2aHawaii
General Topics => Preparedness and Survival => Topic started by: ibuytoys on August 31, 2017, 10:36:28 PM
-
Been thinking more and more about getting a couple of satellite phones to have for emergencies and out of country travel. Has anyone looked into these? The prepaid option seems to run about $1 / minute and is good world wide.
-
I was thinking about one also, but realized in Hawaii during an emergency, no ones phones going to work unless they got a sat phone also. 911 wont work or will be to busy doing other stuff in a disaster.
Like during the tsunami warning a few years ago, phone lines were all overloaded and nothing even hit, imagine if something did. Only had access to emails which I used to email my gf (now wife) to stay put. But if power goes out, internet not going to work either.
So best bet would probably walking to find help since everything is so close.
But international traveling or friends/family on the mainland would be a factor for you, but not for me.
-
Sounds like a good option, whats the pricing for prepaid?
-
Been thinking more and more about getting a couple of satellite phones to have for emergencies and out of country travel. Has anyone looked into these? The prepaid option seems to run about $1 / minute and is good world wide.
I've used sat phones for awhile. Unless you're an extreme adventure traveler, you won't need nor want to use it for travel. For regular tourist type stuff you're better off with an unlocked phone and buying a global SIM card when you get to your destination.
BUT if you want one solely for emergencies, they're fantastic. Just remember you're not paying only for minutes. Sat service is like cellular in the 80's/90's...you're going to have to pay a monthly or annual network service fee in addition to the plan you choose. If you are serious about it, I highly recommend choosing the Iridium network. You can get an used/refurbished Motorola 9500 for $300-400 from authorized service providers or less on eBay. Then find a provider that offers a US choice/plus plan so you don't get stuck with an international phone number.
-
I was thinking about one also, but realized in Hawaii during an emergency, no ones phones going to work unless they got a sat phone also. 911 wont work or will be to busy doing other stuff in a disaster.
Like during the tsunami warning a few years ago, phone lines were all overloaded and nothing even hit, imagine if something did. Only had access to emails which I used to email my gf (now wife) to stay put. But if power goes out, internet not going to work either.
So best bet would probably walking to find help since everything is so close.
But international traveling or friends/family on the mainland would be a factor for you, but not for me.
You make a good point. Ideally, everyone you'd want to contact would have a sat phone. But realistically that is cost prohibitive for most normal people. That said, it's not exactly how it has to work. You can send an SMS text with a sat phone that has little/nothing to do with the power/phone/cellular network. Your message will get out and network congestion on the recipients end would delay delivery, but the message would get there.
-
Picked up an Iridium 9555 for use in natural disasters, like what Puerto Rico is going through now.
-
Didn't you know that the satellites will be the first thing the aliens take out. (Sorry, had to say it.)
-
interesting but fkn expensive just for emergencies... what about the inreach messengers?