Classic Air Medical

[Ryan]

If a regular cell phone could reach satellites, we wouldn't need specialized sat phones. Wifi calling has a VERY limited range. My Samsung quits trying to use wifi calling and switches to the LTE system if I'm more than 100 feet away from my router.

Devices like the Garmin can send shorts texts, but they don't have the satellite coverage that Star Link has, so sometimes it takes a while to line up with a compatible satellite to complete the transmission.

A Tesla phone would operate on the Star Link system. Elon has plans to eventually orbit 42,000 individual satellites. That would allow overlapping coverage and the bandwidth to conduct normal 2 way voice conversations, not just texts. Star Link satellites operate on different frequencies than cell phones, so new equipment will be required.

I don't think you are correct on this. Or maybe we are looking at it in different ways. I am talking about those that have added a Star Link system to their boat. Not someone that is using their cell phone somehow hoping that it will connect to Elon's satellite system.

Almost all newer cell phones have the ability to utilize Wifi to make phone calls. It shouldn't matter if that is your home wifi system, or wifi created from Star Link. I know personally at my house I used wifi calling for several years before Verizon finally added a local tower.

We leave next week for our summer trip, and will test the StarLink wifi calling out and report back. Everything that I read online says it should work.

 

[David A Dexter]

BobT, yes, the Garmin InReach units all connect to your smart phone via Bluetooth; it's very slick. The only downside is, if your wife wants to take it hiking, it will only work with ONE smart phone, not multiples with the app. I'm not sure why Garmin did that, but I think it was purposeful. However, the SOS button will function anyway.

 

[Ed_on_WD]

I don't think you are correct on this. Or maybe we are looking at it in different ways. I am talking about those that have added a Star Link system to their boat. Not someone that is using their cell phone somehow hoping that inect to Elon's satellite system.

Almost all newer cell phones have the ability to utilize Wifi to make phone calls. It shouldn't matter if that is your home wifi system, or wifi created from Star Link.

I've just finished some surfing on the rumors of Elon's Tesla Pi Phone, and, while the tech specs are still "fluid", there are sources that say that his phones are equipped with satellite antennas so that they can reach Star Link directly, without the need to tether to a Star Link internet connection via wifi. I suppose it is designed to go that route also, but having the ability to connect to Star Link satellites directly would allow video calling while on foot in the wilderness. That would set his phone apart from the competition.

 

[Dworwood]

BobT, yes, the Garmin InReach units all connect to your smart phone via Bluetooth; it's very slick. The only downside is, if your wife wants to take it hiking, it will only work with ONE smart phone, not multiples with the app. I'm not sure why Garmin did that, but I think it was purposeful. However, the SOS button will function anyway.

We pair our InReach to different phones all the time when I lend mine out, you just have to pair it back to yours when it returns to you. I have done it many times and they download the earthmate app and are good to go.

 

[BobT]

BobT, yes, the Garmin InReach units all connect to your smart phone via Bluetooth; it's very slick. The only downside is, if your wife wants to take it hiking, it will only work with ONE smart phone, not multiples with the app. I'm not sure why Garmin did that, but I think it was purposeful. However, the SOS button will function anyway.

So if I'm out and about and text her via the satellite, the message goes to her normal text messaging rather than a garmin specific app? FYI for folks. There is an app called maps.me that works off of your phones GPS that will give you your location without cellular service. Wandering around Hanoi without keeping track. Turn it on. And there's a dot that shows you where you are! Orient yourself and off you go. It's worked like that at Powell for me too.

 

[TR.]

So if I'm out and about and text her via the satellite, the message goes to her normal text messaging rather than a garmin specific app? FYI for folks. There is an app called maps.me that works off of your phones GPS that will give you your location without cellular service. Wandering around Hanoi without keeping track. Turn it on. And there's a dot that shows you where you are! Orient yourself and off you go. It's worked like that at Powell for me too.

