[pct-l] Satellite versus Cell phone

[matt maxon]

I wouldn't think you'd use it as you would a cellular phone, unless you 
just hit the MegaMillions ;-), or George Soros, or Bill Gates is your daddy

With out any doubt the coverage is better, is the celluar coverage 
sufficient? guess it depends how you define sufficient.

If you want to call from where ever you are you'll need a satellite 
phone, places like High Sierra, more remote parts of the trail in 
Northern California, Oregon, & Washington, & Canada

My experience section hiking is celluar was, it was good enough for me, 
call in every few days or so...no need to find pay phones in places with 
cell service

The cost of a satellite phone is like $1.50 per minute  with fractions 
rounded up &  a monthly service fee plus you  own your equipment  $600 
or something like that .

I think you can rent them weekly or monthly too.

Matt


Jack Richardson wrote:
> Hi all, my better half is considering purchasing a satellite phone for our
> PCT hike. The cost seems quite high, not including account and usage fees.
>
>  
>
> My questions:
>
>  
>
> -          Is the cell coverage on the trail sufficient to depend on a cell
> phone?
>
> -          Don't satellite phones have to "see" the phone satellite? So they
> aren't always on.
>
> -          Has anyone done a cost/risk comparison for satellite versus cell?
>
> -          I do recall seeing a coverage chart. Does anyone know of such a
> graph?
>
>  
>
>  
>
> It seems a costly emergency device or a "how are you?" chatty device. 
>
>  
>
> Love to see comments ...
>
>  
>
> tumbleweed
>
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