GPS and satellite communicator for mountain expeditions
What are the best affordable satellite communication devices that work in the Himalayas or the Karakoram or in remote corners of our planet?
How can I stay in touch with my family when I am climbing in Nepal or Pakistan where there is no phone network?
Your family and friends understand that you have this innate nature to explore and go on daring adventures. They know, you understand the risk of going to these off-the-grid remote locations, where only a few dare to venture, and yet some unexplainable reason you go there. Before, it was hard for family members to know about your whereabouts or how your journey is progressing.
Now, thanks to the brilliant human beings, who have made just the right products for you and your family to stay in touch and get regular updates on your adventure. Whether you are climbing remote Himalayan peaks like Himlung Himal or Putha Hiunchuli or on a daring mission like K2 or Makalu, with GPS and active-tracking features your family members can see your progress right on their screens.
Be it climbing in Pakistan’s K2, Spatnik, or Broad Peak in the Karakoram range or your adventure in the Indian Himalayan range, GPS technology now is within your reach and does come at a reasonable cost. Below we have listed some of the Satellite phones and GPS tracking devices that we have been using on our missions, which have helped us to keep track of our missions, pass on critical messages, call in for rescues and provide daily weather reports.
Note - If you are a seasoned hiker or climber, then it is best to buy them. If they are expensive and do not make sense to buy them then you can rent one from your home country (check availability, US or UK some retailers do rent them). Also, important to check with your operators, if the country allows individuals to bring their own satellite phones. For eg - India do not allow climbers to bring satellite phone due to the sensitivity of sharing borders with China and Pakistan. While Nepal allows climbers to bring their own satellite phones.
If you are transiting from India then please do not carry any GPS or satellite phones. The airport security will either confiscate or charge you from $700+ per device as a penalty.
Satellite Phones
Thuraya - XT-Lite Phones
We use Thuraya’s XT-LITE in all our expeditions. This has been our go-to satellite phone. They are one of the best valued and most reliable communication devices.
Thuraya’s coverage is very reliable, especially in the Himalayan subcontinent. Please check the images below for their coverage range.
Easy to recharge, cost-friendly, the rugged and reliable network is just the device you need during your expeditions. Calls made to these satellite phones are expensive ($13+ per minute) as opposed to calling from these devices to any numbers around the globe ($1 to $2 per minute)
Best for the expedition in the Himalayas (Nepal) or the Karakoram (Pakistan).
Thuraya’s satellite coverage range.
Recharge Thuraya’s sim: https://www.thurayarecharge.com/FAQ-about-recharging-and-using-your-Thuraya-prepaid-SIM/
Iridium Satellite Phones - Iridium 9555 or Iridium Extreme
If you are planning your adventures in the Himalayas and beyond in the arctic then Iridium satellite phones must be your choice. Iridium satellite has the most network coverage around the globe and is known to have reliable connections in the Himalayan ranges and arctic regions too.
Iridium has 100% global satellite coverage with networks available in Nepal, India, Pakistan, North/South America, and even Antarctica. With a group consisting of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites, cross-linked to operate as a fully meshed network, several overlapping satellites ensure coverage over the entire globe.
They are slightly higher in cost when compared with Thuraya’s satellite phones.
Learn more about Iridium’s network coverage (link)
Inmarsat - Isat phone 2
Inmarsat is another reliable satellite phones in the market for your big mountain expeditions. Their latest handset IsatPhone 2 is a robust handset, which has been engineered to cope with anything from searing heat to icy blasts, desert sandstorms, or monsoon rain. With battrey life of 8 hours of talk time and up to 160 hours on standby.
SOS button – sends GPS location data and text to a pre-set emergency number
Global Coverage - Operates over Inmarsat’s I-4 Global Geostationary Satellites
Inmarsat satellite covers Nepal, India, Pakistan, and North/South America expeditions. Check the image below for their global satellite coverage range.
GPS Devices
GARMIN’s - INREACH EXPLORER, INREACH MINI2, GPSMAP 66I
When it comes to GPS devices, all of Garmin’s above satellite communicators have been our top choice. Garmin’s satellite communicators are some of the best for your off-grid adventures with two-way messaging by connecting to a reliable satellite network. They use Iridium’s satellite network for messaging and tracking your GPS co-coordinates.
If you are a seasoned hiker or climber then purchasing one of their product that suits your need. We highly recommended getting one. You’ll need an active satellite subscription to access the Iridium satellite network for each device's functionality, including tracking, messaging, weather forecasts, and interactive SOS. We particularly like their active track feature which allows our team back in Kathmandu or anyone globally (with the tracking link) to track our team’s ongoing progress and coordinates/altitudes. Mind you this feature is sometimes laggy but the network does come live even with disturbances.
Do not worry if you only plan to use their services once or twice a year, their freedom plan is just the perfect option for you.
Inreach subscription plan link: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/837461
Zoleo satellite communicator
Zoleo uses the same satellite network as Garmin. Subscriptions plans are required to activate their satellite communication features and a smartphone or tablet is required to use this device.
At just $200 for the device, this is another affordable option for your off-grid adventures. Zoleo does not provide active tracking features but you can share your GPS coordinates via messages.
Zoloe subscription plan link: https://www.zoleo.com/en-us/plans
Conclusion
Although there are very few options in the market for satellite phones and communication devices available, the ones listed above are some of the best that is proving to be very effective and reliable. Being in touch regularly does somewhat sense of relief for family members and friends when you venture out on daring adventures in the Himalayas, the Karakoram, or anywhere remote around the world. What was once accessible to only governments and the military is now available to normal consumers. This will only get better.
With the ongoing space flights from companies such as Space X and Blue origin, we can only imagine there being more low-orbit satellite services. Of them all, one to keep an eye out for will be Starlink, which could be a game-changer with high-speed satellite internet being available anywhere in the world, including Nepal. So, there is plenty to be optimistic about and Starlink plans to have services in Nepal, India around 2023.
For now (2022) the above listed are the best/most reliable in the market. It is so much better we now have this option to send/receive messages, SOS, have weather reports sent, make/receive calls and send regular GPS coordinates to teams or family members/friends who would like to stay updated about your expeditions.
Plan your adventure. Let’s go to the mountains. Stay connected. Venture freely. Go.
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