Backcountry Communication
 

Hi All,

I'm planning my first 7-10 day backcountry hunt and wondering what everyone uses for communication in case of an emergency. I've been looking around online for electronic devices, but am not sold on what I've seen. I'd like to know what y'all use as a bare minimum (emergency situation) and also if there's a reliable device that is worth the $$ for communicating with family.

Thanks!!

- Josh

Inreach

I'm debating between the InReach Mini, InReach Explorer+, and the InReach 66i

I have very little experience with any of them.
Will be paired with a phone and will have a power bank that is good for 15 phone charges.

Will only be out 7 days at a time max.

Not sure what one will fit the bill.

Also have iHunter with cashed maps but I'm sure the GPS birds eye on the 66i is better.

$40 Koodo flip cell phone with $30/month plan. It even takes pictures!

Hands down

We are obviously hunting different back country if you have cell service where you hunt

Another for for inReach and will attest to immediate emergency response time. Will never leave my pack

I know there is places that rent satellite phones, pm me if you can't find a place.

Iridium sat phone

He said “backcountry” not downtown Calgary or Edmonton.:rolleye2:

Backcountry Communication
 

I have had the inreach explorer since 2013. It has served me well, and has always been reliable. When it is paired to my cell phone via the Earthmate app, it truly is an excellent tool.


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Inreach mini Bluetooth paired to my iPhone. Whatever you pick make sure it has message confirmation

Inreach
 

So inReach seems to be the majority here. How are they with subscriptions? I see it's $20/month for the freedom plan and another "program fee" pf $30 or so dollars. So I'm looking at around $50 to use it for a couple weeks? Is it easy to activate for a month here or there?

Thanks again for the feedback!

Suspend it when your not using it
Like $2 a month

Used to be that a person left a map circled with where they were going to be. If they weren't back by a certain day or time then send in the troops. Didn't cost more than the map.

I know it is re-assuring to have a help button but it takes the adventure out of things in a way. Know your first aid, be alert, cautious & smart, hope for the best weather and prepare for the worst.

So you go out on a 7 day trip, hand your wife a map with a circle on it. On the way in, you fall and break your femur 6 km from the truck. You're not expected back for another 6 days.

I'd rather hit an SOS button and have help in ~2hrs than lay in the bush for 6+ days with a broken femur

Call me crazy

Pretty sure Red Bullets was making reference to the "good old days" and how things worked. Oddly enough most of us lived thru the lack of modern technology.....sometimes I sure wish a guy could go back to that!

Inreach Had mine for a few seasons works great. If your on a absolute rock bottom budget the spot will also work. If your a bit more spendy a iridium phone would also be great. Your going to need a battery pack for recharges on a 7 day I can usually get Friday night until Sunday night out of one charge depending on how long you have it on for and how many messages you get. They didn’t have the mini when I got mine but that’s where I would throw my money these days if your packing a battery pack anyhow the life of the device doesn't really matter.

Inreach SE+ for me. Do a lot of river trips with kids and to me this was cheap insurance. I have texted out of the bottom of the Grand Canyon (multiple sites) and the Middle Fork of the Salmon a number of times back to Alberta. Both of these places are remote. Great texting communication. Enter a list of contacts just like your phone and away you go. Looking at the fine print to me it was not worth it to suspend service and reactivate multiple times during the year. I keep it activated 24/7. Wouldn't be without it.

Oh and the real important part i guess is, IF it ever goes really south you hit the SOS button and wait for the cavalry

Emergency Locator
 

Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) purchased through GPS Central.
Registered with Search and Rescue, Trenton, Ontario

Garmin inreach mini. You can setup the presets to send to multiple people. Keeping your family/friend circle informed of your location and well being. The earthmate app it comes with does a good job at showing which trails are in the area when zoomed in enough.

I highly suggest using the tracking feature all the time. Saves a virtual breadcrumb trail for you. I even used to to find the sunglasses I lost on a mountain face the night before.

Inreach mini. I've had mine 1 year and have yet to "need" to use it. But I was camping for an extended period out of cell range last summer and as we were leaving cell range my wife got notice that an important relative would be visiting our province from away. We were able to make arrangements to meet up texting back and forth via the inreach mini while waaaay out of cell phone service. Also "almost" had to use it again later that summer when a canoe trip went sideways, but by the time we reached a suitable landing spot there was cell service to call for a pickup.

Even for non-emergencies it's well worth the $17 a month or so that I pay.

Oh Ya. That's going to leave a mark if you break a femur. But only a few years ago it was the way things were. Shoot three times and hope someone came. Maybe drag your way back to the vehicle.

I know the SOS button is a great tool whether going solo or with kids, people or pets. I am not suggesting someone not use them. I was implying that us older guys told our wives or family where we we going and that was the way it was. I had some hairy events but am still here like many other older back country hunters. And the unfortunates that didn't make it back, back then, at least they died doing what they loved. :)

Four decades ago I went into a remote gold claim alone in BC 40+ miles north of Revelstoke for a 5 days and could only leave my wife in Alberta a map. I also stopped at the local RCMP station in Revelstoke and told them I was going in too. The nearest other people were between 12 and 17 miles away from the claim I was on. And I was dropped off by a friend and had to hike in a ways from the road so I had no vehicle until he picked me up 5 days later. I did fine and made it out ok. Even though it was late May there was still lots of snow in places too. Wife and kids were happy to see me when I got home. It was a great adventure that even yielded a little gold.

You're betting a lot on everything going well here. I used to do that and my dad complained I circled an area half the size of Germany. :D **** happens and you might pay the ultimate price very easily . We're lucky to have another option. Besides, it's easier to find your body. :lol:

Grizz

I'll add another vote for the inreach. It's been pretty solid for me.

InReach 100%. Use them both for adventure and for work globally. Way more reliable than a sat phone and you can cache imagery in the Garmin Earthmate app which pairs your phone to the device. You can email and text cell phones from it plus get weather updates etc.

I ran the startup of a drill program in the Arctic last summer with an inReach as our satellite internet provider had a few pieces go missing enroute.


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Yes, you can suspend it when you aren't in need of it. And it is by far the best option..

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I used to be this guy as well.. Used to be.. A circle on the map is no use when you are laying in the bottom of a drainage with a broken leg or skull.. An SOS button linked to trained people with a helicopter might be your only hope..

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Guys, my $40 Koodo flip phone works in foothill country west of Whitecourt and North of Hinton, not much more wilderness than that in Alberta.