Communication on the trail

[Goldfish]

Can anyone tell me if a cell phone or portable CB radio would be helpful hiking the NW Superstitions. Or is it all smoke signals?

[SuperstitionGuy]

Smoke and mirrors unless your high on a peak or ridge line...

[Goldfish]

Smoke and mirrors unless your high on a peak or ridge line...

For a cell signal, right? Got any reference on the CB?

Thanks, BTW

[Al_HikesAZ]

I wouldn't rely on a cell phone in the Supes. Sometimes texting works when cell doesn't. I suspect even texting would be very iffy in the Supes. Sometimes when you get up on a summit or ridge you can get a signal but still spotty and some carriers are better in some places than others. I know nothing about CB. My Globalstar Satphone works fine - sometimes you have to move a little to get a signal. Theoretically my ACR TerraFix 406 I/O PLB works since it is invoking NOAA satellites, but fortunately I've never had to try it. I know nothing about SPOT.

[SuperstitionGuy]

If you want to keep in communication with those in your party the small hand held FRS radios and CB's will work unless there is major obstructions in the way. SSAR carries radios but use their pagers as backup. When a team that cannot be reached by radio needs to be contacted they will send a coded message out via their pager system and often times this will work where their radios will not. Battery life and weight is a problem as well when trying to communicate in the wilderness.

[Goldfish]

Thanks, Al_HikesAZ, I wish I could afford them. I checked them out. Very nice.

[Goldfish]

You guys are a wealth of information. It will be a first time hike for me.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Enjoy your trip, be careful and bring us back some pictures.

[Goldfish]

I'm ready for a nice warm vacation.

[fotogirl53]

I use SPOT; I check in with 3 different family members about every hour when I am out alone. They get an email with my coordinates on GoogleMaps. There is no way to add personal messages on the trail. SPOT is often on sale and has rebates, ending up costing not much at all. But there is a yearly fee of about $100 for the satellite service.

[azbackpackr]

I rely on ESP... :whistle:

[DarthStiller]

I got a cell signal under Miner's needle, north of Barkley Basin once in 2003. You're higher up over the basin there and not too far from the creeping development to the south. once you get back in the basin, no signal until you make the ridge and are right over th TH. that's more SW than NW though. North of Superstition mt. and east of Lost dutchman is probably pretty barren for signals, but who knows. alot also probably depends on your provider.

[TwoWeims]

My wife and I have Garmin Rinos to keep in touch while on the trail. These are GPS receivers with a GMRS radio built in. I like the fact that I only have to have one electronic gadget with me while hiking. These also let you plot the location of the other members of your party (with Rinos) on your GPS screen in case you get separated.

[joebartels]

These also let you plot the location of the other members of your party (with Rinos) on your GPS screen in case you get separated.

Is that automatic?

Okay I just looked at the specs: Keep track of up to 50 Rino contacts
Wow, does it really work?

[Thoreau]

From my experience, cell phones are certainly useless even when on top of Flatiron, although we have gotten a text or two to go through before. SPOT worked well for me the whole way up/down that hike a few times with very few 'missed' location fixes on the map. I got a little cheap this year and couldn't bring myself to keep renewing SPOT and am now looking at a proper PLB before I try any solo hiking out that way.

It's probably more mental than anything, but I also now carry a Cobra Marine/GMRS radio with me (mainly for the GMRS) that's got a decent antenna and can transmit up to 5 watts. I figure at least there's a chance of reaching out to someone, especially if near any of the lakes and the boaters are on the marine channels. (Unfortunately, use of the marine freq's is illegal on land, and the GMRS side actually requires a (cheap) FCC license to operate.)

The Rino stuff is definitely something to think about if you're gonna be in groups that aren't TOO far away as you're still limited by the 1 watt GMRS radio and stubby antenna, and need a license too. (Gotta say though, I don't know ANYONE who uses GMRS and DOES have a license. Seems to be pretty much accepted that nobody really bothers with it. *shrug*) If the location-sharing stuff isn't important, you'dbe served (for a LOT less money) by a nice set of Motorola Talkabout's from Costco for basic communication over the same distances.

[Al_HikesAZ]

These also let you plot the location of the other members of your party (with Rinos) on your GPS screen in case you get separated.

Is that automatic?

Okay I just looked at the specs: Keep track of up to 50 Rino contacts
Wow, does it really work?

Hunters use these a lot so that they aren't squawking into walkie-talkies while stalking.