Watch the coverage....
There are quite a number of different personal locator devices on the
market and they use different satellite phone systems, with different
coverage areas.
In terms of satellite communication systems, Thuraya and Inmarsat use
Geostationary satelites, while Iridium uses Polar Low Earth Orbiting
satellite constellations.
Spot trackers seem to be very popular, but probably just because they
are one of the older brands, but Spot does not have global coverage.
Anyone wishing to use such a device should do some homework and
determine exactly what coverage they require as the Systems which use
geostationary satellites are typically cheaper. But a cheap phone is
rather useless if it doesn't work where you are :-)...
On 28/05/2015 7:29 PM, Matthew Scutter wrote:
Since we're going down this tangent, there's a new kid on the sat
tracking block - Delorme's InReach.
Offers higher update frequencies than SPOT's, *two* way messaging
(this is the killer feature), and I believe they also send altitude
information, unlike the SPOT's.
Roughly twice the cost though.
I think this one is especially cool, includes a solar panel -
http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/inreachse_extreme_bundle.php
I haven't used one myself but I have heard very good things from
pilots overseas.
Do check of the coverage maps for both SPOT and InReach, they're not
actually global (ask the pilots in Namibia...)
On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 7:07 PM, Mark Newton <new...@atdot.dotat.org
<mailto:new...@atdot.dotat.org>> wrote:
On 28 May 2015, at 4:25 pm, Mike Borgelt
<mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com
<mailto:mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com>> wrote:
>
> It has been pointed out to me that all we really need is the
cellphone network.
> Implement flight tracking for everyone using the web via the
cellphone 3 or 4G and receive the information on tracked aircraft
via the same method. Essentially unlimited range and 15 second
updates are plenty at longer ranges.
> AMSA are about to implement the tracking via AvPlan so you can
let them know you'll be doing this. If you don't show up it will
help the search.
That's essentially what Spot Trackers are: Hockey-pucks that know
how to send Iridium satphone SMSs, so they can work anywhere,
including where terrestrial cellphones aren't.
- mark
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