CDMA Aerials

Jim, I use a CDMA with in-car kit, although the broomstick antenna is the left over one I had for the GSM phone (which used the same in-car kit....so I had a "win" for once in my life). If he's with Telstra, he should be able to go into any mobile phone shop that peddles telstra's stuff and get a map of the coverage areas for both CDMA and GSM networks. The maps show different shades of colour for the areas outside a town/city which will be okay with a handheld phone and car-kitted phone.
As for sat phone hire, I know the local communications shop here in Kadina (SA) hires sat phones @ $10- per day plus call costs (& probably insurance...not sure). I would imagine other phone/comm's shops would also do similar deals.
I personally wouldn't bother with a sat phone; prefer my HF if any strife arises.
Cheers,
Roachie

Jim.
The phone has to have a rf connector on it to get any significant benifit from a larger antenna. I have a CDMA. with a 20DB yargi, it is very good and caused a near riot in a pub in the back blocks of WA when the locals lean that "bloody mobile phones worked in there town" Eric.

jim,
Take roachies advise, get the map. I use a CDMA in place of the GSM when out on the country roads.Its really an extension of the Mobile Net from Telstra I find it quite good. Dont try to use it as a substitute, concider it an additional comms devise

regards Jeff

my work phone is a nokia 6385 cdma, with nokia carkit and 5db glass mount top lh windscreen. works well , but i would prefer a 6db or better 'broomstick' aerial, the boss won't spring for one so it just means less times he can bother me LOL. Like the sound of the 20db job.
If you have a glass mount you have to make sure it is not installed where there is the black paint on some windows, or anywhere near the demist strips..Just killin time till easter...............go and play in the dirt, instead of workin in it......

To answer your question on Sat phones I made enquiries to hire and the cost was prohibitive. I mean $2000 for 3 months. I asked my local Telstra shop and they had Motorala Sat phones for under $1000.Richard and Leonie, The grey nomads.

Jim.
An RF [ radio frequency] connector is the screw on coax connector you see on the back of uhf radios, except much smaller,most phones dont have them but you can not run a high gian antenna without the connector, The 20DB antenna is home made, it looks like a small UHF TV job. Eric.