Satellite com, making remote sites safer.

[Mark Wagner]

Maybe I'm late to the party here, but I'll mention it anyway.

I know everyone noticed it a while back when T-Mobile began offering sat communication via cell phone, I think it was maybe just on iPhone.  Just this morning I ran into Motorola Defy Satellite subscription for (good for me) Android.  And its inexpensive, especially if all you really want is safety being able to text from truly remote observing sites, and double especially if you're by yourself there.  I know when I talk with family about my going off the grid observing, there's a bit of apprehension.  I think this relieves a lot of concern.

Anyone been using a sat service?  Anyone on Defy yet?  Comments?

Anyone remember Iridium phone service?  They just proved fun for the flares!

[Aris Pope]

Mark, thanks for sharing this with me. I just happened to come across a video on Sat Phones yesterday. Jason Hanson who's former CIA had that as one of his top 10 needed things for camping. It caught my attention as my wife regularly reminds me of her worries and concerns when I'm in the field. 

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Aris

[Daniel Vancura]

Newer iPhones have satellite communication built in and afaik it is coming on Android, too. I’ve used it to chat with my SO when my network was spotty at Coe. Works quite well, finds satellites to connect to in a few seconds from my experience, just somewhat slow message delivery but that’s perfectly acceptable imo. I would just set the expectation with others that you don’t always get notifications immediately and have to actively check for new messages by taking the phone out and pointing it up to the sky.

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[Akarsh Simha]

I’m old fashioned and still have and use a Garmin InReach. I prefer that to iPhone as it has a long battery life when hiking.

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[John Pierce]

On Sun, May 4, 2025 at 11:52 AM Akarsh Simha <akars...@gmail.com> wrote:

I’m old fashioned and still have and use a Garmin InReach. I prefer that to iPhone as it has a long battery life when hiking.

which, btw, uses Iridium.   I got a Garmin InReach for my daugther when she hiked the PCT a few years back.  A couple weeks on a charge with it on 24/7 and broadcasting location beacons every 10 minutes.

[Mark Wagner]

Seriously?  I thought Iridium was decommissioned twenty plus years ago.  And I thought we were aridofum, surprise.

Sure was fun seeing the super bright iridium flares back then!

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[Lance Pickens]

I ended up getting Starlink mobile unit, it was cheaper than dedicated satellite phone. I do see most phones have satellite feature now but it’s wonky to use I’ve found, at least on iPhone when I last tried it. 

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[Alex]

 Verizon has Starlink comms enabled on Samsung S25 and Pixel 9 in March. I believe my S24U has that too, but not enabled until Verizon sells enough of their S25 stock (which will be long due to the red market).