In Reach Device

[elenac]

Hi Everyone, We're planning a trip to Fiji. Has anyone used the New In Reach device for texting and communicating GPS coordinates in the South Seas?

[JPA Cate]

Muckle Flugga reported today in another thread that Spot does not have good North, Central and South Pacific coverage. You'll have to research Delorme to find out whether they do.

Ann

[CarlF]

I've only used it in the Atlantic but since it uses the Iridium network you should have good coverage. I've also found the Inreach far more reliable and less frustrating than my Iridium sat phone (presumably because it's not trying to keep a live connection). The InReach works fine right through the cabin top (no need for an external antenna). Messages typically go in less than 30 seconds but it keeps trying until it succeeds (and then tells you it did). I leave it turned on so it will beep if there's an incoming message.

The only thing that keeps me from throwing away the satphone is that you can't fit a GRIB file into 160 characters. Hopefully Delorme will come up with a solution.

And while I have an EPIRB, I would use the InReach first in an emergency since it allows two way communication with rescuers. Waterproof. Four day battery.

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by elenac

Hi Everyone, We're planning a trip to Fiji. Has anyone used the New In Reach device for texting and communicating GPS coordinates in the South Seas?

Hi Ann
Last year I used a Delorme In Reach from Copenhagen to Gibralter
It worked great. I was able to send and receive texts the whole trip
with no problems. Never been to Fiji so cant comment on that but it does work off of the Iridium system which purports to have global coverage.
You can set up a page on the Delorme site
and friends and family can see your track. If they click on a marker
they can get long and lat coordinates, date and time
The more you zoom in the more detail you see.
share.delorme.com/sailing
is my track from the above trip in case you want to take a look
Another good thing about the In Reach is that you pay an annual 25.00 (US) fee and then can turn airtime off and on by the month.
I bought the unlimited plan for about 65.00 per month
when turned on. The procedure is a bit cumbersome but the folks at
Delorme are very nice and know their stuff
Mine is in my sock draw waiting it's next trip.
It also is a back up GPS system, Charge lasts about 72 hours
or so depending on how often you have it set to transmit location track
and text volume. Has an SOS function.
I got pretty good using the on device keyboard but it can be linked to a
smart phone to make message composition easier.
All in all a really good piece of kit.
PM me if you have any questions
Be my pleasure to share any info I can
Neil