I'm headed to Alaska on a caribou hunt this September and a moose hunt September 2020. What do you guys recommend for Satelite texting? Both the communicator and plan? Thanks

Travis

I’ve been running Inreach for 5 years now. From Canada to Mexico, no major issues. They had an issue with AT&T recipients the past Sept. but that’s only issue I’ve had in 5 years. I just switched to email vs texted number, for a quick fix.

I go with the unlimited plan in Sept-Jan and drop it to bare minimum rest of the year.

Any experience with the rented units? Any reputable vendors?

Anyone know about Spot X 2-Way Satellite Messenger? Looks like a pretty nice little 2-way texting device with options for annual or monthly plans. https://www.findmespot.com/spotx/lander.php

+1 on the inreach

I've got an inReach. Ramp it up in the fall and suspend it in January. I think they call it the "Freedom" plan.

I've also rented a satellite phone a few times from Explorer Satellite out of Florida. They've always seemed professional. Except for the one time I inquired about buying one through their website. 'Never heard back, but I really didn't need it.

I rented an Iridium Sat phone once for a backcountry trip. The phone itself seemed fairly lightweight and easy to pack. Only problem was when I wanted to use it the battery was dead. I fully charged it before going. Fortunately I rented an additional battery and it worked.

For the money, InReach is the best bang for your buck. I have wanted to get the Iridium Go and trial it but never have. Inmarsat and Iridium are your two major Sat phone suppliers. Phones aren’t terribly expensive but the phone plans are astronically expensive. The two companies satellite orbits are drastically different from each other which means so is their coverage and reception. Please verify, but if I am not mistaken, Iridium satellites have polar orbits so they are better if used closer to the “poles” of the Earth (I.e. Alaska, Yukon, etc.). Inmarsat satellites orbit equatorally and therefore are better served in places along the equator. If you used an Inmarsat phone in Alaska it likely would be worthless. But please verify before you rent/buy.

I had Iridium in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, they worked well. I think Inmarsat gets better reviews, but is a totally different coverage map. InReach is through the Iridium network.

In Reach had one for 5 years have used it from Alaska to Mexico I keep it hot year round You would be surprised how much you will use it my buddy's son carried it to Germany to help save on cell charges.

This right here as an Alaskan who uses a sat phone when hunting. Iridium is the way to go. The others don't have the coverage you want in Alaska, and if you are near any mountains (which is most places people hunt), they will block the signal of the others that are below the horizon.

These guys rent and sell and have offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks: Surveyors Exchange

-TJ