No signal? These are the 6 best ways to call for help in the mountains 938
by Admin
Posted on 07-11-2023 12:09 PM
Satellite technology is ideal for calling and texting from remote locations, including oceans. But you’ll always need to be outside, and give your antenna the best
view
of the sky you can, to ensure you get a signal.
Be aware that satellite technology suffers some latency (delay) since your signals have a long way to travel, but you’ll never be out of touch. So what satellites can you actually use to make calls? inmarsat, the first network originally designed for mariners, covers most of the planet with a handful of geosynchronous satellites. These orbit the equator, never moving relative to the ground, but as you go north and south they get nearer the horizon; in hilly terrain you might not ‘see’ the satellite at all.
5. Personal locator beacons
Whereas personal locator beacons (plbs) can only transmit sos signals (more on this below), a defining feature of all of the satellite messengers here is the ability to communicate more nuanced information. This can be very helpful for getting in touch in non-emergent situations, sending out live tracks or requesting weather forecasts, transmitting updates to sar teams during rescue attempts, and more. These more capable
devices
can be further broken down into two main categories: one-way and two-way messengers. One-way messengers
one-way satellite messengers are the more basic option, epitomized by the spot gen4. These devices have limited functionality, including an sos button and the ability to send a few separate preset messages and your gps coordinates to a list of predetermined phone numbers or email addresses.
To compile this review, we started by carefully selecting the top models of satellite messenger and personal locator beacons. It's usually impossible for us to satisfactorily test every product on the market for a particular category. With plbs and satellite messengers, though, there aren't many options available, and we can test nearly every device . Especially in the two-way satellite messaging device sub-category, we've worked to get every single new option in our hands. The end result is a set of tested products that represent essentially all of the available satellite communication options currently on the market. From there, we purchased and activated these beacons and put them to the test for hundreds of hours, side-by-side, in several distinct situations and locations.
Best known for their personal locator beacons (plbs), acr makes a reliable product capable of transitioning from sea to summit without breaking your bank or your ultra-light weight limit. Check out acr’s survivor stories for some inspiring cautionary tales. The bivy stick offers the same features as the garmin inreach mini 2 but with one big difference: there is no integrated screen. This means you can’t use any of the bivy stick’s advanced functions like two-way messaging without a paired smartphone with the acr app installed. You will need to plan accordingly to keep your phone charged through out your trip.
Whether you're backpacking, backcountry skiing or adventuring out of service range, a satellite messenger, gps device or personal locator beacon (plb) for your outdoor pursuits is important. After all, your safety is on the line. But choosing the right one for your needs can be difficult. We looked at 28 units, from garmin to spot and everything in between, compiling the top professional and user reviews, and comparing models side-by-side for weight, budget, battery life, communication capabilities and subscription costs. The result: our top winners for the best personal locator beacons and two-way satellite messengers for every kind of user.
The Best Satellite Messengers for When You’re Off the Grid
Call it a satellite communicator or a satellite messenger. Either way, you don’t want to go off the grid without one. In emergencies, these handheld devices let you call for help, but most of the time, they’re a conduit for texting with family or friends when cell service is spotty at best. Some even have navigation features to help you find your way. Garmin and spot are the biggest names on the market, but in recent years new competitors have joined the fray with more affordable options designed to work with your smartphone. Whether hiking, roaming the backcountry , or fishing at sea, these are the best satellite messengers to keep on hand.
Until recently, only professional adventurers owned satellite communication devices. Most casual backcountry enthusiasts just didn't have the budget, or the expertise, necessary to own an esoteric, expensive device that spat out weird numbers (latitude, longitude? what?) on a hard-to-read lcd. If you regularly ventured off the cellular grid, you relied on maps, memory, and crossed fingers. All that has changed with a recent crop of more affordable—and much easier to use—satellite messengers. For the past year, i've driven to obscure mountain locations, hiked on tree-covered trails, and spent a lot of time sitting in the snow to track my location, map my routes, and send texts to my loved ones to show them how much fun i have in their absence.