Buying inactive Iridium satphone sim
Posted by Anonymous__Lobster@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 42 comments
Has anyone ever bought something like this?
I want to go buy a used Iridium satphone, obviously, sellers will have their phone inactivated, so a sim will be required to turn it on and function check.
The nice thing about Iridiums is the batteries are easily replacable (perhaps even hot swappable?) so if the seller's battery is kaput, a new one isn't that expensive nor that difficult to replace.
Here is my most recent satphone post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/preppers/comments/1oibmic/used_iridium_satphone_buyers_guide/
Thank you
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
I have 8 Iridium Satellite Phones that I have active at all times.
You have Ground Stations all around the World. As long as one, just one, of those stations is operational, the system will normally. Even if all ground stations went out, as long as the satellite network is operational, you can connect between satellite phones without communication from the ground. The kicker is that all devices must be active at the time.
Having a device or SIM that is inactive during even a "normal" power and communication outage is useless. You need to activate them, which requires Internet access and, technically, up to 72 hours to update the network with your SIM/device.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
I'm aware
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
So what is the plan if you have a SIM and device but don't activate them?
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
I have a lot to say about that subject but step one is just buying a Sim and then driving to look at a used iridium for sale and making sure it works.
Do the prepaid sims and/or the monthly sims give you the same freedom to activate and activate or are sims toast the moment you deactivate them?
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
Which requires you to activate them.
You can suspend a SIM without an issue but once it is deactivated a SIM is done. Now that information is about 4 years old, so that could have changed.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Sorry to keep bothering you. Do you mind helping me with some more information if/when you have a chance? This person is asking 200$ but they lice kind of far away. I could ask for more photos, but do you think they're missing anything? I can get a 12$ new inactive prepaid Sim and then activate it ~100+ hours before I drive up... if it works and I scoop it up for ~$100, that would be a really good deal I assume.
I looked it up and you dont need tools to change the sim allegedly.
I assume they dont have the vehicle antenna. That might be a really useful separate accessory purchase.
I know they make a lot of different iridiums, it's a 9505A, which they don't make anymore, so perhaps it's not such a good deal. Also, the battery could be shit, but they are replaceable for reasonable money, allegedly
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
Do you have proof that it turns on and connects to the Network? It doesn't need an active SIM/Plan to do that.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
What will it say on the screen?
"CONN"?
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
It will indicate that it's connected but No SIM Present or Inactive. It depends on the model, so I am guessing a bit.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
They claim they just put a new battery in it and it works good. Frankly I think the new battery thing is slightly weird but whatever
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
I would ask for a short video of it being turned on and at least 10 seconds after it is completely booted up.
The new battery is possible but you really have no idea.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Ah so presumably according to your knowledge, I cant buy the 12$ inactive Sim, call to activate the Sim, then call back to turn it off, then a couple months turn it back on again
Id need to buy another Sim all over again as soon as I turn it off
Also curious if when activating the Sim I have the freedom to choose annual minutes OR monthly, or if those two things use somehow different sims and I need to decide which type of Sim I want beforehand
I_like_boobs28008@reddit
I’m not judging, just genuinely curious…. What do you pay to keep that many Sat phones activated…?
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
It's about $1,100/month total.
I know that is a lot and recognize that I am fortunate to be able to do it financially without much thought.
With that said, I would absolutely tell people to consider other options FIRST but only AFTER securing a lot of other Preps.
Finallyawake451@reddit
T moble has a plan to turn my s25 into a sat phone. Just don't need it.
silasmoeckel@reddit
It will work but really no good use case for it.
If things still good you want a PLB not a satphone. People do not get how spotty coverage is vs using something that's designed to just work not just at the top of a hill.
If things are not this wont work for long and even then only if your paying stupid amounts month's to month to keep it active.
FEMA handed out smartphones like candy and they have priority so for the middle ground they work until FEMA rolls in or at 4am.
Overall a starlink is cheaper and useful.
livestrong2109@reddit
There's actually a Garmin PLB that currently very much on sale. Can't tell you where though as it's banned. Use Google.
shikkonin@reddit
Garmin does not make PLBs.
silasmoeckel@reddit
Garmin makes a PLB? Dont confuse a sos button and this: https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/cospas-sarsat-system-overview/ they are not the same might as well just use an iphone and startlink.
livestrong2109@reddit
I'm messaging it to you...
silasmoeckel@reddit
In case others search here yea not a PLB
livestrong2109@reddit
https://a.co/d/7IuauIy
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
I really don't buy into the whole "an InReach is better than a satphone" thing.
Is an InReach cheaper? Yes
silasmoeckel@reddit
Who said inreach? It's not really different than a sms on a sat phone.
