to be able to send details if I ever had an emergency, it ends up costing about the same a year as the spot because during months I am not using it I pay 4$ a month. They also have 2 free months right now.
OK - My InReach SE arrived today. Took me just a few minutes to create an account and activate it. It was pouring rain, so I sat in my car and held it up to the window to complete the activation. I was able to send and receive messages no problem. The map that comes up on the web is very nice. Entering messages via the keypad is slow, but it can be done. My unit paired with my iPhone 4S with no problems. Looking forward to trying it out, maybe this weekend...