What do you guys use for communication in your truck camper?

[jaycocreek]

I posted this in the TC forum because the truck camper can get way back in farther than the other RV's making communication with family and friends very difficult...

I have a Yagi directional antenna(Cell phone) and a Wilson 45db booster along with a long pole for the antenna..Used to work great when it was analog but now,not so much..I spend so much time out of contact with others way back in the hills, so I have been looking for an affordable alternative..

I found a satellite messaging device that was kinda inexpensive with a low cost plan and when your not using it,you can put it to sleep for $4 a month..It works everywhere and I can set it on the back of the dinette seat by the window and it gets reception..I am quite happy with it..Oh and a SOS function that brings EMS to your spot if anything happened to you or your family..

What do you use for communicating when your on the verge of cell service in your truck camper?

[3_tons]

We got the routine down a few years back, so nowadays not much need for chit chat....

[Cannon_George]

SAT Messaging is great; for those set up with it.

I want to suggest an alternative; use of Ham Radio frequencies and use of APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System). I travel frequently off-road out of cell phone range. But I may still be able to "hit" an APRS repeater and send short SMS (text) messages or even short Text Messages via Email to loved ones.

You need to get an FCC license (even with Covid, this is not that complicated); and a 2M radio.

[jaycocreek]

To each his own on sat messaging..I looked at all of them and chose Zoleo because of the plans..$35 for 250 messages,none of the others come close..Somewear is $30 for 75 messages and Bivy is $39.99 (100 credits)/messages..Each incoming and outgoing message counts so there plans just would not work for me or especially the wife if she is with me..

I also use my Zoleo year around as where I live,seven miles out of town in most directions there is no cell service..Most everywhere I go there is not any cell service or very poor service...

[rexlion]

I can only get away during summer months, and thinking of exploring some isolated forest road boondocking possibilities in Colorado this July. My wife would feel better knowing I'm okay, and some of these places are likely to have no cell coverage. So I've done a bunch of research. Zoleo looks good, but that $4/month while inactive does add up. My search came down to two top candidates for low user fees (lower than Zoleo for my usage pattern of 2-3 months on, 9-10 months off). They are the Somewear Global Hotspot and the BivyStick Blue. Pausing is free with either of these. Bivy's low end plan is $18/month and doesn't even have an activation fee. But I'm leaning toward the Somewear, which is $15/mo and a $25 one-time activation. Although they're almost a toss-up, I like the 'smart routing' feature... Somewear can sense if there's cell signal or wifi and will default to those whenever it can. The Somewear unit is about $70 less than the Bivy. It lacks the 'preset message send' button that the Bivy unit possesses, but Somewear makes up for it by having no character limit on outgoing messages (BivyStick has a 160 character limit). Although, the present messages on the Bivy are free (they are not counted toward the number of actions covered by the fee).

So, for 2 months on & 10 off, the Somewear should cost $30/year to run, versus $36/year for Bivy and $80/year for the Zoleo.

The common type, user-replaceable battery of the Spot Gen4 tempted me greatly, but it sends a weaker signal to a less-advantageous satellite group, and it can't receive messages, nor does it tell the user in any way if outgoing messages were successfully sent!

Garmin... meh, don't get me started. 😉

[jaycocreek]

The Zoleo uses the Iridium Sats and I haven't had any issues in the truck camper or house,just being by a window works..

[Geewizard]

Bert the Welder wrote:

KKELLER14K wrote:
Just wait for it....SpaceX has been putting hundreds of communication satellites in orbit to create a globle network that will be unobstructed. It will be a game changer in communication.

Unless your under trees, tall building or if a flock of birds fly over. 🙂 Maybe that will resolve when they have more up, but the reviews I've seen on the Beta's that have been sent out, have had some of the above cause issue.

Ah,no. I use a GPS antenna in my basement with window wells across the room. There is no direct line-of-site to the sky at all. It works great. Radio frequencies like GPS and cellphones bounce around and get everywhere. Same with SpaceX.

[JoeChiOhki]

KKELLER14K wrote:
Just wait for it....SpaceX has been putting hundreds of communication satellites in orbit to create a globle network that will be unobstructed. It will be a game changer in communication.

The catch 22 with it (I'm signed up for it), is its locational cell based atm. So while its very mobile hardware, it only works in the home cell your address is at, move into another part of the grid and it won't come online.

I suspect in the future, when the network is finished, that might change.

[JoeChiOhki]

The original Phillips Radio Company intercom system it came with from 1975 (Or at least it will once I finish the resto work on the system) ;).

Much easier to talk with the passengers who are belted (Yes it has seat belts) in the back :p.

[Bert_the_Welder]

KKELLER14K wrote:
Just wait for it....SpaceX has been putting hundreds of communication satellites in orbit to create a globle network that will be unobstructed. It will be a game changer in communication.

Unless your under trees, tall building or if a flock of birds fly over. 🙂 Maybe that will resolve when they have more up, but the reviews I've seen on the Beta's that have been sent out, have had some of the above cause issue.

[scout4trout]

For our older age and health reasons and the fact that most of our camping is out of cell range, we have a Globalstar satellite phone - got a promotion last year (still available) - unlimited minutes (voice and text) for about $900 with a free phone.This year we got a plan for 1800 minutes that wasn't as good a deal but didn't spend a lot on eating out this year!

[KKELLER14K]

Just wait for it....SpaceX has been putting hundreds of communication satellites in orbit to create a globle network that will be unobstructed. It will be a game changer in communication.

[3_tons]

Well I use to be a ‘people person’ - that is until I started to associate with some people....:)

3 tons, in the High NV Desert

[Ramblin__Ralph]

I've been using a SPOT device for most of my 15 years of ramblin’. It's worked out very well, including a trip to Alaska in 2012. I just use it to tell my kids where I am, since I don't travel with an itinerary. SPOT really ticked me off, though, a few years ago when they started charging everyone the same price, which includes automatic tracking, like hikers use. I don't need it, but now I'm subsidizing the hikers. 😞 I think I'll look into the Zoleo, where I could create short messages on my smartphone. Also can put it on hold for the six or seven months I'm off the road. Another good find on RV.net. 🙂

[mkirsch]

The most remote place I most frequently camp at is about 300' from a cell tower. I get 5 bars of 4G coverage 24 hours a day there. It's great.