I don’t keep up with the technology and apps although I should. I use Avenza maps for what you are describing. free app, you can download different types of maps for where you are going and when you pull it up, the same idea, blue dot shows your location. finding a good map for the lake is harder than most though. The noaa marine maps and Avenza are the way to go for any coastal use and I keep the maps as backup on my phone, same as the lake. If my electronics crap out, my paper map gets lost and I am turned around, I can still have a map to look at along with location. Back to the original post, the air medical business is a tough one. Rotor time is expensive as you can imagine, not to mention the enormous cost of the medical equipment on board in addition to the staffing costs. I am not defending Classic, as from what I have seen they are more predatory in their billing practices than most. (Just do an online search) There are more reasonably priced air medical services out there but geographically, at the lake i believe it will be Classic and that’s that. You have to make a cost/benefit decision when you call in air medical and that is not easy. When all of us make the decision to go back country at the lake it is known that you are going a long way from anything and that if an emergency arises you may not get care for some time. Doctrine of implied assumption of risk. Keep in mind that weather and mechanical issues can stop an air evac in a second, so air medical is not always available. As to subscriptions, as noted before, things have changed, but keep in mind that as far I know air medical companies don’t honor other companies subscriptions. if you call for air medical and a company other than your subscribed one shows up you will be billed full price. I have seen first hand the demand for a patient asking for air medical from their subscribed service and being told they are not available however another is, but it will cost full price. In the end, if you make the call, you are accepting the service and the bill, that’s just the hard fact. Know your options, have first aid kits available and take a class to help you make the right decisions. And sometimes bad things happen to good people that do everything right. Guess I am a little jaded as I have been in the business a long time and hung it out there to help a lot of clueless people...and ones that have done everything right. Started out just putting this pic in to show the longevity of the product and got side tracked. Below is my inreach with a ton of miles on it, so many that it doesn’t even say Garmin on it

 

[BobT]

I don’t keep up with the technology and apps although I should. I use Avenza maps for what you are describing. free app, you can download different types of maps for where you are going and when you pull it up, the same idea, blue dot shows your location. finding a good map for the lake is harder than most though. The noaa marine maps and Avenza are the way to go for any coastal use and I keep the maps as backup on my phone, same as the lake. If my electronics crap out, my paper map gets lost and I am turned around, I can still have a map to look at along with location. Back to the original post, the air medical business is a tough one. Rotor time is expensive as you can imagine, not to mention the enormous cost of the medical equipment on board in addition to the staffing costs. I am not defending Classic, as from what I have seen they are more predatory in their billing practices than most. (Just do an online search) There are more reasonably priced air medical services out there but geographically, at the lake i believe it will be Classic and that’s that. You have to make a cost/benefit decision when you call in air medical and that is not easy. When all of us make the decision to go back country at the lake it is known that you are going a long way from anything and that if an emergency arises you may not get care for some time. Doctrine of implied assumption of risk. Keep in mind that weather and mechanical issues can stop an air evac in a second, so air medical is not always available. As to subscriptions, as noted before, things have changed, but keep in mind that as far I know air medical companies don’t honor other companies subscriptions. if you call for air medical and a company other than your subscribed one shows up you will be billed full price. I have seen first hand the demand for a patient asking for air medical from their subscribed service and being told they are not available however another is, but it will cost full price. In the end, if you make the call, you are accepting the service and the bill, that’s just the hard fact. Know your options, have first aid kits available and take a class to help you make the right decisions. And sometimes bad things happen to good people that do everything right. Guess I am a little jaded as I have been in the business a long time and hung it out there to help a lot of clueless people...and ones that have done everything right. Started out just putting this pic in to show the longevity of the product and got side tracked. Below is my inreach with a ton of miles on it, so many that it doesn’t even say Garmin on it View attachment 18897

If I called for air evacuation cost would be secondary. Satellite for wife’s piece of mind or broken prop dead battery stuff.

 

[LP1]

Not sure if this has been covered already, but I use the Inreach for backpacking and purchase emergency rescue insurance through garmin. Hitting the SOS on the devise starts the process, thankfully have never had to do it. You can purchase the insurance on a monthly subscription, I just buy it for backpacking season. Not sure the service works at Lake Powell, but worth checking out. Googling Inreach Insurance will get you started.

