Iridium GO!, Zoleo

[stewartb]

Anyone tried these units? I hesitated on trying the GO! A couple of years ago when Iridium told me the service wouldn’t be fully useful until the new satellite constellation was in place, which it is now. I haven’t heard any user reports since. Zoleo is also interesting. No voice call support or app support like the GO! offers but the equipment cost is much lower and service plans a little lower, and Zoleo offers tracking for an additional $6 per month. Iridium service plans are more expensive than Inreach but the messaging is instant. The GO! may be a good replacement for my sat phone. In fact it may render sat phones obsolete for most users. It depends on how well it really works.

I’d appreciate any user reports.

 

[stewartb]

I forgot to include the ACR Bivy Stick. Also Iridium based and offers texting, tracking, and weather. It uses credits for services and unused credits roll over.

 

[5191H]

Hey Stewart,

I’ve been using Iridium Go exclusively since it came out. It’s worked flawless from fish camp outside Dilly to hunting camps near Tok. Haven’t been north of the Brooks with it yet.

Things to consider…
The GO sat receiver is another device that requires battery power paired with your phone.
Also you have to have the GO app uploaded on your phone before going into the field. Multiple devices can use receiver with the uploaded app.

Ease of use is great, connect through WiFi and you can call & text your contacts from your phone as normal.

I don’t pack a bulky sat phone anymore and probably never will. My service provider is Surveyors Exchange and they’ve been great.

David


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

 

[stewartb]

How is the weather app? Useful? I presume you can’t use standard apps like weathercams and accuweather? I tried an Iridium Axxess Point years ago and it was nearly useless. If the GO works better, I’ll switch. Especially if it has a useful weather app.

 

[5191H]

I have not used any aviation weather apps with the Go. I believe AeroPlus is available but I have no experience with it.


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[stewartb]

Thanks. I looked the info up and it supports AeroPlus weather and PredictWind, which looks like Windy. Playing with both now. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Cbass]

Would this be a more feature rich alternative to the Garmin inreach? How do the service plan prices compare to the inreach? I keep an annual subscription on my inreach, but wish my unused texts would rollover month to month.

 

[stewartb]

The GO allows sat access for your smart phone for voice calls, text, email, and a few basic apps. You can program an SOS button, so essentially speed dial RCC. The GO also provides tracking at 5 minute or greater intervals. Definitely an upgrade to my sat phone if it all works now, and apparently it does.

Inreach’s bigger units are discontinued so the Mini 2 is the future. We all know what Inreach does.

Zoleo is a satellite link for your cell phone for texting like the Inreach and also has a tracking option.

ACR Bivy is similar to Zoleo but has the roll-over plans.

Which device and service plan works best is subjective. I’ve always had a sat phone and like the real time voice and texting. The addition of the weather and wind apps is attractive but the apps are very limited compared to what we’re used to on cell phones. I believe my sat phone sim card will plug right into a GO unit so I’ll probably buy one and cancel Inreach.