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Tom Francis - SWSports

On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:51:31 -0400, wrote:

I don't know much about these new fangled digital phones but with a
good marine antenna you could get out on an AMPS66 phone all the way
from Marathon to Naples and not lose service. If I went very far
offshore I would be looking into a digital phone with provisions for
an external antenna. The last time I tried it my old analog phone was
still working anyway. They just wanted some ridiculous amount per
minute to use it.

Yeah, but they work and work well.

Wayne has used APRS - an amateur radio tracking system to great
success - combined with Google Maps and Earth (the only thing Google
is good for in my opinion). If you did run into trouble, folks
tracking you using the service would have a recent position report to
work off of. I plan on using it on the Grady when we move south.

Then again, I also have sat phone backup. It may be expensive to use
per minute, but what's expense when you're in trouble.