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[pct-l] Cell Phones and FREE EMERGENCY PHONE
I have a sailboat (32' Ericson, for any fellow salty dogs...) and have
had to run the gambit of "out there" communications, to the point
where there is absolutely no way to get coverage.
Actualy these days, if you want to, you can use satelite phones, but
the coverage of the different constellations is important. Some of the
orbits only put them over major land masses + 200 miles out to sea or
so, which is 99.999% of the population.
Globestar and Iridium are the two biggies for open water use, if you
have cash to put out. How much exactly?
Well, figure in anywhere from $500-$1500 for the phone, plus maybe
$100 or so for "coverage", plus another $0.20 - $2.00 a minute for
usage.
Then there's the weight aspect; they're not the lightweight cell
phones you might be used to. In order to send a signal to a satellite
(even a leo), you need to put out A LOT of power, and the antenna is
highly tuned and very effecient. When most people see a true satellite
phone, it reminds them of something from 1989. The batteries are big,
the phone is big, and the price is big.
For open water use, most sailors opt for an SSB radio, which will give
you about 500-3000 miles. But that doesn't really work too well either
for backpacking; the necassary equipment and cost for an SSB with that
kind of range makes the satellite phone look like a toothpick.
Eric
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 09:23:35 -0700, Monty Tam <metam01@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Marge
> I carried a cell phone and others did too.(4 ounces...Ouch!) I turned off
> my service, but, after a week on the trail, I changed my mind.
> The voicemail was a big plus too.
>
> "Can you hear me now?" Usually not and, yes, it was Verison. My opinion,
> use Verison.
> I use to work for one of the major carriers and needed to know how the
> competition's service worked.
> (Verison was competition) I am not as familiar with AT&T's coverage.
> Both Verison and AT&T have In-Network Analog and Digital capabilities.
> Important.
> 1) Able to connect more often.
> 2) Save money by avoiding roaming charges.
>
> ALTITUDE is the key. Usually there was a mountain between me and the cell
> towers. Didn't work. Near towns, roads, and at higher elevations those
> towers became "line-of-site", nothing between me and the tower. The
> distance didn't matter much. The phone worked.
>
> I didn't use it all the time. Mostly I made calls off the trail. I used a
> $20.00 MCI phone card from COSTCO. (recgargeable cheap minutes).
>
> I called home a lot to change times and contents of drops. Sometimes time
> meant a lot. I had a lot of gear changes, returns, and exchanges. I
> called REI a few times from places like Forrester Pass, over 13,000 feet,
> to have gear shipped to a post office up the trail.
> Every Sunday, for years, I've called my mother. Top of Mt. Whitney?? "Hi
> Mom." Works pretty well from there with a digital signal, very important
> for BATTERY LIFE.
>
> BATTERIES last longer, much longer when you have a Digital signal. A "D"
> will be at the top left of your phone screen. Often you'll have an "A",
> for Analog, in your screen the phone will suck the life out of your battery
> real fast. Sound quality can get pretty bad too. I kept Analog calls real
> short..............REAL short.
>
> I bought an extra battery. When one got low, I'd mail it home to be
> recharged and pick it up a couple weeks later at another post office up the
> trail. Some people bounced their chargers. I would do this next time if I
> carried a phone again. .
>
> FREE EMERGENCY PHONE sounds like SPAM.
> An unactivated phone must, by law, still be able to use the airwaves for
> 911...for free. I use to encourage my customers to donate their old
> phones to women's shelters or thrift stores alligned with a similar purpose.
> Any analog/digital phone would work. If you wanted to suspend your own
> service(probably a one time $5.00 fee) for the season, you would still have
> an emergency phone. 911. I don't know the logistis of call routing. I
> just know it works. ALSO in a complicated, very expensive, hair-pulling
> process you use to be able to connect on a per call basis using a Visa or
> MasterCard type credit card. Try to make a call and majical money-taking
> voices would suddenly appear. Does it still work???????????????????????
> Don't know.
>
> Satellite Phone. They work. Heavy. I know a couple with horses that
> carried one. Expensive calls. Is there a monthly on top of that?
>
> Ever heard someone talk so much about cell phones without trying to sell
> you something?
>
> Warner Springs Monty
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: Marge Prothman <marge@prothman.org>
> > To: Pct-L <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> > Date: 10/28/2004 7:15:09 AM
> > Subject: [pct-l] Cell Phones
> >
> > Good Morning,
> > I would like to hear from people who through hiked the PCT and carried a
> > cell phone.
> > Did you use if very often?
> > Were you out of range for Verizon very often?
> > Did you carry it turned off and without the battery?
> > Was it worth while carrying?
> > Next time, would you carry a Satellite phone and just absorb the extra
> > weight.
> > Cheers,
> > Marge [The Old Gal]
> > http://www.prothman.org/marge
> >
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