Satellite phones & networks + GPS Devices

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OldDogNewTrick

OldDogNewTrick

Dave
Supporting Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
46
Reaction score
65
Location
Manly, NSW
After severe pesterings fro the Minister for War and Finance about me going bush with no comms I bought an InmarSat "Satphone 2" on a pre paid basis.

It's $1,000 with some credits thrown in but I reckon it will pay off in reduced resistance to my wanderings.

One neat feature is you can send it free sms from the Inmarsat website.
The phone can also text GPS coordinates to the Missus so she can enter it to Google maps and see what pub I'm in :)
Oh yes, and it can make calls.....

1508982475_img_20171026_121240.jpg
 
Hi Jaros we have the same phone and plan it works seamlessly and they are way cheaper than most others aye.
Jim
 
I have the same phone ODNT. Great phone.
What I do is pay for a voucher, but dont put it in the phone ('coz they expire). Just write it down and put it in the phone bag.
Every night if I'm away from the shed I turn it on and leave it on the bonnet say 6-7pm.
If the Missus wants me to call or somethings gone wrong, I'll get the free sms. Then I can put the voucher number in and call away. (it only takes seconds to activate.)
 
Hey another thought just sprang to mind....
I've got one of those suction cup, squeeze together phone holders on the windscreen. I had activated the voucher so pluuged it into usb and sat it in the holder. The sms thing back and forth worked a treat. And everytime I looked over at the phone, it had signal!!!
 
Good buy there ODNT. Can remember taking a sat phone with me to do some remote work in Laos. You wouldn't believe it but there were 2 countries in the world that were not compatible with this particular phone and Laos happened to be one of them. I had to ring our main office back here in Aust and get them to pass the message onto our regional office in country. :(

Enjoy

Cheers

Doug
 
Have the exact same phone, good battery life. The cords sms and email is the best feature as each day when moving I send the wife a quick text and she knows where I am and I am okay. Each night I text I am all good and how many kilo's I have found.

Orbit here in Townsville have started their own plans for InMarsat and have extensions for prepaids when you still have credit for far less then a new card.
 
OldDogNewTrick said:
Jeez my Mrs is a worry wart.....after I told her satphones can't be relied on to get a signal in a deep valley she marched me off to buy a PLB!

So now I have a pretty yellow case to house the Satphone and PLB...

At least she has no more excuses for objecting to my excursions :) ... no, wait, she'll think of something!

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/3148/1509071395_img_20171027_132548.jpg
Click to expand...

Keep working on her, there should be some more toys out there that you could use. For your own safety of cause. :Y:

Cheers

Doug
 
Hi
I was looking at renting a satellite phone for a short trip out west. After getting some prices I looked at the used market and have come across some older models that are not much more. My question is would a Thuraya SG-2520 phone (about 10 years old) be able to connect to a satellite and work?
Will they take the $15 a month SIM cards?

Its a long shot but i'm hoping someone here is using one and can advice before comiting to buy.

Cheers
 
Mate, if you are worried about buying an older one(but not too old!), then rent a new one.
The plans have changed.... Inmarsat (that I have been with for many years) have changed their plans/stuff too..
Also, some 'SIM' cards are locked to providers, you need to either get a new sim, or go with that provider.

I have an Inmarsat Pro, I buy a voucher, costs say $75.
I dont activate the voucher.
I have Instructions written in the sat phone case, how to activate the voucher... in case its not me that is doing it...
People can still SMS me, to the sat phone, for free....
Out bush, I turn the phone on every day, about 1800hrs... I wait 60 minutes. Great!!! no messages!
If I need to activate that voucher, which takes seconds, I dont care if the whole phone call costs $75!! Lives could be saved??
I have had vouchers expire, money gone... $75.. but at the time... it was worth it...
 
Thanks for the replies. Seems like I have to buy and try and sort it out. Might be easier and reliable to rent it.
Cheers.
 
I would appreciate if members could share with me and the forum their experience with Satellite phones and also networks covering WA.

Also looking for advice on a GPS Device, I am currently considering the Garmin eTrex 10 Handheld GPS (other devices are available).

These are the final pieces of the equipment jigsaw I am putting together before venturing out.

Regards

John
 
Plus 1 for the Rino 700, you can also see the location other persons within your party if they also have the Rino 700 and they are on you device, I found it very good to be able to see how far to the car and where my wife was so we did not keep getting too close with detectors acting up.

Graham
 

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