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Dayhike Mike
Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to Tukwila |
| Magellan wrote: | | It's the second reason... |
<grin> I had my suspicions! 
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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GoBlueHiker
island hopper
Joined: 16 Apr 2003
Posts: 450 | TRs | Pics
Location: These days... Boulder, CO |
| Magellan wrote: | | Dayhike Mike wrote: | You're the second person to tell me this. 
Either the U.S. isn't turning out literate pupils anymore, or we've all been so screwed over by the cell phone companies that we can't believe there isn't a catch.  |
It's the second reason... |
Ditto that.
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kbatku
Questionable hiker
Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 3330 | TRs | Pics
Location: Yaquima |
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kbatku
Questionable hiker
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 Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:17 am Satellite lag?
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I'd be tempted to use it all the time, except the lag would be a real killer.
So, I'd be paying $300 + $10 a month for something that would only get occasional use.
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Dayhike Mike
Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to Tukwila |
Yep.
And if I recall correctly, yer pretty much stuck paying that $10/month all the way through to the launch of the new satellite constellation in June 2010.
Also, once the new constellation is launched (and reception improves) the $10/month and unlimited calling offer is over.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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justapacking
Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 1 | TRs | Pics
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justapacking
Member
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Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:09 am having trouble getting out
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Have used spot for over six mo's here in Az. with no problems but my grand daughter has been trying five times a day from both Fiji and NZ with absolutely no success. She was able to use it here just fine so I don't know whats going on. No response from SPOT yet.
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GoBlueHiker
island hopper
Joined: 16 Apr 2003
Posts: 450 | TRs | Pics
Location: These days... Boulder, CO |
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GoBlueHiker
island hopper
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Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:12 pm Re: having trouble getting out
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| justapacking wrote: | | Have used spot for over six mo's here in Az. with no problems but my grand daughter has been trying five times a day from both Fiji and NZ with absolutely no success. She was able to use it here just fine so I don't know whats going on. No response from SPOT yet. |
That's not surprising from Fiji... it's on the outer-edge of the coverage area. In NZ, he should be getting through. Here's the coverage map from SPOT's website. It's interesting to hear that it's not working there.
- Mike
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caseynw
Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2008
Posts: 91 | TRs | Pics
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caseynw
Member
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Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:11 pm |
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I'd stay away from globalstar for voice service. It is considerably poor right now. I have heard so many horror stories this year and last year.
the global star rates are incredibly cheap because they are bleeding customers out the sides because of this. Crazy things like a $20/unlimited plan are not uncommon.
the global star system is unique to iridium because it uses a "bent pipe" technique. anything the satellite sees gets repeated back down. If there is a earth station in range, it can receive the voice or data and do something with it. If the satellite is far away from any earth station, it just goes nowhere. Also, each earth station has to have the right equipment to process the one-way data message that spot uses....and it has to be operational 
iridium has all the brains on the satellite. it routes the call accordingly....and almost with fiber-like latency because it'll go up a few hundred miles, passed on in a straight line, and then down to an earth station. Probably no worse than what happens when you pick up a phone.
Iridium is a bit more expensive, but worth it if you need the thing to work anywhere at anytime. For casual use, id recommend a prepaid plan. They are quite inexpensive and if you buy the 500 anywhere minute plan, it has a 1 year expire date..
Be careful with any of the regional plans. Some of them are spotty on coastal areas and you can forget about the water.
there is really no lag with globalstar or iridium. the satellites have low orbits, and i have been on much worse phone calls.
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