Any reviews on OB folks on Bivystick satellite transmitter?

[USStrongman]

Have the chance to pick one up at a reasonable price. I like their pricing. Straight forward. This could be my answer for my trip through the Canadian Rockies on the way to Alaska?

Bivy Stick - Easy, Affordable Satellite Communication

Bivy Stick is an affordable two-way satellite communicator allows users to track and share location, text messages or social media post anywhere in the world.

www.bivystick.com

 

[Prerunner1982]

Looks promising and worth a shot, if for nothing else than to do a review/write up for OB.

 

[KonzaLander]

@USStrongman - Any feedback on the Bivystick yet?

I have been looking at 2 way satellite communicators for a couple of years and have yet to pull the trigger. The Bivystick is currently at the top of my list, primarily due to the no nonsense data plans they offer.

 

[Ubiety]

+1 on satcom for CA Rockies! Jasper is worth a detour if you are not already going there.
For a reasonable price why not? What do the reviews say?

@KonzaLander PM me if you want to chat satcom; used to work there and have a homebrew Iridium solution that I take overlanding. And APRS and ham ;)

Like

• No activation fee and flexible plan(s) so you don't have to pay when you won't be using it
• It can give you WX reports for your area.
• Apparently it assists with your charting activities
• Looks like there is a lot of user shared content (waypoints, routes, etc.)

Dislike

• Lack of technical detail on the web site. Spent a few minutes clicking on the site and never found anything that describes the network, satellites, antenna, throughput, modem, modulation scheme, etc.

 

[KonzaLander]

@Greg Eigsti - I've read through your Homebrew Iridium Messenger and SMS Gateteway thread several times. I love the concept and execution, but the technical side is just over my head. I also worry about relying on a server based out of my home since we are on satellite internet that is about as reliable as a BMW and as fast as a snail

The Bivystick peaked my interest over other options for the same "Likes" you gave it. I understand they use the Iridium network.

 

[Ubiety]

@Greg Eigsti - I've read through your Homebrew Iridium Messenger and SMS Gateteway thread several times. I love the concept and execution, but the technical side is just over my head. I also worry about relying on a server based out of my home since we are on satellite internet that is about as reliable as a BMW and as fast as a snail

The Bivystick peaked my interest over other options for the same "Likes" you gave it. I understand they use the Iridium network.

Yeah, I'm a bit of a geek ;). The server runs on a commercially hosted VM so I don't have to worry about the "running a server out of the house" like you mention. But overall throughput to/from the server is minuscule so I guess it could be done... What I like about my solution vs other solutions is that I have control of my data. If I want my server to post my Iridium based location to APRS-IS I can make it so (and I did); other solutions don't offer this kind of "data freedom". But the other solutions have their strengths as well - somebody else writes the software, compact/self-contained, etc. I guess that I am a hacker and want to do it my way ;)

IMO the important thing to look at is the service plan; you are going to spend ~$350 for the hardware regardless. What is the long term cost? Can it be deactivated when you are not overlanding? How do charges accrue? Per "message" or do you get a block of free messages per month? Monthly charges? Activation fee(s)? How dependable is the service (I don't use spot for this reason but it may have gotten better). How do TX vs RX charges differ? When you send something from the wild where does it go? SMS/email/web site? (e.g. how are family and friends notified?).

I fear that I may have wandered terribly off topic ;)

 

[RockyMountaineer]

That is a slick little device. But the real draw is no contracts and only paying for the months you use it. It seems to be a winning concept to me.