Satellite communication has become much more accessible to recreationalists in recent years. One- and two-way text messaging devices from SPOT, DeLorme, and TextAnywhere have already made strong headway into the hands of amateur and professional adventurers. Now there’s a new generation of satellite communications options for amateur adventurers and professionals alike.
The three satellite devices I tested all work by creating a portable, satellite-based Wi-Fi network for your smartphone, tablet and/or laptop to connect to. Then they can make voice calls or transfer data (email, text messages, upload photos, etc.). I tested them in a variety of situations and environments, including remote areas like the deserts of Utah and Arizona, in the mountains of Colorado, and along the rivers and lakes of the Maine Woods. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able conduct tests in any far-flung international destinations.
When exposed to a clear view of the sky they all delivered crystal clear voice connections. As soon as a canopy of trees or even thick cloud cover came into play, the voice quality of each of them started to suffer and even garble up beyond use. I conducted some urban tests as well but as expected, power lines and buildings interfered with getting a strong and steady signal.
As for exact data speeds, I tried to use speedtest.com to confirm, but none of the devices was able to complete the test. The listed data rates under ideal conditions, though, can be found in the comparison chart below. I’ve listed the unit prices there as well, but won’t go into the various service plans and other pricing options. Each manufacturer distributes differently with a variety of plans to choose from to buy, rent or trade-in. The cost of the unit may also depend on the service plan you choose.
Below are my impressions of the three satellite messengers I used, ordered by just how much coverage they provide.
Iridium Go ($825)
This is the smallest, lightest device we tested, and the only one in the Iridium network to provide true global coverage (save locations under U.S. satellite communications embargo restrictions—true for all three units in this roundup). The Go is a touch bigger than a deck of cards and only weighs 10.5 oz. It’s also the easiest device to set up and operate. Simply rotate its antenna up and the Go starts to power up. Depending on how much sky the Go can see it usually only takes a minute or two for it to give you the green light (literally a green light on the top of the Go means it sees satellites and is ready). The small footprint and compact design, along with the military grade ruggedness (MIL-STD 810F for those of you keeping score) and rubberized exterior, makes it easy to set it out just about anywhere. The IP65 waterproof rating—a splash, rain, or snow is okay, but full submersion isn’t—allows you not to worry about leaving it out when the weather turns foul. Not that you’d be likely to get a signal then, anyway.
The Go has a 3.6Ah (3.7V, 13.3Wh) internal battery and will last for 14 hours on standby. It charges via a standard micro-USB cable and is compatible with most of the portable USB batteries and solar charging systems on the market today. It has a built-in 1 1/2-inch by 7/8-inch LED screen, two control buttons, and a separate (and covered) SOS button to send a distress signal to GEOS even if your smartphone is dead. I would like to have seen a USB power out plug to be able to charge your smartphone from the Go battery if needed.
For more elaborate setups the Go has an external antenna connector, a standard 1/4-inch-20 tripod screw mount and a through-hole to attach a safety leash.
The built-in screen menu is intuitive and easy to navigate with the two buttons. The smartphone/tablet interface is broken down to two separate apps: voice and data. Data speeds are listed at 2.4 kbps. The only major bummer is data is restricted to Iridium-approved apps, meaning it’s not like you’re on an open Wi-Fi signal and you can use whatever app you want (Facebook, Gmail, iMessage, etc.). You can only email/text through the Iridium’s own apps, or browse the web after downloading and installing either Iridium’s browser or Opera Mini.
Inmarsat IsatHub (Addvalue Wideye iSavi) ($1,350)
The InsatHub service, currently only accessible via Addvalue’s Wideye iSavi terminal, provides over one hundred times the data speed of the Iridium Go, and provides nearly as much global coverage. The only places it won’t work for you are the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (66ยบ33’ latitude north or south). The iSavi is a little bigger and about three times heavier (30 oz.) than the Go as well. And while it doesn’t have the ruggedness of the Go, it is equally dust and splashproof with the same IP rating of 65.
The iSavi’s standard 3Ah (10.8V, 33Wh) battery lasts between two and two and a half hours during transmit time and for 24 hours on standby. A 6Ah (65Wh) battery is also available, and has a USB out plug to charge other devices. Unfortunately, to charge the iSavi requires a proprietary 18V/3.6A plug, so you’ll need access to a standard wall socket on the grid, a generator, an Addvalue car adapter, or rather large 18V solar kit to recharge it.
Along with the (relatively) fast data speeds, I really appreciated that the Inmarsat satellites are geosynchronous, meaning they stay in the same place in the sky relative to your location. In particular on one campout in Colorado, I set each of these three units up under a sparse tree canopy. While the Iridium and Globalstar devices went in and out of service as their satellites moved through the sky and could poke a signal through when they cleared the trees, the iSavi was positioned to point through a hole in the canopy and keep a constant signal with the antenna aimed at the stationary satellite.
Setting up and aiming the antenna is easy. The iSavi has two sets of illuminated arrows to help. Once the iSavi establishes a GPS signal to know where it is on Earth, it then knows where its data satellite is in the sky above it. The arrows then light up indicating whether to angle the antenna higher or lower, or to rotate the unit left or right. Once all the arrows turn green you’re good to leave it be and start transmitting. The only other indicators on the unit are a light behind the power button and a battery level gauge. Unlike the Iridium Go, the iSavi will not work independently of your smartphone or tablet. There is no external SOS button or method to use the iSavi on its own. Nor do you have the option to attach a bigger external antenna.
The iSavi also has two accompanying apps. One is purely for voice and SMS (text) communications. The second is purely to manage and control the iSavi on an administrative level, such as controlling the Wi-Fi network and determining what access level different users have. You can see how much data or voice time each user (up to ten) racks up and set limits to their usage or restrict access to individual users completely. The admin app will also show you how strong the connection signal is with the satellite. Only one person needs this app to be able to administer the unit, while users only need the voice app to make calls.
The good news is, unlike the Iridium and Globalstar service, no proprietary or specifically approved app is needed to browse the web or send email while connected to the iSavi. It’s like a slow version of being connected to your Wi-Fi at home (depending on where you live).
Globalstar Sat-Fi ($1,000)
This last unit is the least portable, weatherproof, or rugged of them all, and seems best suited for industrial use rather than recreational. While Globalstar does have the newest satellite network orbiting Earth, the Sat-Fi only works across the middle of the northern hemisphere, South America, and Australia. It also requires an external power source (of at least 12V; there’s no internal battery) and would not perform well in a heavy dew (IP10). The unit also requires an external antenna to be attached (options include a magnetic mount patch, magnetic mount helix, or pole mounted helix). The Wi-Fi antenna is also mounted externally, bumping the range up to 100 feet like the Inmarsat. The Iridium reaches 30 feet.
The Sat-Fi has only a single button to power it on or off, and one LED built into that button to convey cryptic flashing sequences that relay the status of the network, transmission information, and power indication. The physical setup of the Sat-Fi is simple, though still more involved than the other two units I tested. There are connections on the back for power as well as the Wi-Fi and satellite antennae. How much or little this needs to be disassembled between use will be up to the user.
Those newer satellites come into play by providing a more robust and tolerant connection as conditions deteriorate. They also provide a four time faster data rate compared to the Iridium, though still about 30 times slower than the Inmarsat service. Like the Iridium, two separate apps provide voice and data services. In fact, there’s an uncanny similarity between the Globalstar and Iridium apps to make me think they were developed (at least in part) by the same third-party company. Also somewhat like the Iridium service, the only data access is through the native Globalstar app.
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