Any way to recieve a "ping" in a no/low cell area?

[pods8]

Quick query if any folks have ideas. Still trying to get out hunting for a few days this fall however it's butting up against my second son's due date. I'm flying my sister in to help the wife if the baby has already arrived or to be around for support until I get packed and drive back. The one hitch is although cell service is available you can't be in one of the "holes" and unfortunately the camp area is in one of the holes.

Anyway to get a signal through either on cell frequencies or radio frequencies. Ideally looking to just receive a "ping" of some sort to let my know to get somewhere where I can actually call out.

Thoughts?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Try a text message?

Anyone who knows cellular systems can jump in here, but if I understand (and I may not ), if you send a text and you're in a "no service" area, the text message remains in your outbound queue. Then, if you happen to pass through an area with service, the text will get sent out.

I've never actually tried this, but I'd like to some time. Could be very advantageous to those of us traveling. I know during the recent earthquake and hurricane in NY the regular cell phone circuits quickly got overloaded but the text messaging services still worked.

 

[pods8]

Text message is a given in my mind for the exact reason you mentioned. However if I'm sitting in a no-service hole all night then I'm not going to pass through a service area for a while. I didn't know if there was some good idea to either boost a cell signal or use radio to receive a ping of sorts.

 

[Martinjmpr]

If you have a 2m HAM you might be able to hit a repeater and then autopatch to a phone call, just as long as you didn't mind everybody else on that repeater listening in on the conversation.

 

[pods8]

Don't want/need to talk, I just need someone from the outside to send me a signal that I need to get back into cell service so I can call in.

 

[Pskhaat]

Tried a old-fashioned pager? The national network is still pretty good. I used to get pages from my wife regularly with a pager in many places with no cell coverage waiting for one of our babies to arrive.

 

[pods8]

I wondered about a pager but figured I'd be on the same type of network. I won't be able to check out the coverage ahead of time though.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Satellite phone rentals are pretty cheap... I would give that a go for verified service.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I wondered about a pager but figured I'd be on the same type of network. I won't be able to check out the coverage ahead of time though.

Satellite phone rentals are pretty cheap... I would give that a go for verified service.

Don't they make satellite pagers?

 

[Gooseberry]

I have one of these and it does get me from 1 bar to 4 and have been able to get calls when no bars showed on the phone. but that would depend on your area and how deep of a hole.

http://www.alternativewireless.com/wilson-wireless-vehicle-dualband-amp-ext-antenna-kit.html

 

[pods8]

Don't they make satellite pagers?

Now we're talking, I didn't know these existed.