 

[Peto]

My standard speech is that no part of your body is worth risking to prevent damage to the boat. Never let any part of your body get between the boat and another object.

Same speech I give. I tell them if I ram the dock it's my bad and I pay to have my cruiser fixed.... I learned the hard way. Broke my leg trying to fend off the old Rainbow Bridge marina dock..... You guys remember when you would loiter in the channel until they called you in for fuel?

 

[Chemosabe]

I don't think you are correct on this. Or maybe we are looking at it in different ways. I am talking about those that have added a Star Link system to their boat. Not someone that is using their cell phone somehow hoping that it will connect to Elon's satellite system.

Almost all newer cell phones have the ability to utilize Wifi to make phone calls. It shouldn't matter if that is your home wifi system, or wifi created from Star Link. I know personally at my house I used wifi calling for several years before Verizon finally added a local tower.

We leave next week for our summer trip, and will test the StarLink wifi calling out and report back. Everything that I read online says it should work.

You are correct. Crystal clear calling via wifi connection to the starlink hub. Rock Creek is within the Wahweap service area. YoutubeTV, Netflix, etc. all just as good as at home on fiber. The speeds are just incredible.

 

[Dworwood]

So if I'm out and about and text her via the satellite, the message goes to her normal text messaging rather than a garmin specific app? FYI for folks. There is an app called maps.me that works off of your phones GPS that will give you your location without cellular service. Wandering around Hanoi without keeping track. Turn it on. And there's a dot that shows you where you are! Orient yourself and off you go. It's worked like that at Powell for me too.

@BobT I sometimes text people with my InReach and tell them it’s “me” because it has a different phone number than they are used to seeing. Once they have it they can text me/you as well, or you can give the number to them before you go so they can text you. To answer your question it goes to their regular phone just like any other text as long as they are in service. I use mine at work and I have texted suppliers for parts or questions as well as using it at powell or any other place I am away from phone service. I actually use mine quite often. FYI when an SOS is triggered there is no cost for that service, there is only a charge if the services needed charge for those like a chopper and they charge whom ever the services are for, not the InReach owner. There have been instances when someone was lost and the local resources guided them back to a trail by texting them and there were no charges issued. The support people can see where you are and relay that to local agencies. It is unique to every circumstance and situation. Inreach has many videos on the Garmin web page, both real rescues and instructional. Hope this helps.

 

[Bill Sampson]

Same speech I give. I tell them if I ram the dock it's my bad and I pay to have my cruiser fixed.... I learned the hard way. Broke my leg trying to fend off the old Rainbow Bridge marina dock..... You guys remember when you would loiter in the channel until they called you in for fuel?

I remember waiting for the call at Rainbow Bridge. In the summer that place became a zoo.

 

[Dworwood]

I don’t keep up with the technology and apps although I should. I use Avenza maps for what you are describing. free app, you can download different types of maps for where you are going and when you pull it up, the same idea, blue dot shows your location. finding a good map for the lake is harder than most though. The noaa marine maps and Avenza are the way to go for any coastal use and I keep the maps as backup on my phone, same as the lake. If my electronics crap out, my paper map gets lost and I am turned around, I can still have a map to look at along with location. Back to the original post, the air medical business is a tough one. Rotor time is expensive as you can imagine, not to mention the enormous cost of the medical equipment on board in addition to the staffing costs. I am not defending Classic, as from what I have seen they are more predatory in their billing practices than most. (Just do an online search) There are more reasonably priced air medical services out there but geographically, at the lake i believe it will be Classic and that’s that. You have to make a cost/benefit decision when you call in air medical and that is not easy. When all of us make the decision to go back country at the lake it is known that you are going a long way from anything and that if an emergency arises you may not get care for some time. Doctrine of implied assumption of risk. Keep in mind that weather and mechanical issues can stop an air evac in a second, so air medical is not always available. As to subscriptions, as noted before, things have changed, but keep in mind that as far I know air medical companies don’t honor other companies subscriptions. if you call for air medical and a company other than your subscribed one shows up you will be billed full price. I have seen first hand the demand for a patient asking for air medical from their subscribed service and being told they are not available however another is, but it will cost full price. In the end, if you make the call, you are accepting the service and the bill, that’s just the hard fact. Know your options, have first aid kits available and take a class to help you make the right decisions. And sometimes bad things happen to good people that do everything right. Guess I am a little jaded as I have been in the business a long time and hung it out there to help a lot of clueless people...and ones that have done everything right. Started out just putting this pic in to show the longevity of the product and got side tracked. Below is my inreach with a ton of miles on it, so many that it doesn’t even say Garmin on it View attachment 18897

