How do radios compare in price and usefulness to satellite phones? I've never used either and don't know how well they do in the mountains. I know you can rent the phones, though, and pay by the minute so you don't have to lay out hundreds for them.
completely different tool.
Sat phone like cell phones you must dial one specific number and that person must answer. and you must pay a fee, either monthly or per minute or both. You can call from almost anywhere in the world, to basically any phone number in the world. Your call goes from your handset to the "tower" which in that case is a satellite, the onto a switching network to some other central office or tower to the other person's phone.
2-way radios are typically no fee and communications is either direct from your radio to every other radio within range on the same frequency. Or to a repeater which retransmits it to every radio within range on the same frequency. (using the aforementioned "codes", allows groups to share a frequency without bothering each other very much). When you transmit, and talk all your hunting buddies hear what you say and can reply if they want to, no need to "answer" to set up a connection.
the dynamics of 2-way radio usage is a lot different than the familiar making a phone call we all know how to do. I think radios are much better suited for outdoor use for anything except calling 911 in an emergency or checking in with the wife back home.
Poole
