Emergency SOS via satellite
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Emergency SOS via satellite
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Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#2> the service extends to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December
This is new to me. I thought the feature was limited to US + Canada. Did they mention additional regions in the keynote?
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#3> the service extends to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December This is new to me. I thought the feature was limited to US + Canada. Did they mention additional regions in the keynote?
Not in the keynote; this seems to be a recently finalized expansion.
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#4As someone who grew up in the era before mobile phones, it truly is strange to see devices that do roughly everything Captain Kirk's communicator could do. But in my lifetime, and available to average people.
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#5The article doesn't mention which satellites or which satellite provider is used. But Apple invested $450 million in Globalstar.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/11/emergency-sos-via-sat...
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#6At first I thought that Apple might be using the Gallileo sattellites put up by EU, but it looks like they have their own thing going with Globalstar. This kind of makes sense, and near-earth satellites are easier to reach for a phone.
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Navigation/Galileo_now_repl...
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#7I'm glad to see that they at least talked to some IRL dispatchers for this press release, which hopefully suggests that they've been doing it all along.
But really, I desperately hope that we can find a way to educate folks on the proper usage of technology like this (which, if you count things like the Garmin inReach and the Spot devices, has been available for a decade).
They're undoubtedly life saving, but they also are taxing mostly volunteer-run search and rescue organizations with folks who really probably don't need help, they just needed to bring some water and a jacket. But they didn't , because they didn't know better, and now need someone to risk themselves on their behalf.
It makes me nervous about the longevity of volunteer-run search and rescue organizations, frankly. It's unfortunate that these are the majority, at least in the rural parts of USA that draw lots of outdoor adventurers.
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#8I'm glad to see that they at least talked to some IRL dispatchers for this press release, which hopefully suggests that they've been doing it all along. But really, I desperately hope that we can find a way to educate folks on the proper usage of technology like this (which, if you count things like the Garmin inReach and the Spot devices, has been available for a decade). They're undoubtedly life saving, but they al…
Isn’t it going to make calls using this feature much easier, if there’s a 10m-accuracy GPS pin around the subject?
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#9This is great, but people do still need to keep in mind that this is not a full replacement of the emergency beacons that use the Cospas-Sarsat system, which would work anywhere, from pole to pole.
If you are going to do extreme hiking in Patagonia, get a real distress beacon. There is no service charge except for the device itself.
This is no joke - I had to use mine in the middle of Death Valley (of all places) during a seizure-like episode. Saved my life.
Re: Emergency SOS via satellite
#10I'm glad to see that they at least talked to some IRL dispatchers for this press release, which hopefully suggests that they've been doing it all along. But really, I desperately hope that we can find a way to educate folks on the proper usage of technology like this (which, if you count things like the Garmin inReach and the Spot devices, has been available for a decade). They're undoubtedly life saving, but they al…
Isn’t it going to make calls using this feature much easier, if there’s a 10m-accuracy GPS pin around the subject?
Well that’s the GPS point. Make this more casually available and folks are likely to more casually use it.
The problem for the teams isn’t necessarily finding the party, we’ve had these beacons for years. Rather they have to climb into the mountains in the first place to solve what could have, ostensibly, been readily prevented.
Thus taxing a limited resource even further.
What should temper that is now there perhaps may be signs posted telling folks about the service, and that help is available (or not) but it’s likely going to be rather expensive if they have to come get you. It’s never been suggested that while the S&R teams maybe volunteer, as I understand the rescued party incurs costs of the operation.