[GreenKeys] OT: emergency communications

Wed Apr 12 00:35:56 EDT 2017

For what it's worth....I use Iridium when out of mainstream network 
coverage in Australia, and I have only had the occasional issue of 
getting service/network reception.....Rest assured their billing 
department works just fine (as all telco's), so be sure to query any 
extra charges.

Regards,

Bruce

On 12/04/2017 11:31 AM, Paul Pennington wrote:
> Apparently things are much better now for Iridium.  See the Wikipedia 
> article "Iridium Communications".
>
> Paul Pennington
> Augusta, Georgia
>
> On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 9:05 PM, Andy Williams <andywilliams at pobox.com 
> <mailto:andywilliams at pobox.com>> wrote:
>
>     I was on a 4 month assignment in 2007 where there was no phone
>     service, landline or cell. We had an Iridium satellite phone and I
>     found the service to be spotty at best and some of the calls were
>     unintelligible. We had a good view of the sky and I tried calling
>     from the roof of our building on a few occasions. We even had our
>     phone replaced, to no avail.
>
>     Unless the Iridium service has improved since 2007, I would not
>     recommend it.
>
>     Andy Williams
>
>     > On Apr 11, 2017, at 2:18 PM, John Nagle <nagle at animats.com
>     <mailto:nagle at animats.com>> wrote:
>     >
>     >
>     http://www.satphonestore.com/iridium-9555-satellite-phone-standard-package-used.html
>     <http://www.satphonestore.com/iridium-9555-satellite-phone-standard-package-used.html>
>     >
>     > On 04/11/2017 07:23 AM, greenkeys-request at mailman.qth.net
>     <mailto:greenkeys-request at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>     >> From: dmm at lemur.com <mailto:dmm at lemur.com>
>     >> Subject: [GreenKeys] OT: emergency communications
>     >>
>     >> I have a question primarily for the amateur radio folks on the
>     list.
>     >> It's clearly off-topic, but this is the only venue I know of with
>     >> a deep knowledge of ham radio.
>     >>
>     >> Since my wife's recent and unexpected death, I'm now living in our
>     >> rural home alone.  It's 50 acres, and the terrain is complicated.
>     >> To cover it all line-of-sight would take half a dozen positions.
>     >> Adding to this, it's all within a valley in which there
>     >> is basically no cell reception.  We have land-line telephone
>     >> and terrestrial-radio-based Internet (ex-Motorola Canopy)
>     >> at the house (only).
>     >>
>     >> This has been made more difficult for me because last year
>     >> I injured my back rather severely.  So a real possibility now
>     exists
>     >> that if I'm out working on something remote from the house and
>     >> re-injure myself so that I can't make it back, it might be too
>     >> late before anyone notices and comes looking.
>     >>
>     >> What I need to find is some kind of device that I can carry with me
>     >> on foot which can, perhaps with the aid of a base station at
>     the house,
>     >> permit me to make an outgoing emergency call (or at least send
>     a signal).
>     >> It can't require line-of-sight, and it can't depend on the cell
>     network.
>     >>
>     >> What, if any, are my options?
>     >>
>     >> Thanks very much for any and all advice.
>     >>
>     >> Regards,
>     >> David M.
>     >
>     >   I'd suggest an Iridium phone.  They can be had for about $850.
>     >
>     >
>     http://www.satphonestore.com/iridium-9555-satellite-phone-standard-package-used.html
>     <http://www.satphonestore.com/iridium-9555-satellite-phone-standard-package-used.html>
>     >
>     >
>     https://www.amazon.com/Iridium-9505A-Satellite-complete-package/dp/B000S2AVBS
>     <https://www.amazon.com/Iridium-9505A-Satellite-complete-package/dp/B000S2AVBS>
>     >
>     > These connect directly to satellites and will work anywhere on the
>     > Earth's surface where you can see the sky.  The airtime rates
>     are several dollars a minute, but you can buy a prepaid SIM card
>     and not use it much.
>     >
>     >                               John Nagle
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