Re: [Paddlewise] Who picks up the rescue tab

I have heard that Globalstar handsets cost about $600 now.  Some years ago 
when I got mine the list price was over $1000 but the "street" price that I paid 
was $800.  They have several plans, different plans have different monthly 
rates and per minute charges.  Mine is called a "seasonal plan"' it costs about 
$9.95/mo and about $1.85/minute to use.  My girlfriend's brother uses it 
whenever he races in Baja.  He has been doing all three races each year in the past 
few years.  My girlfriend's parents also use it in Baja about 3x a year so I 
am able to spread the costs over several people.  Mine is not waterproof.  I 
originally bought it for international travel not kayaking.

I have a marine radio as well and use it in the Gonzaga area.  Mexican 
fishermen use it some but locally it's mostly used by Mexicans and gringos as sort 
of a house-to-house party line. Folks gossip on it and invite each over for 
dinner and drinks.

Tony

In a message dated 12/5/2004 12:48:28 PM Pacific Standard Time, al.m_at_3web.net 
writes:
I thought of them, many times. They cost from $600 (? not sure), +
substantial annual fees and/or airtime fees or whatever they charge.
Waterproof units cost even more (there were some, if I recall it right).
Those ones that I saw, were larger than latest PLB models,  somehwat awkward
to carry always on you (and what's not on you, is not with you - when you
have to abandon the ship in a rush).  Considering some problems with
"waterproof" VHF and GPS units, I would suspect that "waterproof" satellite
phones will have similar or even more weak spots. (PLB is easier to make
completely waterproof, since it doesn't need numerous buttons to operate
it).  These phones are not a substitute for PLB, of course - you can't talk
over the PLB.

In Baja (south of Bahia Gonzaga and north of Mulege) I couldn't pick
anything on any VHF channels that I scanned. There was no need, but it felt
uncomfortable.  Most of mexican fishermen in small "pangas" (if not all of
hem) don't have VHF, and I didn't see any larger ships.
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