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-   -   Help: Need to borrow or rent satellite phone - end of August (http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=347758)

smitty9 07-11-2018 01:59 PM

Help: Need to borrow or rent satellite phone - end of August
 
Hi folks:

Got a week's fishing trip to Maligne Lake booked for the end of August. Unfortunately, this timing also coincides with a likely probability that a principal or school board may be trying to reach me about a teaching position.

Cell phone coverage is a non-starter. I need a satellite phone, so that I can actually receive a signal and actually have the means to talk and have a conversation with someone. It can't be simple messaging or texting; I need the means to have a phone call in the wilderness.

If anyone knows anyone a with a satellite phone I could borrow or rent for 7 days, please let me know!

Cheers. I'm in Edmonton.

Thanks in Advance,
​​​​​​​Mike

JB_AOL 07-11-2018 02:24 PM

Gonna point out the obvious, but satellite phones are basically line of sight. As in, if there's a mountain/hill/thick trees between you and the satellite(s), you may not get a signal.

FTR.. It seems odd they would let you know the last week in august when most teachers are back at work by then (29th).

260 Rem 07-11-2018 02:33 PM

Best advice is to forget fishing and check in with your potential employer every day ... who knows, if you are there, willing, and able when someone's answering machine says "Gone fishing" .... you might get lucky:)

BUSHRVN 07-11-2018 02:41 PM

Communications 2000 in Leduc rents them I beleive.
As far as line of sight you just need a clear view of the sky.
They are intermittent in service though, so them calling you will still be by chance that they get you.
I had one.

smitty9 07-11-2018 03:24 PM

Bushrvn: Thanks, I'll check them out

260Rem: I'm leading a party of 10; and since it's not a given I'll be called, I'm not sure it would be better to stay home and cancel a trip that has been planned for 3 years on a roll of the dice. The whole point of the satellite phone is to skip the answering machine part... :)

JB: The lake has a clear line of sight to the sky. I know other users use satellite phones in the mountains, not sure why Maligne would be different. It's a big long lake, plenty of line of sight to the sky. FYI, principals hire teachers based on enrollment and funding dollars - positions come up all the time - hiring season is basically mid-August to Thanksgiving.

Appreciate the replies, keep them coming.

Don_Parsons 07-11-2018 03:38 PM

Not sure where your from Mike.

They rent them out of Calgary as well.
I lent mine to my brother who's on the Article ocean right now,,, not 100% sure when he gets back.

They did a few canoe rivers in the territories less the nahanni River which was another group.

We've had good success with globalstar and iridium.

Don

Dean2 07-11-2018 03:41 PM

https://www.canadasatellite.ca/Iridi...rental-can.htm

Lots and for relatively cheap and they have Iridiums. Most satellites, Global coverage, lowest latency, can walk and talk so true mobile, far and away best coverage.

smitty9 07-11-2018 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don_Parsons (Post 3810475)
Not sure where your from Mike.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty9 (Post 3810429)
Hi folks:

Cheers. I'm in Edmonton.

Thanks in Advance,
​​​​​​​Mike

Lol. But I appreciate the reply, thank-you! :)

35 whelen 07-11-2018 04:29 PM

I was going to rent one for my Manitoba trip I think it was a hundred and fifty a week and 15

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35 whelen 07-11-2018 04:29 PM

15 free minutes a week

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Big Bull 07-11-2018 06:10 PM

Try to get an Iridium phone if you can. They are much more reliable.

HighlandHeart 07-11-2018 07:12 PM

With a sat phone if you want to be able to receive a call you need to have the antenna extended and the phone turned on. Make sure you have a way to charge it and make sure you know how long the battery will run down while you have it on waiting for a call. An Iridium Extreme has a 30 hour standby time and you will need 120V AC or 12V DC to charge the battery. Good luck.

raab 07-11-2018 07:46 PM

Honestly Id call the schools your interested in teaching for and talk to the person responsible for hiring to see if they expect to be hiring that week. If they are, tell them you'll be away, but really want to work for them and are willing to come in for an interview before the position is posted. If they're not hiring you at least look eager to the hiring manager.

