View Full Version : Satellite Phones
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 07:37 AM
I am sorry to post this on the main board. I need some help if anyone has any experience with these. I am trying to set something up for FEMA and emergency response in disaster situations with helicopters. It's a cool project and basically I am looking for recommendations. Mods please give me a couple of hours.
theAPAOps5
10-15-2008, 07:57 AM
When I was at Centennial and we went to New Orleans to help the airport reopen we had a Satellite Phone. I think we used it only a few times as phone service was restored about halfway into our trip.
They are pretty cool but damn are they expensive.
Meck77
10-15-2008, 08:02 AM
Used one while floating down the Amazon to check the Pat vs Broncos score during the AFC Championship game. Worked perfectly but as Apa said they are certainly expensive. Can't recall the brand I used though.
dbfan21
10-15-2008, 08:40 AM
I bet Tom Hanks wished he had one while stranded on that island after the FedEx plane crashed. That wouldda come in handy! :thanku:
Just kidding man...I have nothing of value to add to this subject...or any other matter come to think of it...sigh!
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 09:21 AM
Well, the idea is that when the hurricane hits all power is gone. In essense, no cell towers. So we have to have sat comm to pilots(sat pagers and mounted sat phones in 25 aircraft), then we need sat communications at mobile command for weather, dispatch, and general communications for billing and such.
Apa,
Do you remember if the company was local?
theAPAOps5
10-15-2008, 09:22 AM
I don't think it was a local company. I have an email out to Centennial getting all that information for you. Will PM you with details.
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 09:42 AM
I don't think it was a local company. I have an email out to Centennial getting all that information for you. Will PM you with details.
You are the man. I will hook you with a beer when I see you.
Iridium is the most popular brand, We have rented them a few times when going on long range fishing trips. Others include: Inmarset, Globalstar, Inteligy and Thrane and Thrame.
Hope this helps.
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 10:29 AM
Iridium is the most popular brand, We have rented them a few times when going on long range fishing trips. Others include: Inmarset, Globalstar, Inteligy and Thrane and Thrame.
Hope this helps.
I found the first 3 you mentioned, but not the last. Thanks!
After Ivan, Katrina, Gustav and the rest of dem bitches....cell lines were jammed but texts always seemed to go through.
In the dark days immediately following Katrina, texting was all you had.
I just saw a satellite pager\service advertised. That might be a cheaper option if you don't need voice and can get by with satellite alphanumeric communication.
loborugger
10-15-2008, 11:04 AM
Iridium's are pretty good. Inmarsat is also pretty good. However, the Inmarsat is less popular because the phones tend to be larger. An Iridium is about the size of 90s brick phone. However, I get the general impression that the coverage and quality of Inmarsat cant be beat. Could be wrong.
400HZ
10-15-2008, 12:54 PM
I know how to repair most individual Iridium models, but I don't know anything about the network. They didn't work that well in Iraq. Possibly because I did a poor job of repairing them. Try and get your employer to hook you up with an extra SIM chip if it's an Iridium because they seem to randomly flush their settings every once in a while.
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 01:12 PM
I know how to repair most individual Iridium models, but I don't know anything about the network. They didn't work that well in Iraq. Possibly because I did a poor job of repairing them. Try and get your employer to hook you up with an extra SIM chip if it's an Iridium because they seem to randomly flush their settings every once in a while.
Interesting. So a spare sim to carry with it?
Eldorado
10-15-2008, 01:24 PM
Sooooo, now the Mane is a technical consultant for FEMA?
Anybody on the gulf coast starting to get that 'Oh ****' feeling again?
theAPAOps5
10-15-2008, 01:38 PM
Sooooo, now the Mane is a technical consultant for FEMA?
Anybody on the gulf coast starting to get that 'Oh ****' feeling again?
THat would mean it went away in the first place.
Eldorado
10-15-2008, 01:44 PM
Ahh. Understood.
Garcia Bronco
10-15-2008, 02:03 PM
Sooooo, now the Mane is a technical consultant for FEMA?
Anybody on the gulf coast starting to get that 'Oh ****' feeling again?
LOL. Not exactly. :)
loborugger
10-15-2008, 03:01 PM
Ya know, Garcia, with the 'G' owning Iridium, I am surprised you would even have a choice. I would think you would be told to use Iridium.