Sat Phone and UHF

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

Just thought I’d share:

My wife and I are retired and spend quite a lot of time travelling to remote areas by ourselves.

My dilemma was how to communicate with the outside world in an emergency; do I go for a UHF radio (with limited range) or go for a satellite phone (expensive).

I was forced to do something when we arranged to go to Tassie with a mate for six weeks starting mid January. We’ll need to communicate with him while we’re moving. I was in an ARB store and asked about a GME TX3540 – about $800 installed with antenna (I know eBay and DIY install would have been cheaper).

I made a few enquiries about satellite phones and came up with what seems to be a pretty good deal; a new Inmarsat phone for $394.50 ($789 less 50% government subsidy – easy to arrange) and a pre-paid SIM (50 units for $99 and valid for two years).

The sat phone also has the advantage of being able to be thrown in the back pack when we go for our long walks in remote areas.

The idea with the sat phone is to use it only for emergencies – I’ll have to make sure the boss doesn’t start using it for Sunday night calls to the grandkids!

I also bought a new hand held GME TX680 off eBay for $165. It’s 3 watts and should be enough for keeping in touch with travel companions.

I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that we should be able to call for help if the need ever arises.

[derek11 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close derek11]

if travelling in remote areas have a sat phone for emergencys, you never know when its needed and can be a life saver.

Cheers Derek

[MalcomM Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MalcomM]

You can hire sat phones and eperbs.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I know sat phones are getting cheaper and cheaper but that seems extremely cheap. Not all sat phones are created equal though, make sure if you get one it is going to work all the time.

I recall talking to a guy in the Kimberly and we were comparing phones and what we paid for them, he was bragging that his was half the price of mine and he had a much better plan than mine. As it happened he was broken down and waiting for help, he couldn't check on his help because his sat phone wouldn't work, I lent him my much more expensive phone to ring and sort out his issues. Fortunately for him he was not off the beaten track and wasn't injured (only the car was) had he have been away from other people and in a life threatening situation his "cheap" sat phone may well have cost the life of him or his wife.

Due to our habit of travelling extremely remote and often alone I am also adding a HF radio to my kit, just in case.

Cheers Andrew

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Dreamer, have a similar deal with an Inmarsat phone, but have not used it yet. Only just purchased it.

[Vk3bq Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vk3bq]

their is always ham (amateur radio) http://www.wia.org.au/licenses/foundation/about/

but the alternative to a satphone is a HF (rfds) type radio.

have a look at http://www.vks737.on.net/ and http://hfradioclub.com.au/ for some more info.

if you get an epirb, get a GPS enabled one, they are under $400 these days http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index....ndex&cPath=101

tassie isn't really remote, a 850mhz/900mhz 3g mobile phone will have coverage/access to 000/112 emergency calls over a lot of it (not the south west corner - wilderness, but you cant drive in that part of the world)

[letsgoplaces Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close letsgoplaces]

The isatphone pro is a good phone. I got one and my neighbours have one, even though I haven't had too use mine for its purpose yet (and hopefully never) the test runs I have given it work well. There are essentially 4 players in the market, but Iridium and isatphone pro are the standouts from my research. Thuraya and globalstar are the other 2.
Dreamer, be sure you do get the 2 year expiry as those cards were phased out back in June, not saying your supplier doesn't have any still in stock though. The benefit of the pro over Iridium is the prepaid option as opposed to needing to be on a monthly plan with Iridium, and the real fine print to qualify for the rebate is to stay connected for 2 years, so if you get a 2 year card, you're covered
But your thoughts on a handheld UHF and the sat phone as good pieces of communications are good thoughts

[K & M McF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close K & M McF]

Spot is much cheaper to buy and run. In addition, it can be used to keep your family aware of your exact location. There is a newer version that connects to a laptop that lets you send a message of your creation each time you log in. Really great to use.

[Heath74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heath74]

Have been using my isatphone pro with no issues, often just a text home each night to say alls well. Getting cheaper all the time.

[wastegate Member Find all posts View Profile Close wastegate]

Have used a Satellite phone (on monthly Telstra charges) via the Iridium hardware for five years now and coverage across Oz has been great. Occasionally in deep valleys there would be up to 15mins wait-time for a Satellite to appear in the limited sky view to get reception but any Sat-phone would be found wanting in those conditions. The whirlpool forums is usually pretty good for extra info on mobile plans/handsets etc.

Do recall at the time of purchase though, the decision to go with Iridium was that it had one of the better coverages Australia-wide whereas at least one other suffered across either northern or southern parts of the continent. Don't remember which area was affected, the Tip or Tassie. Additional whizzy things in space may have sorted that out by now but best to check.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Iridium phone second hand (9505 or 9555) add a Telstra post paid SIM with global roaming enabled and you're done.

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

Thanks for all the input guys.

I faxed the application for the sat phone subsidy on Friday and got the approval today – I think that’s bloody amazing! I now qualify for a 50% discount off a new phone.

The company I went through – you have to nominate an approved supplier when you lodge your subsidy application – sells only Iridium and Inmarsat Isat phones. The phone isn’t the major cost factor, it’s the calls.

The Inmarsat phone with 50 minutes of call time – pre-paid and valid for two years – will cost me $493.50. The Iridium 9555 with a similar two year pre-paid option will cost me $2525.50.

Post paid plans were quoted at $29 per month connection fee. That’s $696 for two years, plus the cost of the phone, plus usage.

I looked at all the suggested alternatives to a sat phone – thanks guys - but at this stage the phone still looks like the most cost effective means of providing me with a lifeline in the case of an emergency.

We’re off to Tassie in January and then to W.A. in March for 4 to 6 months – Albany to Broome to Darwin and home to Sydney. Hopefully everything goes well and we won’t need the phone, but there’s great comfort in knowing we have it if we need it!

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Hi Dreamer,

Great to hear about the approval, what justification did you use?

I am thinking about applying as well for the subsidy.

Cheers

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

You have tell them that you'll be spending at least 180 days out of mobile phone range over the next two years. I told them we are retirees and that our travel plans are:

'Our plans for 2013 include:

• Six weeks in Tasmania, mainly on the west coast.
• Six months travelling from Sydney across the Nullarbor to Albany and then up the Western Australia coast as far as Broome and Cape Leveque. We plan to return via the Gibb River Road, Darwin and Alice Springs.

Our plans for 2014 are not yet finalised but we hope to travel to Cape York and visit Lawn Hill NP, Diamantina NP and Currawinya NP on the return trip. We expect this trip to take approximately three to four months. We also hope to have an extended trip to South Australia.'

That did the trick.

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

No worries, thanks for the information.

Enjoy your trips!!