satilite phones
Submitted: Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 16:47
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Eric from Cape York Connections
I was thinking of buying a satlite phone have used a hf for many years for phone calls etc but was thinking of spoiling myself and getting a sat phone .
Has any one got a second hand one for sale and are there ones to stay away from or plans to keep clear of.
All the best
EricCape
York Connections
Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 17:46
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 17:46
Eric,
Business must be picking up. Give Vic a call monday night and talk to him, he has been through it all. I think a second hand Sat phones are as hard to come by as good tour guides. Just joking.
ps How is the front locker going?
WayneAlways Out'N About
AnswerID:
48543
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:08
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:08
Wayne I was talking to my local telstra
shop and they are looking into it for me.
Peter is talking to detriot to see what they can do for us.
I wouldnt like to see a second hand tour guide they would be even harder to find.
All the best
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310590
Reply By: Phil P - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 18:02
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 18:02
If you buy a Motorola 9505, you can use your normal Telstra GSM Sim card in it. Your normal GSM Sim card needs to have international roaming turned on. The call rates are slightly higher than the normal satelight phone charges, but you save on monthly network access charges.
AnswerID:
48546
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:09
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:09
Phill that sounds good but I have a cdma phone .
I have telstra on the case as we speak.
Many thanks
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310591
Reply By: John - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 18:25
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 18:25
Hi Eric
Plenty of threads on Sat phones do a search and get all the info.
Your only effective choice of network is the Iridium system handled by Telstra here in Aus.
I have a Motorola 9500 and it has worked just damm fine in all areas that I have used it.
Regards
John
AnswerID:
48549
Follow Up By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:20
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:20
I fully second what
John says...___________________________________
Simpson trip 05/04 then turn left at
Birdsville to
Darwin via
Lawn Hill etc
___________________________________
FollowupID:
310373
Follow Up By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:21
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:21
Oh... and the base plan is $28 a month + $1 every 30seconds used...___________________________________
Simpson trip 05/04 then turn left at
Birdsville to
Darwin via
Lawn Hill etc
___________________________________
FollowupID:
310375
Follow Up By: Dave from Fraser Coast 4WD Club - Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:47
Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 at 19:47
Third.
avoid Globalstar IMHO.
FollowupID:
310377
Follow Up By: Anne from Drysdale River Station - Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 23:37
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 23:37
After seeing and using lots of other peoples Globalstar over the years and experiencing the problems with them, we bought a motorola last year. Didn't bother with the plus normal mobile option.
It has never let us down once and always clear, has already paid for it's self in the time and effort saving when the guys had a break down out at muster
camp and need stuff taken out or parts ordered in a rush. We also have the base $28 plan which is a lot better than when the lowest you could get was $80 a month. Fine as long as you remember the call rate and don't make a long conversation out of not much.
cheers, Anne
Drysdale River Station
FollowupID:
310507
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:11
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:11
Thanks to all of the above
Cheers EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310592
Reply By: Member - Bob - Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 08:53
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 08:53
Eric,
I bought an Ericsson R290 on ebay for $500 AUD. The povo plan (me) is $33 a month and 75 c for 30 seconds. There are other phones available on ebay at present: the Eric for 190 pounds UK, and the Qualcom for $500 US.
Mines been working fine so far. The advantage for me was low cost - the Motorolas are over $1000. If you get government assistance then the cost factor comes out of the equation.
The other factor is the absence of satellite lag because the Globalstar sats are in low earth orbit, as opposed the geostationary sats used by Iridium.
Disadvantages are lack of data facility, and lack of in car kit.
Dropouts haven't been a problem, as some have claimed, but where I live Telstra GSM drops out all the time anyway and we seem to manage.Bob
AnswerID:
48616
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:15
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:15
Bob I have bought a fare few things of ebay and had a look on the week end but couldnt find any.
Did you have just look through all the phones or just type in satellite phones.
Many thanks
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310593
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 14:10
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 14:10
Eric
Just type in Satellite phone. The Ericssons are 190 pounds.Bob
FollowupID:
310694
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 20:05
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 20:05
Thanks bob now that i know satellite has 2 Ls in it ebay has a chance of finding what im talking about.
Bob my concern is what im buying is it compatible to Australian use.
Did you have a problem or when you purchased it did you just then go to telstra and get it going.
And just one more thing I have no idea what you are telling me in your last paragraph sorry. If possible could you explain it simply for a tour operator/builder .
Thanks bob.
All the best
ericCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310746
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 21:05
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 21:05
Eric,
if you go to www.globalstar.com.au they list all the Australian distributors. I just went to a locally listed one and obtained the SIM card and they initiated my account. So the phone is compatible with Australia.
