Many thanks to Bruce (N7RR) who writes:
Hi Thomas –
Since I’m a licensed radio amateur, I always carry ham gear into the backcountry. However, I also carry my Garmin Mini 2 satellite communicator, since that is usually the most reliable way to get an emergency message transmitted. It will also send a one-way message to any email address.
Right now the Garmin Mini 2 is on sale at REI for $100 off.
Only if I’m in a thick forest will Mini 2 messages be delayed significantly.
In thick forests, HF messages transmit reliably. There are lots of 80 m nets available. They are most active in the early evening. Near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) works well with horizontal antennas which are fairly close to the ground for frequencies below 10.1 MHz.
73,
Bruce Prior N7RR
Thanks for the tip, Bruce. I have the 1st generation InReach Mini and I never leave home for a hike without it. I feel like the subscription is basically hiking insurance! I even pay for the higher payout in case an emergency evacuation via the SOS is needed. I’ve only needed to use it for spotting on a couple of occasions, fortunately.
Fantastic device that adds a bit of a safety net in case of emergency. I’ve had the Mini 2 for a few years now and always keep service on it. I actually added it to my daily carry bag a few weeks ago because it’s such a small item I figured why not simply leave it in the bag I take everywhere.
Joshua
N5FY
Works great with Sotamāt https://sotamat.com/ as well.
Been carrying the mini 1.0 for years and works well. Better to have the insurance than not because you can’t predict Mother Nature.
Dugbo
KD7DUG
There is also a 25% off sale on the Zoleo satellite messenger currently going on. The Zoleo uses the same satellite constellation as the Garmin Inreach (they’re both using the Iridium constellation) — and is half the price of an Inreach.
I keep my Garmin Messenger with me on all of my work and fun trips. Amazing battery life and great safety net. Yes, as a bonus I have used it to spot myself 😉
The antenna in it and battery life are very impressive. Can send/receive messages in the car, and I only charge it every few months.