imlost
Nomad
Posts: 218
Registered: 3-31-2015
Location: PNW & East Cape
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Globalstar satellite phone reception in Baja Sur?
On the globalstar website, the coverage map now shows "extended globalstar service area" for all of Baja. Has anyone tried a globalstar sat phone in
Baja Sur recently?
I'm not interested in any other satellite phone service. I'm already a globalstar subscriber in the US, so I'm hoping it will work south of the border
now.
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Tucsonduner
Newbie
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Registered: 1-26-2016
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I had Globalstar and found the service to be intermittent at best. It worked ok in Cabo. I always carried it and was testing to see if it worked in
Baja.
Of course it worked great when I was testing it. A year later i blew two tires off roading north of Loreto and could not get service at all. I had a
clear line of sight and the phone strenght meter would float between one or two bars.
Fortunately a kind rancher and his family stopped and drove me 40 miles to a his house where I was able to buy a used tire.
He saved the day and I cancelled Globalstar due to the poor coverage and they continued to raise their rates.
Looking at one the satellite messaging services now for Baja.
I would take the phone with you, but I would have a backup plan.
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rzitren
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 2-15-2009
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Get a Delorme inReach. Uses the Iridium network so it is worldwide. You can get a plan for just a month when you want to use it at about 15dollars
for the month. Text message only at about 50cents per message. I believe the first 10 messages are free.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I have a spot satellite phone and the service is OK at best. It seems the further south I go the weaker the signal. At Campo Rene near Punta Abreojos
I was in a large open area with clear view to the sky and moving a step one way or another I would lose signal. This has repeated itself in various
areas of Baja and Baja Sur.
I have used Iridium in both Baja and Baja Sur and had good results everytime.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by rzitren  | | Get a Delorme inReach. Uses the Iridium network so it is worldwide. You can get a plan for just a month when you want to use it at about 15dollars
for the month. Text message only at about 50cents per message. I believe the first 10 messages are free. |
This!
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DawnPatrol
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Registered: 11-19-2013
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Second the replies about Iridium!
I have never had issues with mine.
I guess you get what you pay for as they are not inexpensive
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imlost
Nomad
Posts: 218
Registered: 3-31-2015
Location: PNW & East Cape
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| Quote: Originally posted by Tucsonduner | I had Globalstar and found the service to be intermittent at best. It worked ok in Cabo. I always carried it and was testing to see if it worked in
Baja.
Of course it worked great when I was testing it. A year later i blew two tires off roading north of Loreto and could not get service at all. I had a
clear line of sight and the phone strenght meter would float between one or two bars.
Fortunately a kind rancher and his family stopped and drove me 40 miles to a his house where I was able to buy a used tire.
He saved the day and I cancelled Globalstar due to the poor coverage and they continued to raise their rates.
Looking at one the satellite messaging services now for Baja.
I would take the phone with you, but I would have a backup plan. |
Thanks for your response. This is exactly
what I was looking for.
I'm already quite familiar with the limitations of Globalstar service, and I've made friends with it. Satellite connection duration and frequency has
been getting more reliable lately, at least in the US.
The thing that is so different about Globalstar (compared to Iridium) is that it's WAY less expensive. I'm willing to wait a little while for a
satellite to come in to range to get reception. I'm usually not in a hurry to make calls, because most of the time I'm just checking my voicemail or
calling family so that people know that I'm OK & to see if they are OK.
Since I already have a monthly subscription to the service, I'll bring my phone with me the next time I'm there, and I'll be sure to report back to
everyone with my findings.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3076
Registered: 5-21-2013
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From the reviews I have read Globalstar phones, like SPOT, are least desirable due to less effective satellite coverage. Inreach which is 2 way text
& email only uses Iridium with good results and has the feature of interrupted service. Meaning you activate a month at a time when you need it.
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