Cook the chicken and hike out. I mean who doesn't like hot or cold chicken? Also, avoid getting greasy fingers on a Garmin InReach satellite device when you press the button and help arrives.
Ham Radio & Contacting Emergency Services
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I carry one. When working, I have a satellite phone.
Usually what happens is that hams don't want to spend money on equipment like this unless it's amateur radio gear.
After all, you can buy a lot of CCR's for the price of a Garmin.
I am going to go out on a limb here and say most hams probably don't venture to the mountains or desert etc. A CCR is fine as they'll never see the stroke coming.
Time is critical as we know. Hitting that button is quick and easy. I presume you would press that first, then fool around with the satellite phone. I have used satellite radios and the Garmin, but not a satellite phone. Still, I would rather let the Garmin push out the text message with the critical data when a satellite is finally in the clear. When testing in some urban and ravine areas, the satellite radio was not always able to sync right away and we had to wait. The Garmin eventually sent/received the data. (Oh, I should note I am talking about the Iridium satellite system for those that don't know.)
Oh damn! The ISS is overhead right now and probably talking to a school based on the audio.
Still, I like the chicken idea and I carry salt and pepper in my gear.
Time is critical as we know. Hitting that button is quick and easy. I presume you would press that first, then fool around with the satellite phone. I have used satellite radios and the Garmin, but not a satellite phone. Still, I would rather let the Garmin push out the text message with the critical data when a satellite is finally in the clear. When testing in some urban and ravine areas, the satellite radio was not always able to sync right away and we had to wait. The Garmin eventually sent/received the data. (Oh, I should note I am talking about the Iridium satellite system for those that don't know.)
Oh damn! The ISS is overhead right now and probably talking to a school based on the audio.
Still, I like the chicken idea and I carry salt and pepper in my gear.
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Not sure on the older stuff but my Inreach is pretty decent. Monday I sent a message from a mountaintop to the wife saying I was on site and as I was walking into the shelter I got a reply from her. I'm sure there are cases it takes longer but most of mine this year and last have been decent. With that said I turn on my inreach when I know im heading to an area with no cell, vs turning it on when i want to send. I prefer to be prepared ahead of time. Guess thats the SAR guy in me. Today I actually traveled to a site where I was without cell on over half of my trip and knew it. Turned it on when I left home and off when i got back to the office.
Your also correct, most hams wont spend the money on this but will spend $100 on that 3 magnet 3/8 thread antenna for the roof to use on there 2 meter repeater....I digress....
Your also correct, most hams wont spend the money on this but will spend $100 on that 3 magnet 3/8 thread antenna for the roof to use on there 2 meter repeater....I digress....
I have told the story here before, but here it is for those who might have missed it:
I was out boating on Lake Mojave last summer pretty far away from services, and without phone coverage. Came across a boat with a medical emergency. Couldn't hail anyone on Marine Radio. Couldn't find anyone on GMRS. Jumped on a couple local-ish analog ham repeaters and nobody was listening. Jumped on a DMR repeater, tuned to one of the talkgroups (don't remember if it was California or Socal) and got an immediate response from dozens of hams. I could have gotten on any talkgroup from very local to worldwide, and I GUARANTEE somebody would be listening and could offer assistance. Somewhere in the world, somebody is listening. With a local analog repeater, if nobody is listening, nobody is listening.
And that is the great thing about DMR networks. The local repeaters might be dead, have nobody willing to help, nobody listening, etc. But if you get on one of the large DMR talkgroups, you immediately have a HUGE audience, and can be almost guaranteed that there is at least somebody willing to help.
The idea of a 911 talkgroup is great, but then again, you have to have dedicated people there listening.
I was out boating on Lake Mojave last summer pretty far away from services, and without phone coverage. Came across a boat with a medical emergency. Couldn't hail anyone on Marine Radio. Couldn't find anyone on GMRS. Jumped on a couple local-ish analog ham repeaters and nobody was listening. Jumped on a DMR repeater, tuned to one of the talkgroups (don't remember if it was California or Socal) and got an immediate response from dozens of hams. I could have gotten on any talkgroup from very local to worldwide, and I GUARANTEE somebody would be listening and could offer assistance. Somewhere in the world, somebody is listening. With a local analog repeater, if nobody is listening, nobody is listening.
And that is the great thing about DMR networks. The local repeaters might be dead, have nobody willing to help, nobody listening, etc. But if you get on one of the large DMR talkgroups, you immediately have a HUGE audience, and can be almost guaranteed that there is at least somebody willing to help.
The idea of a 911 talkgroup is great, but then again, you have to have dedicated people there listening.
Your situation worked out well, @alcahuete . What worries me about networked DMR, and to a certain extent amateur repeaters in general, is reliability of both the local RF infrastructure, but also the long haul IP connectivity. The topic of (amateur) system reliability has been thoroughly flogged here, so I need not rehash it, but it is a concern.
I still think a 911 DMR talkgroup is an idea worth pursuing, and as you said, its success will depend on dedicated monitors.
And, if the idea is worth pursuing for DMR, then it should also be considered by the AllStarLink, EchoLink, IRLP, D-STAR, WIRES-X, etc., communities. DMR is not the only means of linking repeaters and certainly not the only linked system where you might be able to find assistance.
Or, cut out the amateur radio middleman and go with a Garmin InReach or satphone...which is a horse that has been beaten at length.
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