About the satellites, for a satellite to orbit at exactly the same speed as the earth rotates it needs to be about 36,000 km altitude. That means it will stay at a fixed point above the equator so you always know where to point a dish.
If you have several satellites visible at any one time, such as with GPS or Globalstar, they can be at a much lower orbit and be whizzing across the sky. These are the ones you can see at dusk that move quite fast. They are at a much lower altitude than the geostationary satellites so the radio waves don't have to travel as far, and hence you don't notice the time delay when you speak. The most obvious example is when they do live satellite interviews on TV and the interviewee is saying 'see ya later' half way through the next item.Bob
FollowupID:
310753
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 22:13
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2004 at 22:13
Bob I think im catching on As you said you have the ericsson r290 you bought it of ebay , I had a look and they seem to about $ 500 .
How long have you had your one and were have you used it .
The replys above seem to suggest to keep away from globalstar why is this can you answer this please.
Many thanks again
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310772
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004 at 11:02
Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004 at 11:02
Eric,
I bought
mine about 4 weeks ago and have only used it in the SE NSW region. Previously I have hired a Globalstar phone several times and used it throughout the centre of Oz. That model was a Telit, and it gave no problems at all (nor any dropouts).
I am not sure why some people are vocally opposed to Globalstar as my experience with it does not seem to reflect in anyway the criticisms I've heard. Frankly, if it was as problematic as they suggest there would be some official action (just as Telstra experienced with its rural
services).
Possible explanations:
they are Telstra shareholders ;-) or have commercial links with Telstra,
the bandwagon effect as seen with 4WD makes, beta vs VHS etc no logic other than a need to run with the pack and attack minorities
Anyway, the Ericsson more than meets my requirements at a price I can afford. In my case it augments the
HF radio and the epirb. It is not intended for two hour gossip sessions with the folks back
home.Bob
FollowupID:
310830
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Saturday, Mar 06, 2004 at 07:16
Saturday, Mar 06, 2004 at 07:16
Bob its me Eric again have just bought a eric r290 of ebay . $530 includind delivery.
I did some more reserch on the phones etc and found out the phones are very good and never seemed to have any problems and when new were $ 1995 .
I was also talking to a fellow at vodaphone who said you can go of and on plan because we own the phone ie if you dont want to or need to use the phone for 6 months it cost $30 to disconect and $ 30 to reconnect and you dont lose your number but you still get a bill but with no payment required in it.
So then if you dont need it for 8 months no $ 33 per month acssess fee.
all the best
Eric
FollowupID:
311171
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Monday, Mar 08, 2004 at 07:33
Monday, Mar 08, 2004 at 07:33
Eric,
I think you have done
well there. I hope you are as happy with it as I have been with
mine. I keep
mine locked in satellite mode only, even though it will automatically switch between GSM and satellite if you choose that option. There is a PDF manual for the phone available online. If you can't find it I can email you a copy.
FollowupID:
311292
Reply By: Nordave - Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 10:59
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 10:59
Eric,
check out the subsity offer from the govt. if you live or operate a bussiness out of normal mobile range the govt has a subsidy sceme which pays up to half the cost of a new phone. I got a new 9500 with telstra june last year on this and have used it all over the north west. im very happy with it.
Check out the info at the following link. I too have heard of problems with other sattilite networks. When I looked at this last year I had several people tell me to go the Telstra (iridium) way. I belive the main difference is that the iridium net has fixed orbit satilites and this mean good conections. The only time I have had drop outs is because of the area Im in ie under trees or in valleys. the other systems rely on moving satilites.
http://telstra.com/countrywide/products.asp?page=mobiles
AnswerID:
48630
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:17
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:17
Thanks I have telstra on the case.
Many thanks
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310594
Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 15:21
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004 at 15:21
Eric, Nordave just beat me to it. In November I applied for subsidy from the Federal Govt. for a Motorola 9505 (Countrywide is a good place to start) and was approved (remote area) in about 10 days - phone cost me $890 and dealer got $1000 subsidy. Phone costs me $28 per month - plus calls. It is light easy to carry - comes with every type of plug, roof-top aerials etc. We do not install phones in cars here - experience has shown that in roll-over first thing to break is the aerial, so should I ever be in that situation (never again I hope) and can find the phone should still be able to use it. Makes travelling those long remote distances a bit easier. Good luck with it. Let's know what you decide to do. Sure beats having all that HF gear in the car too (you do need to have a simple phone list though)These are Diamantina Barra (Yellowbelly)
GO HARD OR GO
HOME
AnswerID:
48655
Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:18
Monday, Mar 01, 2004 at 20:18
Thanks ruth i am looking into all the options
Many thanks
EricCape
York Connections
FollowupID:
310595