Satellite Messaging

I’ve had a Garmain Inreach mini since 2019. So how’s that been working out for me? In short, pretty darn well. 

They use the reliable Iridium satellite system. The system pretty much gives you world wide coverage. That matters to me as I’m often beyond the range of cell towers. In fact, I can’t even get cell service at my house. 

The mini works best in conjunction with a smart phone. I’m using my old phone that no longer has an active subscription plan. While the mini works fine alone some things work much better using a phone app. The mapping function really needs a phone screen. Messaging is more convenient using a cell phone than hunting for the letters one by one on the mini. 

The SOS feature is a covered button right on the mini. That’s a great feature if you ever need assistance anywhere on the planet. The service can check your GPS location and send the appropriate aid. The messaging feature is useful in an emergency too as you can give details of your situation that will help the rescuers. 

The Garmin has a lot of features and it’s worth checking to see if they are right for you. There are now a number of other Iridium based messaging systems so it’s worth comparing. They have different plan requirements and offer other things beside simple text messages. Personally, I use messaging, weather updates and maps the most. 

The big thing for me is the piece of mind knowing that SOS button is there. I don’t send a lot of messages but when I do I’m glad I can. Last winter our grid, Internet, and phones went down. I stuck a shovel in the snow out in the yard with a clear view of the sky and hung the mini on the handle. From inside my warm house I connected using bluetooth with my old cell phone. Thanks to the satellites we were able to tell family members we were fine. 

I always take it with me when hiking, on the scooter, or out boating. 

They’ve come out with a Garmin inreach mini2 that’s supposed to be an upgrade. Since mine still works I’m not going to bother. There are some good articles comparing different companies and systems but make sure they connect to the Iridium system. That’s the key to communication beyond the reach of cell phones. 

-Sixbears