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Been playing with my new Sat Phone. I went for the Isatphone Pro. I have had experience with several models of global star and iridiums but never saw an isatphone. The reviews were good and the price and service plans very digestible, so I pulled the trigger
After using all three systems
1) don't waste a nickle on anything global star until they really get their act together and then try before buying. Most of the time you will not have a signal I found it will drop the call often. You really need to log into the internet to see when a sat is coming overhead and time your call accordingly. Not good if you are sinking and need to talk to the USCG
2) Irridium is the best system IMO. It is also the most costly and the service plans are not exactly consumer friendly. But this thing works all the time anyplace. Accessories are very expensive and is is just a basic phone. If you use it a lot and have a fat wallet just get this phone it is the best.
3) IsatphonePro IMO This is a consumer price-point product that will allow the average joe to get a sat phone with a lot of features in a reliable system. The accessories are still expensive but you can get into a basic system for about $600 +/- with an emergency annual service contract for about 375/year (120 min included) and about a buck a min afterward.
I got this for emergency calling (USCG) and for checking in at home when offshore and for calling a fish buyer on my way in. (And occasionally calling another buddy on his sat phone when offshore) That is pretty much it. I don't plan to do much else with it. I got a pelican case for it which is very rugged and waterproof so I can drag it around with me when I go with someone else's boat or just to loan it to a buddy.
My experience is that it does take a few minutes to find itself after you turn it on. You really need to be outside away from trees and buildings. The more clear your position the faster it is ready to call. The isatphone likes to see the horizon so if you have a house right next to you it might not work. The irridum seems less sensitive in this regard and will work more often when next to something but in reality they all need to be in open space with a clear shot of the sky. So boating performance is pretty good but it does not work in my backyard. I had to walk down to the water away from trees for it to find all the sat's.
The voice quality of the isatphone is pretty good but not great. A little tinny and there is a little delay. It is perfectly understandable however. From what I can remember I think the irridum is a little better voice quality but only marginally so.
My hope is that I can get this to work through my pilothouse window, if so, I will mount it inside on a adjustable cradle suctioned to the window and leave it on all the time and plugged in. ( The batteries last a looong time on this phone, far more than any other one I have seen) It also supports Bluetooth and they give you a tiny mni phone you can put in your pocket and connect to the sat phone via bluetooth. So in theory you can leave your phone at the helm in the cradle and make an answer calls on this mini thing. I have not tried it and I have my doubts that it will work but it is suppose to. Time will tell. If it will work...it will save you about 3K in cradles, handsets, and external antennas.
Worst comes to worse you just use the phone itself and stand outside. If is not the ideal situation but at least you have communication to the outside world.
Bottom line is if you plan to really use it alot or cross oceans I would go for the irridum model with all the external accessories and just eat the cost (about 5K+), for the serious rec fisherman, the isatphonepro looks like it will work out OK . I will know for sure in a few weeks/months.
One thing is incoming calls and texts are free. (The poor sap calling you pays out-of-country rates though)
Last edited by Mr. Sandman; 12-27-2012 at 01:37 PM..
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