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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Remote communications / what to have in pack- and another question...

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Remote communications / what to have in pack- and another question...
  • Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 08:28:30 -0700

Una wrote:
>> [...] too many of our SAR missions are in terrain (such as
>> mountain canyons) where cell coverage is poor.

Jorene@ceoates.com wrote:
>Consider yourself lucky - in our mountains (mostly Nat'l Park / Forest) cell
>phone coverage is mostly non-existent.

Yes, we are very fortunate in our topography. Most ranges run
north-south and the major ones are paired on either side of a
rift valley. The tectonic activity here is recent, comparable
to California, but because our is *spreading*, not subduction,
the resulting topography is generally much less complex than in
California. So if we get up on a ridge we may get a clear line
of sight to a cell tower 30+ miles away. And we are very well
endowed with fixed repeaters along the mountain skylines.

Even so, I sometimes hear SAR responders complaining about no
signal when my phone has full signal and I am putting it to
good effect. In many remote areas of New Mexico there is full
*analog* service but no digital service. So it pays to buy a
tri-mode phone and know how to switch its mode.

Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico





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