Two way texting beyond the cell phone grid

[XCskiNYC]

Here's an interesting product from Delorme. This will be interest to trekkers in places like AK with limited cell phone coverage. It could be handy for circumnavigating sailors as well, all kinds of folks.

http://www.delorme.com/inreach/

[Two Speed]

Interesting device, decent specs and functionality, but at 7.9 oz w/o batteries that device is going to be kinda heavy for most backpackers.

[grateful 2]

Looks really interesting. Maybe better than SPOT. Did you notice that it is not available yet on Amazon? I wonder when?

Here's an interesting product from Delorme. This will be interest to trekkers in places like AK with limited cell phone coverage. It could be handy for circumnavigating sailors as well, all kinds of folks.

http://www.delorme.com/inreach/

[Doc Mike]

it says available mid-october.

[Shutterbug]

Here's an interesting product from Delorme. This will be interest to trekkers in places like AK with limited cell phone coverage. It could be handy for circumnavigating sailors as well, all kinds of folks.

http://www.delorme.com/inreach/

This looks interesting. It doesn't say which satellite system it will use. I wonder if it uses the same system as Spot. I have the Delorme/Spot combination that has essentially the same one way features, but can't receive messages.

[Don Newcomb]

The term pole-to-pole makes me think of Iridium. I don't really know of any other communications satellite system that makes that claim. There is no mention of it on Iridium's site but there is this on the DeLorme blog

Notice that there are no gaps from dropped messages, the Iridium reception is very impressive and should a message not get out, it is queued and delivered as soon as a satellite comes into view.

This is actually a very good device for Iridium because if you have a view of the sky, you should get at least brief Iridium service several times per hour. Even someplace like the Grand Canyon. Geostationary systems don't work very high latitudes and will drop service entirely on the poleward (north in northern hemisphere) side of mountains. LEOs (like Iridium) may have trouble holding a signal in places like the Grand Canyon but will frequently get enough signal for text messages.

[Don Newcomb]

BTW, in case anyone thinks this is a new concept, take a look at the GSC 100 that was introduced in 1998. It uses the Orbcomm LEO satellite constellation.