Garmin Inreach

[Joe]

We all know one of the first things to go down when it hits the fan is the mobile phone network. It's not due to major technical failures but rather over capacity. Additionally up here in Scotland the cell sites go down regularly during the large storms due to the hill top sites losing power. Very few have battery back up now.
So what is your options ? Yes you can put together a radio systems but it has limited range (unless you go NVIS) and takes a bit of technical know how.
However another option is to route through a satellite but this can be expensive but if you go down the text option route the cost comes down.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/592606

The Garmin Inreach looks like a very tempting option, it's on my gift list at the moment : )

Anyone else considering SatComs ?

[bigpaul]

if you cant make it, repair it, grow it or rear it, learn to live without it.

[Lightspeed]

How does this system work Joe?

It looks brilliant.

I assume there are subscription fees for service provision, like mobile phones?:

Re your comment on NVIS, I disagree. Its for sure the easiest form of shortwave communication to set up. Just a transmitter on 7MHz, a £20 matching unit and 66ft of wire thrown out of a window will do the trick..... even if the window is on the ground floor ;-)

This Inreach system's advantage is portability, and reliability of contact. Much like a mobile phone.

[Joe]

https://gtc.co.uk/inreach-subscription-plans

A bit of info on the cost, a wee bit expensive but far cheaper than a satellite phone. Plus most people are happy with the text only option.

[Joe]

Total agree on that Lightspeed, NVIS is pretty simple and you can throw up an antenna at fence height and work 500 miles but for those with zero comms knowledge they might prefer something more like a mobile phone.