iPhone messaging via Satellite for spotting - any feedback?

I’m back from a wander around the Eastern Sierras in California and while hiking “way off grid” to a peak or two, noticed IOS 18 on my iPhone 14 offering to connect me to a satellite. For giggles, I tried and it seemed to allow me to send a non emergency and general text.

My carrier is ATT and a little web sleuthing shows this service is available beyond the US and in parts of Europe (UK etc).

Anyone (presumably voice ops) using satellite texting to spot themselves?

1 Like

No experience of the iPhone variant. I had a read-up when it came out and noted that it uses Globalstar satellites (same constellation and service as SPOT messenger), and as a result that this will be near-useless in ZL.

But if you are in an area with good Globalstar coverage, where Spot Messenger works reliably, then you could expect this Apple service to work equally well.

==

Several people I work with have tried the StarLink based equivalent offered by Vodafone (at least in ZL). Reports from that range include:

  • Sometimes works well
  • Better than nothing
  • Chews through your battery
  • Wouldn’t want to rely on it

All 3 indicated that the service was not something you’d want to rely on, and that they wouldn’t be cancelling the subscriptions on their paid-for InReach (iridium) satellite messengers any time soon in exchange for this ‘free’ service. But that is was worth trying if you had nothing else. If you can face knowing your money is going to Elon and his far-right causes.

2 Likes

Take a look at this. It’s an app in that Apple App Store that does exactly as you are saying, spots via satellite on your phone. You download the POTA and SOTA database in the app before your trip and the rest seems really easy! I have it downloaded but my last few trips out I just set an alert.

3 Likes

@K0HAA Hi Nolan,

Interesting app and I’ll check it out.

Separately, thanks for the chase a couple of days ago when I was on W6/ND-392 as a part of your POTA activation of Lewis and Clark. I activated that POTA entity in 2016 as a part of the ARRL NPOTA event. Wonder if POTA does “completes”?

Paul

1 Like

nope-18

You can add this fella to my “Nope” list as well :backhand_index_pointing_down:

efd501f53c6f9bdc3bb5baa2b9fab64df61eb1d9

1 Like

An American guy starts a thread about comms.

Rest of the World starts commenting on US politics. :speak_no_evil_monkey:

4 Likes

I was thinking more of causes in Germany and the UK, … but get your point

1 Like

Apple are partnering with Globalstar and you can see from Globalstar’s coverage maps, it’s not a universal service. This is for Globalstar’s own voice service and there will be expansion of the service with time.

T-Mobile offer connectivity through Starlink on some packages. There’s about 60 phones supported.

Vodaphone are developing systems with Amazon Kuiper and ASTSpacemobile.

Most of these methods need phones that support specific satellite radios and antennas in the device. The ASTSpacemobile design is about placing 4G/5G stuff on the satellites to allow the use of unmodified phones to talk directly to the satellites which is more interesting for people who have a phone or don’t want to buy some more expensive “up-market” device.

It’s all moderately early days… some work better than others. But if you want 24/7 anywhere coverage you’ll be looking at expensive specific handsets with eye-wateringly expensive call time from Iridium, Inmarsat or Thuraya. And Iridium is still reported as being “a bit pish” in the high Artic/Antarctic. Let’s hope it improves for when we offer an Antarctica Association so people can self-spot.

Several of the companies would appear to many of us to have the business ethos/ethics of 19th century robber barons. So to ensure they fit it, ASTSpacemobile have persuaded the FCC (who regulate US radio spectrum) to allow ASTSpacemobile to use our 70cm band for some initial satellite commissioning when the satellites are not over the USA. I’m not sure how that works “sure the US government authorises you to use the amateur/European military spectrum when you are not in the US controlled airspace.” Maybe I misunderstood things with how international laws work but I am tempted to keep an eye on the Keplers for new launches and borrow a couple of the 70cm contest linears and try to melt the sky. :wink:

2 Likes

Actually I owe the FCC an apology… Digging further shows ASTSpacemobile were using our 70cm band illegally for sometime for unauthorised commercial telemetry from their prototype satellites. This was eventually discovered, they were identified as the source and the signals vanished. Then they applied to the FCC for permission to use our band for all their satellites (over 200) and claimed there was a very low probability of interference, probably based on the length of time they had been pirating and nobody noticed. The FCC was having none of it and have granted permission for the 1st 20 satellites to use our band for emergencies when no other frequencies are available and for a max on 24hrs. Now that suggests to me the hardware is built for the 1st 20 satellites but there is time to change it for later builds. By allowing exceptional use cases the deployment can continue and ASTSpacemobile will not be so able to go calling in favours from politicians to apply pressure to the FCC.

And ASTSpacemobile’s card is marked with all the regulators that the company plays fast and loose with the rule book if they feel like it. We as hams can vote with our wallets and make sure we avoid their products and services.

3 Likes

I’ve found that the iOS satellite messaging is very sketchy in areas where it’s tough to get away from tree cover, which is no big surprise.

For SSB HF operators (who can’t rely on RBN, another reason CW is great for SOTA), check out SOTAmāt for spotting

There was a video someone made about it here which goes in to a high level look at what went on. Looks like they tried to take over the whole of 70cm initially.

1 Like

Thanks and tree attenuation makes sense.

Oddly enough and over 400+ activation some in quite remote places I always seemed to find cellular.

However, while trail safety and spotting are two very different topics, they do intersect. I carry an inReach and have done so on every activation no matter how noddy it maybe. When all else fails inReach texting to SOTA Watch works a charm.

Paul

1 Like

I can’t speak to AMZ but a little further sleuthing suggests ATT (my carrier) uses GlobalStar for emergency off grid iPhone connectivity and recreational / personal texting as I was doing is via StarLink. Think that is via 10Ghz.

1 Like