I am going for my first Tur with Mirbala this July. On his gear list it mentions that we can't bring a sat phone as customs will take it. Is there another type of communication device I can take such as a spot or the new iridium that would not be confiscated by customs?
I really don't like going anywhere without the ability to call for help if my clumsy self rolls down a mountain.

Cell phones actually worked in the mountains when we were there. I suspect you can get some sort of plan for yours. They were pretty serious about no sat phones in the mountains but we used ours in town.

Thank you for the info. I didn't think I could get cell service in those mountains since I can barely get to my house without dropping a call.

North America has the most pathetic cell service in the world! All our guides had cell phones.

Our Customs never took any sat phone. I think it is just to sell their sat phone service while hunting for 4-5$ per min.

Ya customs never worried about ours either but we were warned not to use them in the mountains...they seemed very serious about it.

Just curious but is that something new. When we there about 4 years ago nobody said a word about not having sat phones. When we left the vehicles and got on horses we were at a military facility and they went through most of our bags. After we got going I asked the guide what they were looking for and he told me video cameras. I had one in my pack and that was one of the things they did not go through.

I was there in 2013 and it was an issue then with sat phones but they didn't care about video cameras...lol It seems rules change often in this part of the world.

What is the problem with SAT phones?

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
What is the problem with SAT phones?

Not sure but they blamed it on the Russians....basically we were told NOT to use them in the mountains. We were right on the Russian border so not sure if that was a concern or not. In town it was fine.

Since I can't use my sat phone I was hoping to get either a spot messenger or an Iridium Go. At least with the Iridium Go I would be using my cell phone but with a satellite connection and text ability.

Likely best to ask Mirbala on that one...I suspect satellite based texting may be a no no as well but don't know.

Don't take a Sat phone. I almost lost my spotting scope and my cell phone. The asked if my phone was a sat phone and asked if I carried a sat phone. They did not like the spotter at all either for some reason. I was told by Mirbala not to bring sat phones and I believe if I did it would have been taken. The guides did have cell service in camp and I know the winter camp just had a new tower put in when we were there and all the guides were happy that they could download pictures that their wives wished that they couldn't lol

I guess things have changed. On the same subject does anyone know anything about bringing a sat phone to Kamchatka. Leaving Aug 1 and until now never gave it a thought whether or not to bring a phone.

Sat phones are ok to take to Azerbaijan AND Kamchatka. Azerbaijan had banned them for a year or two, but that has changed. I just had several groups of hunters who took them and it was not an issue. Cheers, Clark Jeffs - Safari Outfitters - www.safari1.com

Be careful where you take a Sat phone, in India they will lock you up!

I ended up not taking a sat phone on my trip but I could have. Nobody checked, although I was in the airport at 1:50am. Maybe at a more decent hour they are a little more awake.

In base camp I was surprised that I had 4 bars on my cell phone. Prior to leaving I got a international call package and was able to text and call without problem. This pisses me off since I can't drive 10 minutes from my house in Reno without dropping a call.

actually military should not check your bags,the reason is you were hunting on their territories.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim 1367:
Just curious but is that something new. When we there about 4 years ago nobody said a word about not having sat phones. When we left the vehicles and got on horses we were at a military facility and they went through most of our bags. After we got going I asked the guide what they were looking for and he told me video cameras. I had one in my pack and that was one of the things they did not go through.