any experience with satelite phones

hi there,
just in the starting phase of getting my landy in prep mode for a drive from dublin to cape town.
with any of the sat phones around is there any particular dealer/phone/provider,
ive been doing some light research and am wandering has anyone used these while in the eastern side of africa and what was couverage like.
or is there a cheeper alternative to this.

thanks

john:cell:

It's a sat phone it shouldn't matter where in the world you are as long as you have a clear view of the sky.

We supply sat phones for contractors to the military. There are a few providers depending what you want. Pm me if yu want.

redhand said:

It's a sat phone it shouldn't matter where in the world you are as long as you have a clear view of the sky.

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and the ameicans dont move all the satelites cos thyre invading somewhere

Thuraya are renouned for being good. Take your mobile to and buy SIMS for that country. it will prob work out cheaper to actually make calls etc.

G

I used a Telit globalstar phone, ZA and OZ and UK where the cellphone does not work , It works as a cellphone where there is a network , or if not then satphone . When used as satphone you pay for incoming and outgoing phone I got mine on vodafone in OZ . They are excellent for when you need to communicate , incredibly expensive if you dont watch usage .
The communication is very clear and a lot better than HF radio . HTSH

johnnyafrica said:

hi there,
just in the starting phase of getting my landy in prep mode for a drive from dublin to cape town.
with any of the sat phones around is there any particular dealer/phone/provider,
ive been doing some light research and am wandering has anyone used these while in the eastern side of africa and what was couverage like.
or is there a cheeper alternative to this.

thanks

john:cell:

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Have a iridium 9505a worked in New Zealand and deepest siberia last year, very good, not so good near buildings, use a pre pay but you can get plans even africa only plans

pidgeons are cheap.....but a conversation may take weeks

swampdonkey said:

pidgeons are cheap.....but a conversation may take weeks

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very true, swamp donkey thats if they dont end up on the dinner plate. these trips through africa,any form of free meal.....

africa...the land of the three legged chicken eh...still,id rather be over there drivin about that sat here at the desk lol....cant help with the sat fones as ive only ever used them in the army and didnt really pay much attention to them,but have a great time over ther ya all

sasha2001 said:

Have a iridium 9505a worked in New Zealand and deepest siberia last year, very good, not so good near buildings, use a pre pay but you can get plans even africa only plans

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Nice avatar sasha.

I had to tow my mates Gaz the other day cos a cog outter had seperated from the inner causing the timing to jump. Great vehicles though. My mate runs it on the contaminated fuel that we get in at work. As long as there's 50% petrol in it it'll run.

ratty said:

Nice avatar sasha.

I had to tow my mates Gaz the other day cos a cog outter had seperated from the inner causing the timing to jump. Great vehicles though. My mate runs it on the contaminated fuel that we get in at work. As long as there's 50% petrol in it it'll run.

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Theres a decontamination Zil on ebay at the mo.Will run on mixed fuel and wont stop for nuffink.

goonarmy said:

Theres a decontamination Zil on ebay at the mo.Will run on mixed fuel and wont stop for nuffink.

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It'd be worth a lot more if it was an ex radio one. They have insulated box type bodies with a pto generator etc.

ratty said:

It'd be worth a lot more if it was an ex radio one. They have insulated box type bodies with a pto generator etc.

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Yes (the old kamaz stuck in ice)like the old kamaz etc ,you can putin the old defender and drive across rivers in it!!! Look at this link at about 6 minutes onwards

see link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAsn...ext_from=PL&index=3]YouTube - [Long Way Round

ratty said:

Nice avatar sasha.

I had to tow my mates Gaz the other day cos a cog outter had seperated from the inner causing the timing to jump. Great vehicles though. My mate runs it on the contaminated fuel that we get in at work. As long as there's 50% petrol in it it'll run.

Click to expand...

would love to bring a gaz to New Zealand but I cannot put it on the road
even if I had the papers to say I owned it for years!!,reasonably good truck
they also make Ural trucks which are very tough see this link (in english)
All wheel-drive trucks - Heavy

Just bought an Iridium 9555 having previously rented a 9505. Much smaller and quicker to acquire a signal than the 9505. Buy from cellhire.co.uk for £995 (phone only) then buy 300 minutes prepaid African minutes from satphone.co.uk for about £300. It's the cheapest way to do it but beware cellhire won't let you use a credit card. It's £1725 from satphone.co.uk so it's worth the effort to save nearly £500.

Thuraya don't work from Zim downwards. Globalstar have pathetic coverage and from personal experience Iridium is great. Email from phone and email to text works well. I leave on a Cape to Chichester trip in three weeks and it was the only phone that had total coverage.

Sommat my company can also provide. :nospamhere:

P.S. Don't even think about cellphones for emergencies - there is no reception outside of towns. Our landy fell over in the middle of the Kalahari when we reckon we were the only people in the northern half, 6 days walk to help anyone?

It's a simple answer I think,
==> Thuraya has a good voice quality, but the coverage is limited to:
Most Europe
All of Africa except the southern part (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, where reception is bad to inexistent)
Pros: it's cheap(er)
==> Iridium
Much more expensive, bulky (size-wise), and a slighly lower voice quality (I have used one and it wasnt THAT bad after all for a quick call)
BIG PRO: Works EVERYWHERE in the world (with the exception of a few countries which block the service, like N Korea I think)


I am getting myself an Iridium asap.

Jonathan

Hi I dont have a sat phone but I know they are currently undergoing some change 'protocols'. I have seen hand held one used successfully. In towns or where there are phones you are better off using your mobile phone and changing sims but if you are off the beaten track you maybe limited to a sat phone. cheers Arthur