New satalite phone

blaze · Guru

New satalite phone

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

blaze, did you know you could win one in the seeing red photo comp? biggrin

Firefly · Guru

Good for you Blaze, would love to hear what its like mate. smile

Wommie, that prize is mine son, eyes off.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Firefly wrote:
Good for you Blaze, would love to hear what its like mate.

Wommie, that prize is mine son, eyes off.

biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin it's a prize worth having

Firefly · Guru

Have to agree with you on that mate, its a corker. Some great photos too.

Sorry Blaze, we hijacked again mate. smile

billy the kid · Veteran Member

G'day Blaze, do you know that the business selling the satphone is breaking the law. GST has to be included in the advertised price.
Regards
billy the kid

landy · Guru

Good one Blaze, will be looking foward to the report. We have been wondering what to do about emergency communications.

Landy

TopCat · Veteran Member

Hi Blaze, we have the use of a sat phone at Julia Creek where we are caretaking. They said it costs if we make use of the phone and includes when someone rings you IT ALSO COSTS!! Is this what happens with yours?? We are thinking of buying one when we finish here in October - now that we have tried them out for free.
cheers
Terry

blaze · Guru

I beleive all incoming and out going calls are charged to the phone. I dont expext to use it but nice to have if needed and much easier for the wife instead of the hf radio.
I have put the sim in and then the battery, turned it on to make sure it at least goes and its now turned off again and on the charger. next stage tomorrow
cheers
blaze

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Blaze you certainly are well set up communication wise.

Was looking at the same Satphone to complement our HF Radio since the advert appeared on this site.

However on other Forums reports that in an emergency you cannot dial 000 or 112 with that particular Satellite service.

Seems to defeat the purpose for us, so will stick with HF radio and EPIRB.

Cruising Granny · Guru

It might be more cost effective to have a few sessions on the radio. I know there is protocol, but in an emergency anything is possible without the sat phone.

blaze · Guru

Ron and Shirley wrote:
Blaze you certainly are well set up communication wise.
Was looking at the same Satphone to complement our HF Radio since the advert appeared on this site.
However on other Forums reports that in an emergency you cannot dial 000 or 112 with that particular Satellite service.
Seems to defeat the purpose for us, so will stick with HF radio and EPIRB.

For me personely I like the hf radio but carrying 3 devices if I go down for some reason the wife can use it by dialing a number, the 000 is a problem (hadnt been told that) but a call to the police, flying doc would start a responce. Pluses and minuses to a lot of systems but with some not so common, common sense we hope to never use any of it. Never had to yet and have done some of the most remote trips in australia all solo

cheers

blaze

jimricho · Guru

Ron and Shirley wrote:
However on other Forums reports that in an emergency you cannot dial 000 or 112 with that particular Satellite service.

Has this been confirmed by the phone supplier or service provider. It could be a serious issue if this is only hearsay.

I'm not in a position to know whether this is fact or rumour but I feel satellite phone users should be sure of what the situation is.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

HF radio info, be aware that the red button on HF radio's does not work the same in every state, read the vks737 update book, pressing and holding the red button will in some state's get you straight through to the flying Dr in other state's it will go through the vks737 phone network, either way you should still get immediate help.

Also as recommended by the vks, everybody travelling in the vechicle sould be able to operate the radio in an emergency.

Sorry blaze for going of topic

blaze · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
HF radio info, be aware that the red button on HF radio's does not work the same in every state, read the vks737 update book, pressing and holding the red button will in some state's get you straight through to the flying Dr in other state's it will go through the vks737 phone network, either way you should still get immediate help.
Also as recommended by the vks, everybody travelling in the vechicle sould be able to operate the radio in an emergency.
Sorry blaze for going of topic

All things to do with emergency calling is never off topic wombat

cheers

blaze

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Yes, you are right, it's all good info

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

jimricho wrote:
Ron and Shirley wrote:
However on other Forums reports that in an emergency you cannot dial 000 or 112 with that particular Satellite service.
Has this been confirmed by the phone supplier or service provider. It could be a serious issue if this is only hearsay.
I'm not in a position to know whether this is fact or rumour but I feel satellite phone users should be sure of what the situation is.

Jim

A reference recently quoted on ExplorOz where this has been discussed a few times.

4th or 5th paragraph from http://tinyurl.com/66wxx8d%20 a press release from TCcomunications (as in the advert at the top of this sites page).

However, it is this global nature of the IsatPhone Pro that causes confusion when it comes to dialling local emergency numbers. As calls are carried through an international gateway rather than an Australian-based terrestrial network they do not recognise the Australian short dial emergency numbers such as 000 and 112. In addition - as a satellite service - the Isatphone Pro is exempt from the Telecommunications Emergency Call Service Determination. TC therefore recommends that you pre-program emergency contacts in your phone so that they can contact the relevant emergency service agency on your behalf should the occasion arise.

This "gobal nature" of Satphones was a problem in the early days in Australia as you could not ring Australian 1300 or 1800 numbers as all your calls went from the Satellite to America then back to Australia. So for example if you went to ring RACV for assistance on their 1800 number they would not receive/accept your call as it came to them as an overseas call.

It appears dialling 000 or 112 is not a problem with the Iridium (Testra ?) service.

-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Saturday 25th of June 2011 01:09:17 PM

jimricho · Guru

Thanks for clearing that up Ron and Shirley as it's quite an important limitation that anyone using or thinking of purchasing a satellite phone should be aware of.

It doesn't concern me personally as I don't have a satellite phone but you'll have to excuse me for seeking clarification as there is so much urban myth and folklore circulating regarding this sort of thing that I've become somewhat sceptical in my old age.

cheers,

Jim

blaze · Guru

Well I have made the first phone call with success, there is a time delay but that was expected. Had good clarity. Now I have the job of putting in the numbers I think we may require into the phonebook. Some of those will be Flying doc base station, remote police stations ect. I dont see the 000 issue as a major drama if I can contact emergency services via a normal number, just need to pay the price of the calls and if needed who cares. So, happy with the purchse and would be happy to recomend the phone, may not be as robust as some but the appeal to me was the prepay with no contract. I have put $100 on it and short of running out of money I dont need to worry for two years.
cheers
blaze

jimricho · Guru

blaze wrote:
Well I have made the first phone call with success, there is a time delay but that was expected. Had good clarity. Now I have the job of putting in the numbers I think we may require into the phonebook. Some of those will be Flying doc base station, remote police stations ect. I dont see the 000 issue as a major drama if I can contact emergency services via a normal number, just need to pay the price of the calls and if needed who cares. So, happy with the purchse and would be happy to recomend the phone, may not be as robust as some but the appeal to me was the prepay with no contract. I have put $100 on it and short of running out of money I dont need to worry for two years.
cheers
blaze

A technical question Robert (or anyone else), do these phones use a geostationary satellite or a constellation of low orbit satellites? Just curious?

If a geostationary one that would certainly explain the delay.

Jim

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

blaze, good to see you have made your first call and got it working ok, it doesn't matter about the cost of the calls if it's an emergency you would pay double just to make contact with medical people, and you also have your HF radio as backup if needed.

(I'm hopeing to get one from the photo comp) biggrin problem is there are a lot of good shot's in the comp