Does anyone use a satellite phone?

[az_gogetem]

Does anyone on here carry a satellite phone with them? I'm looking into buying one. My dad died a few years ago and I hunted a lot by myself, got a hunting partner now but I still hunt quite a bit alone. The country I run has gotten me in quite a few predicaments (rattlesnakes striking my boots, crawling out on foot wide ledges with dog and lion, having to hook leads together to repel down to dogs in rock piles stuff like that) and the more I think about it the more I think I need to be carrying one.

Does anybody carry one right now? Whats it cost and how well does it work?

Thanks
Mike Harris

[FullCryHounds]

I use one when I'm in Alaska. They work fine but are about $400 for a month to rent with 400 minutes of talk time. If you own one, they are about $1.50 per minute but you have to buy a minumum of minutes so they get pretty expensive.

[Spanky]

My buddy Jim bought one for cougar hunting and elk hunting. Globalstar 1600 is down to $750 right now. They were over $900 a year ago.
The minutes are bought in bulk, naturally when you purchase the phone they give you introductory minutes to get started but we bought 500 minutes for right around $629.00
The smaller the block of minutes the more they charge you for them. Right now I believe they are $149 per 100 minutes.....

[Gray Fox]

They are too expensive for me. I am hoping the price will drop dramatically and soon.

[Grzyadms4x4]

Mike, have you thought of buying one of the SPOT personal locators? A phone it isn't, but it will get help to your exact coordinates. I saw a guy showing his on a hunting show. He accidentilly pressed the button and within a half hour or so there was a rescue helicopter looking and circling overhead. They are a lot cheaper than a satellte phone and will work the same for getting help. Unless you want that sat phone for Pappa Johns or on the trail beer delivery!