Will InReach use the new Iridium satellite network?

“which probably accounts for the majori8of poor reviewed these devices receive”

We have had two inReach SEs  tracking and messaging for 4 years without any communications problems. Are you sure these “reviews” refer to Garmin and not SPOT?

Please note that you can’t use 20% off at REI for mini InRearch (I tried last year).  Here’s what is listed under their Terms & Conditions:

“Discounts not valid on bicycles, strollers, paddle boards, hard-shell boats, any item with GPS technology, bike simulators, action cameras and accessories, activity trackers, personal locator beacons, avalanche transceiver and airbag products, skis, ski boots or ski bindings; snowboards, snowboard boots or snowboard bindings.”

I’ve used mini for a year without problem, maybe 50 messages, sometimes in canyons

It does take a while to acquire GPS and send message, maybe 30 minutes or 1 hour

Argh, I suspected that the coupon is not good since no other website that sells the InReach allows you to use the code. I asked in an REI store a month ago and the sales person assured me that the coupon was not will work, but I but perhaps they were misinformed.

Regarding performance issues of the InReach: I was referring to user reviews that complain about issues with satellite lock and inability to send pings. I agree that this is likely a case of improper expectations and Garmin failing to properly manage user expectations. My experience with Iridium sat phones is that they almost always require multiple tries to get a lock even with wide open view of the sky, and usually will drop calls within a couple of minutes.

On a related note I got a reply from Garmin about Iridium Next, where they say they have no information but that it is their understanding that Next is a 1:1 replacement of existing satellites.

I use my explorer plus thru the Catskills with no issues sending or receiving text messages. It may take a few minutes for the test to clear.. But then it’s been fine. Sometimes the message may be a few minutes delayed, but I will give that to not being clear and open to the sky..

I wonder if you are confusing the Globalstar network with Iridium.  I’ve used an Iridium satphone for fifteen years from Iceland to Alaska to New Zealand with no connectivity issues; the same with my InReach.  Years ago my wife and I were volunteers for the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and they issued us a Globalstar phone which could rarely connect with a satellite.  Since ours was a multi-year field project, we purchased our own Iridium phone.  I believe Iridium is the DOD network for military use, so it should work world wide.  I used to have a SPOT which worked fine for me, but I know that others have had connectivity issues with it.

“Regarding performance issues of the InReach: I was referring to user reviews that complain about issues with satellite lock and inability to send pings. I agree that this is likely a case of improper expectations and Garmin failing to properly manage user expectations.”

yeah

I just use it at evening to send a message where I’m camping and in the morning to check reply

I agree the other problems people report are negatives, like why does it take so long to acquire satellite, poor user interface,…  I think those are all fixable which is frustrating.  Garmin doesn’t acknowledge this : )

and there’s that address you can send a message to and then they send back a weather report for that location, about 7 days, report for am and pm for each day, thanks Doug for mentioning that

Michael – I am not confusing Iridium and Globalstar. My latest data point is from a trip a month ago in the Yukon. On multiple occasions an Iridium phone would fail to acquire satellites with a near 360 degree open views along ridges. It took multiple attempts and when the call did go through it would get dropped after a few minutes. The Explorer a buddy was carrying along would exhibit similar behavior, messages would take multiple attempts to go through. With some patience it worked flawlessly, but but in today’s environment people think this should work like an SMS. Some probably even think they should be getting three blinking dots to tell them that their counter party is typing. :-)

It’s certainly true that the further in latitude you are, the less effective these units are.   There are no major holes that I am aware of in the Iridium network.  Golbalstar had some holes, but they have started replacing satellites.

Boyan, I am really surprised to hear that your Iridium phone would not connect in the Yukon – having driven the Alcan a few times, I’ve used my satphone without any problems.  However, I know that the original Iridium satellites are failing and they are launching new ones to replace them which may account for some gaps in coverage.

BTW: The new satellite’s appear to be replacements for the current satellites offering increased bandwidth, not additional satellites and should be fully backwards compatible with existing devices.

The second-generation Iridium-NEXT satellites began to be deployed into the existing constellation in January 2017. Iridium Communications, the successor company to Iridium SSC, has ordered a total of 81 new satellites being built by Thales Alenia Space and Orbital ATK: 66 operational units, nine on-orbit spares, and six ground spares.[1]
In August 2008, Iridium selected two companies—Lockheed Martin and Thales Alenia Space—to participate in the final phase of the procurement of the next-generation satellite constellation.[8]
As of 2009, the original plan had been to begin launching new satellites in 2014.[9]
The design was complete by 2010, and Iridium stated that the existing constellation of satellites would remain operational until Iridium NEXT is fully operational, with many satellites expected to remain in service until the 2020s, while the NEXT satellites would have improved bandwidth. The new system was to be backward-compatible with the current system. In June 2010, the winner of the contract was announced as Thales Alenia Space, in a $2.1 billion deal underwritten by Compagnie Française d’Assurance pour le Commerce Extérieur.[8] Iridium additionally stated that it expected to spend about $800 million to launch the satellites and upgrade some ground facilities.[10]
SpaceX was contracted to launch all the Iridium NEXT satellites. All the Iridium NEXT launches have taken place using a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Deployment of the constellation began in January 2017, with the launch of the first ten Iridium NEXT satellites.[11] Most recently, on January 11, 2019, SpaceX launched an additional ten satellites, bringing the number of upgraded satellites in orbit to 75.

