Ray D
Well-known member
I?m recovering, now. I?ll be OK.
I have been looking for a means for emergency communication, if needed, while traveling. (Discussed on several previous threads.) Finally decided to take a look at satellite phones.
Found GlobalStar on-line and read what I could. Wasn?t sure about what their service entailed, nor about their phone?s capabilities. (They did have pricing and a fairly decent explanation of services.) Found a local dealer with several locations and went to the closest one. (3 miles.)
http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/
Young, blond clerk ask me if she could help me.
I said, ?Yes. I?m interested in GlobalStar.?
She: ?That?s a satellite phone!?
Me: ?Yes.?
?What do you want it for?? She had me stumped, for a minute. ???
?I want to be able to make a call from anywhere.?
?Where, in particular??
?Where ever I am. I travel.? ???
?Where do you travel?? I?m almost at a loss for words, but this might be pertinent. (Think Ray.)
?I travel in the United States.? Hoped that would do it. Buying a satellite phone might be just too difficult for an old man. How would I operate it, if I can?t even articulate what I want it for?
?You can?t afford it! They?re very expensive!?
GASP! SPUTTER! (I had taken a shower this morning. I shaved, and my hair was combed. I was wearing blue slacks and a brown plaid shirt with a coat. I had shoes on. I was sober. I - - - -.)
?Ummm. I went to the GlobalStar website and saw their prices and a description of their services. I need a little more information.? : I was trying hard.
?The phone alone is over $700!?
?I have $700!? I was starting to get ticked!
?Yeah, well then their service is $700 or more, each year!?
?I?ll write a check!? GRRRRR!
- Fast Forward -
?Well, OK. Problem is, if you travel in Idaho, you can?t use them!?
?HUH?? ???
?It?s the mountains! You see, if you get into a valley, and the mountains are up on all sides, (She makes hand gestures to assist in understanding mountains and valleys.) Then the phone doesn?t work. It?s because the satellites are zigzagging around and you can?t stay hooked up. They zig and they zag, back and forth, and most of the time they are not above you.? (She helps me out with zigzagging hand motions, showing little satellites scurrying around, on the other side of the mountains.)
?Zigzagging satellites? Do you mean the satellites actually move back and forth?? ??? (I was sure she meant something else! This would be a heck of deal, for military use! Wonder if they know about zigzagging satellites! I - - - - .)
?Yeah! They just whizz around, up there, back and forth! The phones have an awful time, finding them! You didn?t know that, did you?? ;D
?No! I didn?t know that! I can?t use the phone. Thank you.? I departed!
Anybody know about GlobalStar satellite phone service. Anybody use it? Is it a good option for communication, particularly for emergency communications, in areas that don?t have cell service?
They do, according to their web-site, have an ?emergency service plan? that costs a few hundred per year and the phone IS a little more than $700. Not sure about the zigzagging satellites. I think they are included in the plan, at that price.
Ray D ;D
I have been looking for a means for emergency communication, if needed, while traveling. (Discussed on several previous threads.) Finally decided to take a look at satellite phones.
Found GlobalStar on-line and read what I could. Wasn?t sure about what their service entailed, nor about their phone?s capabilities. (They did have pricing and a fairly decent explanation of services.) Found a local dealer with several locations and went to the closest one. (3 miles.)
http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/
Young, blond clerk ask me if she could help me.
I said, ?Yes. I?m interested in GlobalStar.?
She: ?That?s a satellite phone!?
Me: ?Yes.?
?What do you want it for?? She had me stumped, for a minute. ???
?I want to be able to make a call from anywhere.?
?Where, in particular??
?Where ever I am. I travel.? ???
?Where do you travel?? I?m almost at a loss for words, but this might be pertinent. (Think Ray.)
?I travel in the United States.? Hoped that would do it. Buying a satellite phone might be just too difficult for an old man. How would I operate it, if I can?t even articulate what I want it for?
?You can?t afford it! They?re very expensive!?
GASP! SPUTTER! (I had taken a shower this morning. I shaved, and my hair was combed. I was wearing blue slacks and a brown plaid shirt with a coat. I had shoes on. I was sober. I - - - -.)
?Ummm. I went to the GlobalStar website and saw their prices and a description of their services. I need a little more information.? : I was trying hard.
?The phone alone is over $700!?
?I have $700!? I was starting to get ticked!
?Yeah, well then their service is $700 or more, each year!?
?I?ll write a check!? GRRRRR!
- Fast Forward -
?Well, OK. Problem is, if you travel in Idaho, you can?t use them!?
?HUH?? ???
?It?s the mountains! You see, if you get into a valley, and the mountains are up on all sides, (She makes hand gestures to assist in understanding mountains and valleys.) Then the phone doesn?t work. It?s because the satellites are zigzagging around and you can?t stay hooked up. They zig and they zag, back and forth, and most of the time they are not above you.? (She helps me out with zigzagging hand motions, showing little satellites scurrying around, on the other side of the mountains.)
?Zigzagging satellites? Do you mean the satellites actually move back and forth?? ??? (I was sure she meant something else! This would be a heck of deal, for military use! Wonder if they know about zigzagging satellites! I - - - - .)
?Yeah! They just whizz around, up there, back and forth! The phones have an awful time, finding them! You didn?t know that, did you?? ;D
?No! I didn?t know that! I can?t use the phone. Thank you.? I departed!
Anybody know about GlobalStar satellite phone service. Anybody use it? Is it a good option for communication, particularly for emergency communications, in areas that don?t have cell service?
They do, according to their web-site, have an ?emergency service plan? that costs a few hundred per year and the phone IS a little more than $700. Not sure about the zigzagging satellites. I think they are included in the plan, at that price.
Ray D ;D