406 Mhz PLBs

Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
553
How many of you guys are carrying 406 Mhz PLBs and/or Sat phones when travelling in truly remote locations? If you're not, why not?
 
I have been wondering about Sat phones for a while, but couldn't find much info on them.

How expensive are they? Do you just pay for them once and then can use them as much as you want? Do you have to pay a monthly fee like a regular phone?

I assume they work anywhere and everywhere.

Can you use them to call anyone, or do they call an emergency call center only?

Were can I find more info on Sat. phones?
 
I've been working with emergency preparedness/pandemic preparedness consortia lately. The Feds require sat phones as the 4th level of communication. In test runs using the sat phones that a few agencies have and testing some of the sat phones the hospitals use, we found connection rates between <30% to almost 80% of calls being completed. Only 2 companies over sat phone service and neither could promise that call would be completed.

Where I live there are times that no satellites are usable, so the phone is useless until a satellite comes in range again. I used to love the thought of sat phones, they would be great if they worked.
 
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