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Offshore sat phone
Posted on 9/3/20 at 9:24 am
Posted on 9/3/20 at 9:24 am
Looking to get a satellite phone for use offshore. Purely for safety purposes, so don’t need a lot of monthly minutes, etc. Any recommendations? TIA
4
Posted on 9/3/20 at 9:27 am to Bucktown Tiger
Garmin inreach is what I have. Seems to work fine. Its not a phone, just a message.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 9:40 am to Bucktown Tiger
I don't have experience in the last few years but I know they all sucked 5 or 6 years ago. VHF is the way to go and if you need a just in case look into EPIRBs or PLBs.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:02 am to Bucktown Tiger
T-mobile has service offshore
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:03 am to chew4219
With Verizon I am able to keep service everywhere within about 15 miles of fourchon and grand isle.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:07 am to Stexas
quote:
VHF is the way to go
Have two just like redundancy in bilge pumps. VHF radios in my experience do not last long. Test them regularly but for certain before heading off shore. Everytime.
I am curious about the various messaging satellite locating devices. I hunt ducks alone in some pretty isolated areas where boat problems would be about the same as they would be offshore with the caveat that you wouldn't necessarily drown....but it would be a LONG walk and a LONG time before another boat happened along.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:10 am to Stexas
quote:
VHF is the way to go
A good VHF with DSC hooked to the GPS and a good antenna.
I have a good setup on my boat and it is invaluable. For someone like me who does mostly mangroves with a single engine boat, a VHF is going to get you help on site ASAP. There's always a workboat in range to relay for you if needed.
Get that antenna as high as possible, VHF is line of sight only.
Eta: an EPRIB is important but you want something else for non-life threatening emergencies. A sat phone is fantastic for that if its in your budget. They are ultra reliable and allow you to very accurately communicate the nature of your situation, which will give you the most appropriate response in the shortest time.
This post was edited on 9/3/20 at 10:12 am
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:23 am to Bucktown Tiger
I fish offshore in SWFL. Besides a VHF, I have a PLB, an EPIRB and a sat phone. I’ll check on the provider, but I believe it is Satmodo. I’ve used the phone while 30-40 miles offshore several times to check in with my family. No problems.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 10:31 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
Eta: an EPRIB is important but you want something else for non-life threatening emergencies. A sat phone is fantastic for that if its in your budget. They are ultra reliable and allow you to very accurately communicate the nature of your situation, which will give you the most appropriate response in the shortest time.
If they work the cost is negligible considering the risk...especially in view of the cost associated with owning a viable offshore boat. I never had one but when I was going offshore regularly they were not common....to be honest I don't even know if they were a real thing. But if they actually work I would't get out of sight of land without one.....when compared to the electronics on most offshore boats the cost is comparable and i would prefer getting back to the hill to catching fish, if I have to choose between the two....
Posted on 9/3/20 at 12:41 pm to Gtmodawg
Garmin Inreach. Won’t call but can send text messages. You can also set it up to automatically text someone your GPS position in certain time intervals while your out.
You can get cell service at a good bit of rigs too. At least I do with ATT. I get 5 bars of 4G LTE service at most of the floaters we fish out of Venice. Same story in Green Canyon.
You can get cell service at a good bit of rigs too. At least I do with ATT. I get 5 bars of 4G LTE service at most of the floaters we fish out of Venice. Same story in Green Canyon.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 12:58 pm to CP3
Radio and Inreach. I think the Garmin 66I is an upgrade to the Inreach. Better maps, easier to text, etc. I have the Inreach and hardly go out without it.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 1:59 pm to Gtmodawg
quote:
they work the cost is negligible considering the risk..
Eh, we all have to draw the line somewhere short of lifeboats. Somewhere like Venice for example, you lose cell service way before head of passes. It just depends what you like to do.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 2:30 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
Somewhere like Venice for example, you lose cell service way before head of passes. It just depends what you like to do.
That is why one should have a VHF. A lot of boat/ships or out there. Helps in fog with a radar.
Posted on 9/3/20 at 2:48 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
I’ve always thought It’s weird that I have better cell service 80 miles offshore than I do at head of pass. Or even at my house for that matter 
This post was edited on 9/3/20 at 2:49 pm
Posted on 9/3/20 at 2:56 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
Eh, we all have to draw the line somewhere short of lifeboats. Somewhere like Venice for example, you lose cell service way before head of passes. It just depends what you like to do.
All about risk tolerance....in the early 80's myself and a bunch of other 15 year and 18 year olds would cross the gulf stream to Bimini in a 17 foot walk through wind-windshield ski boat several times a summer LOL. 115 HP outboard. I don't remember EVER thinking about how much fuel we had on board LOL. I don't think I would do it again now but back then it seemed perfectly normal. Of course the crossing between Boynton Inlet and Bimini is only 50 miles and in the summer its a picket line of other boats and coast guard boats so the danger is pretty minimal but still things happen all the time.
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