How I stayed on-grid while off-grid

[hwitten]

Cell coverage, or rather lack thereof, was a problem for me in my effort to go high altitude camping.

Satellite Communicator from Delorme to the rescue.
http://www.smallrvs.ca/?p=454

While not a PLB, it will also do great to alert family to contact CAA/AAA and if no-one replies you can use the SOS function to send a message to a 24x7 facility.
It made for a bit of extra peace of mind while travelling from Baker, NV to Yosemite via Highway 6. A very interesting but definitely lonely stretch of road.

Heinz

[Rainier70]

Excellent! Thank you for posting about the InReach. I have a PLB, but the ability to have a few text messages and shared GPS location is great. I will be looking at these this winter for next year.

[Shadow Catcher]

I have been looking at PLB's and such for the times we are out west and can not get cell service. I am noting that Garmin has entered the market as well in the sat stuff. My feeling is that this is an emerging fairly quickly evolving technology. The one thing I do like about the Delorme’s inReach is that it connects/links using Bluetooth and would link with our I pad.

[Rainier70]

What I like about it is that it is the first one to let you send and receive real text messages. I had considered the SPOT system, but it sends "canned" messages. A few rout texts that you make up ahead of time.

This one will allow me to send an exact message of what I may need. It also allows my family to text me. That way I will know if there is an emergency at home, when the smoke has left, if a new fire has started etc. Plus when my hubby gets sometime off and wants to join me we can work it out.

I know that my situation is somewhat unique, but I can see this helping many others. I think this is the start of a very good thing, and there will be more of this type of communicators hitting the market.

I already have a PLB, and I have carried it for years. It is great insurance, but it would really help if the family had a way to get hold of me, knew where I was exactly, and that I could update on my status daily.

[deleted]

I've been considering getting one too. If you purchase it at REI as a Member you get $30 back as part of your annual refund.

http://www.rei.com/product/857610/delorme-inreach-se-2-way-satellite-communicator