I just wanted to put this out for anyone looking into a Sat phone. I rented one for the last week and spent several days using it in various areas of W. North Carolina. I had a Globalstar 1700, I chose that phone because the price point was reasonable enough that if it worked for my needs I might consider it. My work requires I be in reasonable distance of a phone call in case of emergencies so I was hoping the sat might be an answer to allowing me to get out more during my free time. I found the 1700 to be almost useless in any tree cover at all. I tried standing in the middle of rivers, I tried it in open sections of trail and on tops of ridges. It did work in very clear open top of the mountain scenarios but even then it was spotty and dropped calls. Ironically I was never able to make a call with the Sat phone in a place I also couldn't use my cell. Most of the time the cell worked better…i.e. not dropping a call. I may look at the Delorme Inreach with 2 way texting next. I am really not someone who does huge miles so having text would allow me to walk out and use a cell phone for an extreme situation.
