@MrFresh Garmin has a new device: InReach Messenger. We had been shopping recently and noticed Apple’s & T-Mobile’s interest in safety beacon service. Garmin’s new InReach may be a response to them. So we bought the bleeding edge Garmin. Was it a mistake?
@mandy I'll need to do some research about Garmin's service, The main difference btw the Apple & T-Mobile offerings is that Apple is only doing Emergency SOS via call center. Whenever T-Mobile comes online (late 2023-ish), they'll be providing more.
@mandy Ok I took a quick look. Forgot to mention that Apple's Emergency SOS service is free for the first two years, but again it's only Emergency SOS, so if you need more, Garmin is definitely the way to go.
@mandy Yes, I was looking at the different subscription rates. So, help me out. Neither of you will be using a phone - how does InReach substitute for that? Trust me, I bought my iPhone 12 straight out in June 2021, no monthly fees for me.
@MrFresh It has some pre-loaded messages it can send if your phone isn’t handy. If you can use your phone, you can compose a message on the fly. There are limits so best to just say “Made it to the campsite,” rather than trying to have a conversation.
@mandy Ahhh I see. That's my thing, Mandy - the origin of the service was originally (still is ) called Short Message Service (SMS), as you know, I despise trying to have a conversation via text, as ubiquitous as that has become today.
@MrFresh a phone call would be nice but we have experienced difficulty with calls from marginal coverage areas. Digital is so all-or-nothing. I would ask him to repeat himself, only to have it cut out exactly in the same part of his statement each time!
@mandy Yep, I experienced the physics (if you will) of digital when trying to make calls from Guam to the US many years ago on a Moto Razr V3M flip. Marginal coverage is still a concern at times.
@MrFresh I think we are using a subscription that can be paused so might turn it off all winter. I do go out alone in the winter but not consistently. Better to save the money and take the risk I always had to take before.
@mandy After recently witnessing an InReach in action, I’ve been strongly considering getting one. The SOS call did go through a call center. /@MrFresh
Mr TDH sent some test messages to me today while in a part of the game area with no cell signal, so I know it is working. He wants to go bikepacking alone soon. /@MrFresh