PLB is very different 10 years press button to come save me. Multiple layers of satellites aircraft etc give you the best chance of being received.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
The InReach I believe is a PLB with text but I could be wrong
Multiple layers of satelite huh
Sounds like a satphone
silasmoeckel@reddit
No only a PLB is a PLB, it's a very specific safety device. Inreach is a sat based texting with a cheesy SOS button. They don't use the same systems. Calling an inreach a PLB is like calling a beer cozy a life vest, they both float but one is designed to save your life.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
All three are designed to save your life. I think the PLB probably uses the same types of satellites. If not Iridium, then Globalstar or Inmarsat. FYI, the last two are shit compared to Iridium
silasmoeckel@reddit
Not even close. Read the edit I clarified.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Man, You're not even close. I don't care that allegedly some guy on the internet says that the planes have a PLB reciever; A quick google search of "PLB vs InReach" reveals that pretty much all of reddit agrees that a satellite communicator is superior to a PLB. Do you sell PLBs for a living or something?
They even say that a PLB has to get routed to some call center in Texas before they reach out to the SAR local to you... No idea if true or not.. They said the whole process takes ages.
The idea that pressing a button and then standing there with your dick hanging in the wind hoping some jabronis somewhere maybe got your message is a clownish fanciful idea I would reckon... As a backup to your communicator and/or satphone? Sounds great to me. So broke you can't get a satphone or sat communicator? I guess go for the PLB, you get what you can afford.
Two-way communication and confirming someone got your message, not to mention feeding them additional details and information, pretty much everyone on the internet seems to agree that is a "game changer", their words not mine. This is pretty simple logic.
Children_Of_Atom@reddit
PLB uses the Cospas-Sarsat network which is also used by aircraft (ELT's) and vessels (EPIRB's) and are rather idiot proof. Modern devices can transit their location too and if that fails the system can determine a general area which can than be further homed in on. It's a much simpler system not based on two way communication.
For me an Iridum Garmin does make more sense. The two way communication aspect outweighs having a harder time to transmit messages. Personally don't have a hard time sending and receiving messages though there are some low points where it doesn't work.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
The guy i was disagreeing with made some compelling arguments. I'm thinking an Iridium satphone and a PLB would both be nice
silasmoeckel@reddit
No financial interest. Most of reddit says a baofeng is a good radio yet it's easy to show how technically bad they are. Lets not confuse group think and good PR something is actually good.
PLB is def only for the oh f*ck somebody please come save me. It's the thing that will give you the best chance of getting help. Very few people will ever need to active one, but it's the thing with the best chance of working.
Now if you want something to let somebody know your running late, got a flat or whatever yea not the thing use a satphone/inreach/whatever. It's two very different tasks.
As to two way yea that's a great feature. It does not matter if your not getting out in the first place. PLB's meet government requirements for safety the rest of that does not with good reasons I've already explained. PLB's work in a lot of corner cases, if your still able bodied enough to get your sat phone up someplace it works great. PLB's are the best chance of working when your down in some slot canyon with your legs broken. Inreach is great for a Tuesday.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
I find it hard to believe that PLBs operate in such a different manner and/or different oportion and/or multiple different portions of the frequency spectrum that they can transmit form physical locations and/or through obstructions that satellite communicators and phones cannot
silasmoeckel@reddit
The frequency is better 406mhz and the power output is higher but the rest is all about the receivers.
Iridum is a polar orbit of LEO sats. Great if your in a north/south canyon useless in an east/west. It's higher frequency (L band) can be blocked by heavy tree cover forget needing to be down in a narrow canyon.
PLB has sats in polar, traditional east/west LEO, MEO are the newest gen and have RLS (let you know they heard you and are coming), and geostationary. On top of that every commercial and military airplane has a receiver so over many places you have things much closer in the sky going all sorts of paths. Further you have ground stations in some places. This layering gives you the best chance of being heard and thus rescued. Most SAR helicopters can receive it and the secondary beacon directly. Simply put the government has been strapping PLB receivers onto just about everything they can get their hands on for the last 20+ years as it's the standard for personal, aircraft, and marine use civilian and military.
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Are there land epirbs or are epirbs just PLBs that are made for maritime use
silasmoeckel@reddit
Not really, it's all the same system, some difference as to epribs being automatically activated things like that but the signup to the the sat/airplane is all 406mhz.
Children_Of_Atom@reddit
inReach or another satellite based texting device is also far less bulky and far better on batteries.
certifiedintelligent@reddit
The phone isn’t active or inactive, the SIM is what matters for service.
Read the fine print on these as leaving them inactive for long enough may expire them. Even in the case they don’t, if you’re saving this for SHTF, how do you plan on activating the service?
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
Thats another topic for another post
If SHTF there's a good chance they won't work anyway
OtherwiseAlbatross14@reddit
Why keep breaking the same subject into multiple posts?
Anonymous__Lobster@reddit (OP)
This post isnt so much about the effectiveness of sat phones as it is the different plans and prices and activation and deactivation and the dogmas surrounding which way to use them