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Direct satellite link to ordinary, unmodified mobile phones by 2023-2024...

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Dedicated satellite phones and messaging (currently provided by Globalstar, Iridium, InReach and the rest) may soon be disrupted by new satellite constellations providing voice and data to ordinary phones anywhere on earth. No reports on costs yet... Elon Musk's Starlink system is targeting cheapness but requires a pizza box sized antenna mounted and pointed up at the satellites overhead... will be available sooner.

Will deliver voice and broadband from space to the mobile phones everyone already has. Other satellites require costly and often network-specific satellite phones, terminals or antennas. With SpaceMobile, wireless subscribers will be able to connect to SpaceMobile with their current mobile phone or IoT device.

Lynk is another similar satellite service promising regular phone connectivity where no wireless coverage provided by cell towers currently exists.

SpaceMobile vid, showing people connecting in remote spots. If you were bothered by others using cell phones in natural areas previously, it could get a lot worse. OTOH, the phone becomes a do-everything device to have out there... satellite phone, emergency connection, internet, GPS-capable mapping, camera, e-book, entertainment device, movies and games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PNMOUOroTc
 
That's next. Beam me that pizza Scotty.

That news does make it tough as i was shopping sat phones for my wife's comfort and peace of mind.
 
This will certainly take some of the “adventure” out of remote travel (for me at least). My question is how to keep a phone charged for a 1-2 week trip, you can’t just pop another set of AA batteries in the phone. Not sure if I want to rely on a solar panel to keep things topped up.

I am quickly reverting back to map and compass. I had issues with gps on two trips in a row, and am loosing faith in electronics. I trust my iPhone even less than the garmin gps.
 
My question is how to keep a phone charged for a 1-2 week trip, you can’t just pop another set of AA batteries in the phone. Not sure if I want to rely on a solar panel to keep things topped up.

Power Bank (maybe multiples) that's how I charge an InReach, 2 still cameras, 2 GoPros, lantern and a music player on a 6 - 7 week trip. I still use regular AAA batteries (Lithium mostly) for my headlamps.
 
Other than my Spot for sending messages to my wife, the only electronics I pack is a Petzl headlamp, which on most trips I don't use. I guess I'd have to add a pocket watch to my list of electronics since it has a battery. Nothing else. Maps and compass.
 
My question is how to keep a phone charged for a 1-2 week trip, you can’t just pop another set of AA batteries in the phone. Not sure if I want to rely on a solar panel to keep things topped up.

Small Solar Panels, BioLite Stove
 
This will certainly take some of the “adventure” out of remote travel (for me at least). My question is how to keep a phone charged for a 1-2 week trip, you can’t just pop another set of AA batteries in the phone. Not sure if I want to rely on a solar panel to keep things topped up.

Just because you have it doesn't mean you have to use it. It can still function as an emergency tool, used only in emergencies.
 
Just because you have it doesn't mean you have to use it. It can still function as an emergency tool, used only in emergencies.

That can be like an alcoholic keeping a bottle on their shelf, not to be drunk. Or if the Swedish womens beach volleyball team paddled up to your campsite maybe you wouldn't look.
 
That can be like an alcoholic keeping a bottle on their shelf, not to be drunk. Or if the Swedish womens beach volleyball team paddled up to your campsite maybe you wouldn't look.

Don't be the alcoholic with the cell phone. I've spent six weeks out without texting on my inReach aside from preprogrammed "ok" every other day. It all depends on what kind of experience you want with your trip. And I have remote tripping friends that refused to take locators on their trips when they first came out in order to maintain their self sufficiency and trip aesthetics.

It's a choice. And I'd probably at least glance.....
 
SPOT is a requirement for the Yukon 'River races. Race officials and anyone we gave the address to could follow our real-time progress on a map. It is a one way continuous location coordinate communication link only, but with 3 buttons to transmit a previously understood coded signal. #1- "I am OK, just checking in", #2- "there's a problem, need help", and #3-"SOS Major disaster, need rescue assistance to this location quick" Without any button signal, a long time stopped on one location (or no location signal at all) coculd mean trouble. The code my team set up with our pit crew was, if we needed help (we pressed button #2), but could still be observed to be moving, then our race is over, meet us at the next available down river village you can get to. Which in the case of the 1000 mile race, could in some locations be a couple hundred miles further downriver yet.
 
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I do similar.
AOK;
pick me up at nearest access;
can't move - OK for now - send help;
and the ever popular SOS - send in the mounties So far haven't used other than AOK
 
Just remember to tell the people in the rear that if you press SOS it might be for someone else and as soon as the situation is cleared hit the AOK
 
Absolutely. Both cases I heard about first hand were just that. One was a father and kids - all fine - and someone went over - I think - Rebecca Falls. The mother was predictably frantic.
 
There's so much you can convey with just a few possible messages. I like to set button #2 to "I'm fine but late -- won't be out as planned but no help/rescue needed".

Just remember to tell the people in the rear that if you press SOS it might be for someone else and as soon as the situation is cleared hit the AOK

That's a great point. I'd hate for my wife to have a sleepless night because I stumbled onto a party in need.
 
I'm more inclined to get an EPIRB at this point. Less to go wrong when you absolutely need assistance. And it's realy simple to take one on every outing without worrying about batteries and inconveniently lapsed subscriptions.
 
I'm more inclined to get an EPIRB at this point. Less to go wrong when you absolutely need assistance. And it's realy simple to take one on every outing without worrying about batteries and inconveniently lapsed subscriptions.

Except the recipient of the distress signal has no information on the nature of the injury. Two way communication is possible with, e.g. inReach (assuming you can text, otherwise it acts like a beacon). And that communication is available to anyone with phone texting or email, should the "emergency" being that you'll be a day late, or you need all hands on deck and you're bleeding out. Regarding batteries, with limited use, my inReach still had 80% battery level after a 45 day remote canoe trip. Regarding subscriptions, I continue mine throughout the year ($12.37 a month), as I climb, ski, motorcycle etc. year round, in addition to solo and remote canoe trips. I even take it on road trips where cell service may not be available (I live in Montana). And if you make big trips where you might consider rescue/evacuation insurance, Geos now belongs to Garmin, and their rates are very low, like $100/trip, which includes any SAR costs, and the flight back to your neighborhood hospital, world wide. (I took my inReach to Africa with my daughter a couple of years ago, so she could keep track of her husband while he was solo hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.) There's a lot going for inReach which many people don't think about. I had a beacon before the inReach, and I won't go back--the additional capacity is well worth the added cost for me.
 
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