Satellite Phones in the Jungle

[BOD]

Has anyone got experiences of using sat phones in the jungle.

Not in villages or scrub or degraded jungle but triple canopy.

What network and model were you using and how did it go?

 

[Dano]

I have one of these http://www.thuraya.com/XT-DUAL/overview.php I like the fact thats its GSM and Sat, its really robust but the software is truly rubbish, its like using a very old Motorola cellphone, that said it works and you can have it on a prepay plan

it aint going to work under heavy canopy

I also have a PLB, got one after a boat I was on broke down and started to take on water, the boat they sent to get us also broke, no radios on these things and probably no life vests, PLB gives me a little peace of mind after reading about a Brit in NZ, he went out hiking on his own, broke his leg and was picked up 120min after pulling the pin on the PLB (a UK registered one!!)

 

[carabao]

Yes in Thailand, Laos, Mynmar border, it was a Thuraya, getting good satellite reception under canopy was nigh on impossible, had to use in clearings or by rivers (or actually in the river due to canopy) damp was a problem plenty of silicone bags. I bought it in Dubai on a pay as you go contract and a handful of top up cards, the reason I went this route was just in case it was lost or stolen and I ended up with a massive run up bill.

 

[neoaliphant]

http://www.ashburysatcom.co.uk/
020 3664 7967

This is my satphone supplier, id give them a call and they will be able to help you out

i recommend the isatphonepro on immarsat

Just had a client got back from somalia with it, very good experience with it, cant be used inside a building of coarse

Al

Has anyone got experiences of using sat phones in the jungle.

Not in villages or scrub or degraded jungle but triple canopy.

What network and model were you using and how did it go?

 

[BOD]

What about a PLB/Epirb in a rainforest?

 

[bikething]

What about a PLB/Epirb in a rainforest?

Probably not going to work. You're going to have the same problem with anything that uses radio waves: The canopy will block the signal. Wet leaves even more so.

 

[BOD]

Probably not going to work. You're going to have the same problem with anything that uses radio waves: The canopy will block the signal. Wet leaves even more so.

Please don't tell me I'm going to have to carry a PRC 77 again!

 

[Ross Bowyer]

It is going to be very hard to get reliable signal and real time comms under thick canopy. However most of the time you can find an area of clear sky, ridges, rivers, areas around new deadfall...or if needs be cut a winch hole near a base camp.

 

[BOD]

Ok its as I feared it would be.

I had hoped that technology had a solution but it seems nature rules which actually is kind of satisfying.

PM sent

 

[Dano]

It's also quite hard to justify the cost, mine was around $1000 but I understand you can hire them, they are small and light and do give you peace of mind, I got mine for Myanmar where any type of communication is bad, PLB is a couple of hundred quid, waterproof and small, similar peace of mind but beware those ones that send out updates all the time, heard tales of them not functioning and alarms raised, always check the footprint of the sat network, mine only covers most of Asia and not too far out to sea from what I remember, both are good items but no substitute for a personal outdoor plan left with a couple of people