I was saddened to hear that James Kim's body was found earlier
today. He and his family had been stranded in Oregon in below-
freezing temperatures for over a week. They had a cell phone
with them, but apparently there was no cell phone coverage in the
area they were in.
My question is - would another form of communications
technology have been able to reach out from that remote area?
A satellite phone? shortwave radio? CB?
2006-12-06 19:45:10 · 4 answers · asked by annoying_the_neighbours 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
Sounds like the satellite solutions require line-of-sight to a satellite. For any randomly selected spot, how often is a satellite in LOS?
Is using a ground-based transmission (e.g. ELF, VLF) completely out of the question due to the required size/power of the transmitter?
2006-12-08 19:51:26 · update #1
Amazingly there is not a good system for emergency location. You'd think that'd be a no-brainer with GPS and the Iridium satellite phone grid. Aviation has a few gadgets, below is a link. Of course that needs line-of-sight to a satellite, and sometimes mountain terrain interferes. The more you climb the better your signal, satellite or cell. He had no cell coverage only because he was in a valley.
Even more than that, have survival gear in your car! Good long underwear, clothing that isn't cotton, and a mini-tent for a start.
2006-12-06 22:30:06 · answer #1 · answered by Wolf Harper 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes Indeed! Other forms will work. I am planning to suggest satellite rental phones to REI and other outdoor equipment retailers. Also, the old ham radio / shortwave will work but requires a license. For stronger transmission and reception, some antenna equipment must be hauled in and setup. The CB radio is a weaker solution and I believe is restricted more to line of sight; not ideal in mountainous terrain.
2006-12-07 09:40:34 · answer #2 · answered by MIKE D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a ham radio would work if there is a repeater close by. cb radios have a 10 mile range but the woods may mess them up. he needed to stay put. when anyone gets lost if they just sit still the dogs get a good scent to trail them.
2006-12-07 05:18:28 · answer #3 · answered by scooprandell 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
E.P.I.R.B (Emergency Position. Indicating, Radio. Beacon). it has a satellite link that Alerts, and pinpoints your EXACT location (Lat. and Long) to the U.S. Coast Guard ANYWHERE !
2006-12-07 22:56:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