@TR Oh my goodness! Dolorme hasn’t been around for 20 years that’s showing your age!. That is an antique!

 

[BobT]

@BobT I sometimes text people with my InReach and tell them it’s “me” because it has a different phone number than they are used to seeing. Once they have it they can text me/you as well, or you can give the number to them before you go so they can text you. To answer your question it goes to their regular phone just like any other text as long as they are in service. I use mine at work and I have texted suppliers for parts or questions as well as using it at powell or any other place I am away from phone service. I actually use mine quite often. FYI when an SOS is triggered there is no cost for that service, there is only a charge if the services needed charge for those like a chopper and they charge whom ever the services are for, not the InReach owner. There have been instances when someone was lost and the local resources guided them back to a trail by texting them and there were no charges issued. The support people can see where you are and relay that to local agencies. It is unique to every circumstance and situation. Inreach has many videos on the Garmin web page, both real rescues and instructional. Hope this helps.

Good information, Thanks. Was going to go for all the bells and whistles "Montana" version. But settled on the mini. Just want safety. Don't need to be "one of those" that can't go into the wild without being connected all the time . It sucks getting old, but beats the alternative.

 

[Dworwood]

Good information, Thanks. Was going to go for all the bells and whistles "Montana" version. But settled on the mini. Just want safety. Don't need to be "one of those" that can't go into the wild without being connected all the time . It sucks getting old, but beats the alternative.

@BobT I agree about the getting old but we still like to do what we have always done! The good part about the InReach is only the people that you want to contact or be contacted by are the ones with access!! Twice when there were national emergencies like 911 I was in remote areas and didn't even know about them. At least this way you can learn of emergencies and act accordingly however you see fit. It is piece of mind knowing if I break down at the end of the SJ I can get help in one form or another. Truthfully I feel better having my InReach with me. I came upon a motorcycle wreck last year and sure wished I would have had it with me, the rider died and would have anyway but it would have saved quite a bit of time if I would have had my InReach instead of someone having to drive 10 miles to get phone service! I try to take mine when ever I travel just for that reason. Text the wife once in a while to make her feel it was worth it!
Tight lines and good luck!

 

[Slots-R-Us]

We do a lot of canyoneering, my son-in-law is especially into extreme canyons. He always carries the Inreach with him. Its not only good for emergency use but brings my daughter some peace of mind as he checks in with her every night. My son had problems on a rappel last year and had to take the helicopter ride out to St George with a severely shattered leg. We didn't need the sat connection that time but were very grateful for the air med service and the response of the NPS in helping out.

 

[BobT]

We do a lot of canyoneering, my son-in-law is especially into extreme canyons. He always carries the Inreach with him. Its not only good for emergency use but brings my daughter some peace of mind as he checks in with her every night. My son had problems on a rappel last year and had to take the helicopter ride out to St George with a severely shattered leg. We didn't need the sat connection that time but were very grateful for the air med service and the response of the NPS in helping out.

One of the things I’ve considered. Even with the sporadic cell service you can grab around the lake, that SOS button would be direct, and to the right place.

 

[Havalina]

The Garmin in reach also has the ability to let people track you. I have had a few to many tbi’s and can get pretty loopy if I push it. The wife won’t let me go to GHB in the winter months without it. She gets a warm fuzzy and I get my free time. I am also a big proponent of keeping it on you 24/7. During a wind storm this winter, my boat ripped out its steaks and blew across the cove. If it would have gone across the channel, I would have been screwed. Your not swimming it when the water temp is 48 degrees. I use the explorer +.