NEED HELP CHOOSING A SAT PHONE

[ONE MORE CAST]

Looking to buy a sat phone and any advise would help.
What kind?
What type of plan?
What accessories ?
Where to purchase?
Thanks,
Len

[slip slidin]

Hey Len I am still looking myself and trying to gather info. I am leaning towards iridium right now. I think that there coverage is pretty good from what I have been reading and hearing. The satellite store online seems to have a pretty good selection on phones and services. I called iriduium last week and you have to go through a dealer. The motorola 9505a seems like a pretty good phone and pretty compact for easy transfer. I think the hard case and the cigarette lighter charger would be a pretty good purchase at least in my case. I fish out of a small boat. Hope this helps. The 9505a is a little pricey but it is the latest and greatest, you know how that goes.

[christopherkeene9]

I believe Global Star is having a deal right now. Something like unlimited minutes for 19.99 a month but you must sign like a 2yr. contract. I have heard the coverage isn't as good as Iridium but they're supposed to put a few more satellites soon.

[FinRazr]

I believe Global Star is having a deal right now. Something like unlimited minutes for 19.99 a month but you must sign like a 2yr. contract. I have heard the coverage isn't as good as Iridium but they're supposed to put a few more satellites soon.

$49.99 a mo unlimited 3 yr plan.

[POON MAN]

Give Joe a call at Deep Sea Outfitters ,it is what the Canyon Runner reccomends.

in addition to Joe being a canyon Fisherman i don't think he will steer you wrong .

He carries Globalstar

http://www.deepseaoutfitters.com/

[Squidnation]

I use the Iridium 9505a from Offshore satallite outfitters. You can google them. My wife bought the phone refurbished and it works fine. Also I just buy a cretain number of mnutes each year. I think I bought 500 minutes. I cannot use the unlimited deals because they restrict the usage to certain areas.

The only problem I had was that the phone had a difficult time finding a signal on land in brazil. But offshore anywhere in South or Central america it worked fine. Never had a problem with it off the east coast us either.

[captcl]

Squidnation, so i can purchase minutes and use them when i need them throughout the season? i'd like to have the security of the sat phone offshore
being a cc boat I'm not always out there .

[Hudson]

I have Globalstar and friggin hate it! $600 for the phone $600 for the minutes and it works once out of every 5 times. Yes they are redirecting sats and taking old ones out and launching new ones - but this with disrupt service until 2010. They are having specials and tha rates are pretty low. But what's it worth if it doesn't work? Unless something changes, I will switch out this month.

[ONE MORE CAST]

Thanks for the info. I've read about the sat changing out throught the next couple of years and was kind of concerned about that with Global. I'm going to look into that motorola 9505. Anyone know of any dealers ? Anyone one on SFC ? I'll give them the sale.
Thanks again,
Capt. Len

[Squidnation]

Squidnation, so i can purchase minutes and use them when i need them throughout the season? i'd like to have the security of the sat phone offshore
being a cc boat I'm not always out there .

yes - I buy the minutes at the beginning of the year and use them anywhere in the world. But it is use or lose. for a year