This is consistent with what Garmin sent me

https://www.iridiumnext.com/

I also just noted that B&H has a $50 coupon on the InReach Explorer+ and $40 on the mini.  I have their store card which rebates you the tax, so the Explorer+ came out to $400, only $12 more what it would have cost me to get it from REI with a 20% coupon.

Bummer that the coupon does not work on GPS devices and bikes – these are the two things sitting in my checkout basket at REI waiting for the next sale.

@groovygeek,

Your from San Diego and need to find a friend that works at ViaSat in Carlsbad.  There are lots of engineers on the forum, but they may be restricted from posting about their work.

I’ve had delays using my 1st gen Inreach when there is partial tree cover, but it always goes through if i wait long enough.

A few notes:

• All Iridium traffic switched to the new satellites nine months ago:  https://spacenews.com/iridium-ends-legacy-satellite-service-switches-all-traffic-to-next-fleet/
• For a few years before that, the old system was missing one satellite out of 66, leading to coverage gaps – “a few minutes outage once or twice a day” according to Iridium.
• Iridium now has 66 operational next-generation satellites; nine spares in orbit; and six spares on the ground. Launching new satellites is far easier and cheaper now than when Iridium launched the first generation in the 1990s.
• Unlike other satellite systems with limited coverage at extreme latitudes, Iridium has had truly global coverage from the beginning, subject to legal restrictions. Phone calls from the North Pole should complete just as well (or poorly) as phone calls anywhere else on Earth.
• There are big differences between Iridium phone calls and text messages. Iridium sat phones have always had occasional problems with calls not completing right away, or calls dropping after a few minutes. It’s tough contacting and staying locked on a satellite zooming by at nearly 17,000 mph, especially if the call needs to transfer to another satellite.
• By contrast, an Iridium text message can transmit in 3 seconds or less, and most devices keep trying until the message goes through. Iridium text messaging has been very reliable in the experience of many inReach users and others.

For more background on the Iridium satellite system and others:
https://backpackinglight.com/satellite_communications_sotmr_part1/

— Rex

Exactly the type of info I was looking for. Thanks.

On Reddit ultralight, someone posted that they purchased an InReach at Dick’s today  at 20% off. The coupon is good for today only, apparently.

edit: I confirmed this. I added an inReach mini to my cart, and a $70 discount shows up. There’s no coupon code.

Thanks for that tip. I canceled my order with B&H and got the one from Dick’s. Had $20 off coupon 12% discount of cards from gift card granny and 5% cash back from befrugal. Total came out to around $320 shipped for the Explorer+.

… but in today’s environment people think this should work like an SMS. Some probably even think they should be getting three blinking dots to tell them that their counter party is typing.

A few years ago my wife called the park rangers to check on me in part because of the “not like SMS” message delays. Before every trip, I try to set expectations verbally and in writing; and in every canned inReach message, I emphasize the potential for delays, e.g. “… will check messages tonight.” Also so I can stay more disconnected from civilization.

— Rex

From November 15 to December 2, REI is taking $75 off Garmin inReach Mini and Explorer+, according to the mailer I got yesterday. In some previous inReach sales, REI ran out of stock quickly.

You can’t use the 20% off coupon on top of that: “full-price item,” “not valid on … any item with GPS technology.” And you don’t get the customary REI 10% member rebate on sale items.

— Rex

Garmin uses the iridium satellites. 100% global coverage.  It’s the Globestar system that Spot uses that’s  terrible coverage.
My thinking when buying the InReach+ was simple. Is my life worth $400?  Yup. I think it is.  Is the security and comfort my family and friends have knowing they can see where I am and communicate with me while I’m out worth $400? Yes again.  Then I considered the other features and the solid battery life as well.  I never leave home without my InReach, even on day hikes.  I prefer the larger Explorer over the mini because the mini has to be tethered to your phone to use all the features. Two batteries burning instead of one. With Black Friday coming up, you’ll be able to find a good deal on one.

Today only (11/29) Dick’s is running a promo 25% off “everything” that includes the Garmin Inreach.  You can stack a bunch of things to bring the pre-tax price to around $295

25% off coupon at Dicks
7% discounted gift cards (check GiftCardGranny – YMMV) or 5% PayPal if you pay with Chase Freedom
5% cashback

This is about $12 lower than the previous all-time low with the 20% coupon mentioned above from a few weeks ago.  This is noteworthy because Garmin is typically excluded from the fairly common 20% off one full priced item deals.

I’m not sure. Their website indicates that Garmin is excluded from the 25% sale. If you go to the “Click for details” it lists Garmin as an excluded brand.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/s/shipping-value-promo-details

Add to cart and it works. Also works on the 66i.