Marten1576 07-11-2018 07:49 PM

Its a thread about phone availability. Dont think hes looking for anne landers! Lol

raab 07-11-2018 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marten1576 (Post 3810591)
Its a thread about phone availability. Dont think hes looking for anne landers! Lol

There's no doubt that he should be taking a SAT phone anyway, or some sort of communication device. But with his situation it's better to prepare before he goes into the backcountry, then to try and handle it while out there. Thats my 2 cents

Marten1576 07-11-2018 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raab (Post 3810610)
There's no doubt that he should be taking a SAT phone anyway, or some sort of communication device. But with his situation it's better to prepare before he goes into the backcountry, then to try and handle it while out there. Thats my 2 cents

Thanks anne

smitty9 07-12-2018 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raab (Post 3810589)
Honestly Id call the schools your interested in teaching for and talk to the person responsible for hiring to see if they expect to be hiring that week. If they are, tell them you'll be away, but really want to work for them and are willing to come in for an interview before the position is posted. If they're not hiring you at least look eager to the hiring manager.

:). Raab, I won't bore you with the details, but that's not even close to how it works with EPSB. There are channels to go through. Suffice to say, I've already contacted my person at HR, and they totally understand and have given me advice. So, the Sat. phone is the way to go.

[And before someone else asks, I'll just say, I'm leading a party of 10, and the trip has been planned for years. These dates were all I could get; the website opened at 8am, and booking a party of 10 is pretty tough. Most dates were gone by 8:30am....I digress... :)]

Thanks for the replies everyone, keep them coming!

Dean2 07-12-2018 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty9 (Post 3810782)
:). Raab, I won't bore you with the details, but that's not even close to how it works with EPSB. There are channels to go through. Suffice to say, I've already contacted my person at HR, and they totally understand and have given me advice. So, the Sat. phone is the way to go.

[And before someone else asks, I'll just say, I'm leading a party of 10, and the trip has been planned for years. These dates were all I could get; the website opened at 8am, and booking a party of 10 is pretty tough. Most dates were gone by 8:30am....I digress... :)]

Thanks for the replies everyone, keep them coming!

Unless you are hoping for someone who owns one to lend it to you, you have the answers you need. There aren't all that many choices and if you want the best shot at talking to the guy you want to get the Iridium. The phone has to be on to get the call, most only last 24 hours on standby so you need a way to charge them, either generator or solar/thermal with enough out put to charge the phone so you can leave it on full time.

JB_AOL 07-12-2018 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty9 (Post 3810470)
JB: The lake has a clear line of sight to the sky. I know other users use satellite phones in the mountains, not sure why Maligne would be different.

It's not the "sky" you need "line of sight" with. Just be advised there's still a chance you can miss the call. I'm in O&G, Satellite phones aren't the be all and end all. Calls are "missed" more often than people think.

Quote:

FYI, principals hire teachers based on enrollment and funding dollars - positions come up all the time - hiring season is basically mid-August to Thanksgiving..
I knew support staff (EA's, etc.) was that way, didn't know teachers as well.

I know it's been said, but knowing that, I wouldn't ever plan a trip during that time.

At any rate, hope it works out for you.

raab 07-12-2018 10:18 AM

I just booked a SAT phone for a Sheep hunt in August with Communications Group in Red Deer. 10bucks a day, and between 1.75-2 bucks per minute in usage fees. The lady said they didnt currently have any phones available, so good to book early.

smitty9 07-12-2018 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2 (Post 3810805)
Unless you are hoping for someone who owns one to lend it to you, you have the answers you need. There aren't all that many choices and if you want the best shot at talking to the guy you want to get the Iridium. The phone has to be on to get the call, most only last 24 hours on standby so you need a way to charge them, either generator or solar/thermal with enough out put to charge the phone so you can leave it on full time.

Dean2:

I wholeheartedly agree about answers, and that's exactly what I was hoping for: to borrow one. But, that's pretty unlikely and a long longshot at best. C'est la vie, I am prepared to rent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB_AOL (Post 3810812)
It's not the "sky" you need "line of sight" with. Just be advised there's still a chance you can miss the call. I'm in O&G, Satellite phones aren't the be all and end all. Calls are "missed" more often than people think.

Understood. That's what I suspected. I'm gambling here.


Quote:

Originally Posted by JB_AOL (Post 3810812)
I know it's been said, but knowing that, I wouldn't ever plan a trip during that time.

At any rate, hope it works out for you.

Thanks. It is what it is. At the time of the booking, I wasn't thinking about a contract position (I am already on the sub list for 2018-19). Then I changed my mind. So, out of a 7 week hiring window, I am choosing to miss one, and roll the dice with a sat phone. My only other choice is to not go, but I am the group leader and the "de facto fishing guide". So, I compromise. Again, c'est la vie. Talked to HR already, made the best arrangements I could, they understand.

Thanks everyone! I'll check out various suppliers and make a decision. Cheers.


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