Reddog1 wrote:
deserteagle56, could you post more info on your Iridium 9555 phone?
Wayne
Well, I just goggled it so I see that model is still available. So if it is technical details you're after the Iridium site will tell you a lot more than I can.
A few years ago when I was doing my research on which one to buy the unanimous consensus was that out of the three satellite phone networks available, Iridium had the best ability to grab and hold on to a satellite, even down in a canyon. Since I spend most of my time down in the canyons of Nevada and Utah, that was important to me. That may not be true today, I don't know. That was a new phone model back then and very expensive - $1,500. Air time is very expensive also; the best price I found at the time was through SatPhoneStore in Miami, Florida. Just having access to the satellites costs $300 a year - and actually using it costs an additional $7 a minute! But to me it's worth it - getting old and clumsy but I can't give up riding my dirt bike. The guys I used to ride with have all given it up so most of the time I'm alone. The satellite phone is just insurance. I've programmed in the phone numbers of all the sheriff's offices in Nevada and most of those in Utah and northern Arizona, plus the BLM and Forest Services also. This unit is pretty light and compact; it and the spare battery reside in a pocket in my riding/hiking backpack. Once a month I top off the batteries - and they will charge off 12v for when I'm in a remote camp. There is also a car kit available (unlike a cell phone a satellite phone will not pick up a signal inside a vehicle) that allows the phone to run off 12v and provides an antenna that can be placed on the vehicle roof.
