Do SOS Satellite Devices Hold Up Under Dense Tree Canopies?

 January 8, 2024

When venturing into the vast wilderness, staying connected is a primal need, especially in a world that is increasingly digitally entwined. There is one question that many outdoor enthusiasts ponder: Do SOS satellite devices stand the test in thick forests with dense tree canopies?

Putting Satellite Devices to the Test

HikingGuy, whose real name is Cris Hazzard, set out to challenge the reliability of satellite communication devices in this type of terrain at Olympic National Forest in Washington State, located adjacent to the renowned Olympic National Park.

“Whenever I test a satellite communicator,” he said, “people always ask me, ‘Does it work in a tree canopy?’ And that’s a good question because if you read any manual for any satellite communicator, it will say, ‘Find a clear view of the sky,’ which is usually easier said than done, especially if you’re hiking in a place like this. So, I decided to find the densest tree canopy that I could in the lower 48 to test out these satellite communicators.”

Now, you'd think the thickets of Olympic National Forest would be the death knell for satellite signals, but HikingGuy’s findings were intriguing.

“I was not expecting them to work so well, and when I compare the results here from Olympic National Forest to what I would get in other parts of the country—Southern California, East Coast—it’s pretty much all the same. I think, in general, these days, you can say it’s about a two-to-five-minute send time or receive time.… Overall, these worked great.”

This revelation defies the common perception and emphasizes the advancements in today's communication tech. HikingGuy was meticulous in his approach, grounding his test in realism.

“Now, this is a practical test. I want to take these devices into a situation that you might experience. This is obviously not being done in a lab, and there are a lot of different factors that can affect how quickly these messages are going back and forth, and it can be everything from the software that the unit is using, the hardware, it can be the transmission power, it can be our location, and it could even be things like solar flares and the surface of the sun that can affect the way these messages go through.”

How Each Device Stacks Up

When looking at several different devices, HikingGuy noted how well they performed. The Globalstar SPOT X has a transmit power of 0.2 watts and takes between 7 and 8 minutes to send or receive a message, with about an 80% success rate.

HikingGuy also examined the effectiveness of the Motorola Defy Satellite Link.

“This is a little bit different,” he explained. “This does not use low-Earth orbit satellites; it uses geostationary satellites, which are about 22,000 miles above the Earth. Again, these radio waves travel at the speed of light, so it shouldn’t matter so much there just might be more interference in between…. And the satellite link worked, the Defy Satellite Link worked 100% of the time. Generally, messages went back and forth in about one to two minutes, and sometimes they went through in a matter of seconds. Twenty, thirty seconds back and forth. So, it did really, really well … I was very surprised that this works so well here in this canyon with this canopy.”

Such findings are not merely for tech enthusiasts. They are vital for adventurers, trekkers, and even emergency responders. Knowing that one can rely on communication tools, even in challenging terrain, can be the difference between safety and peril.

Overwatch x Rescue Offerings

Now, understanding the technology is one piece of the puzzle. But what about when dangerous situations arise? That's where Overwatch x Rescue comes into play. Overwatch x Rescue is an emergency SOS subscription service that combines the reliability of cutting-edge satellite communication devices with a comprehensive suite of emergency response services. Overwatch x Rescue assures adventurers that no matter where their trail leads, they have a lifeline ready. The wilderness, with all its raw beauty, doesn’t come without its challenges. However, with the right gear and a lifeline like the emergency assistance services of Overwatch x Rescue, the wild becomes less intimidating and more inviting. While nature may be unpredictable, human ingenuity ensures that we are never truly lost.