ICOM to make PTT satellite based radio for world communications.

https://fudzilla.com/news/48896-iridium-and-icom-come-up-with-satellite-push-to-talk-radio

Real-time communication with anyone on the planet

Iridium Communications and partner Icom today announced the commercial availability of the world’s first dedicated satellite push-to-talk (PTT) radio.

The Icom IC-SAT100 is the only Iridium PTT capable Land-Mobile Radio (LMR) offering real-time communications at the push of a button between groups of individuals, each of whom can be anywhere on the planet.

This combined product and service offering provides critical communications beyond the range of trunked radio networks and as an emergency back-up, providing business continuity and security for customers.

The Icom IC-SAT100 can interoperate with existing LMR networks and be managed over the air through the Iridium PTT Command Centre, simplifying device administration.

Bryan Hartin, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Iridium, said there was a clear demand for this type of Iridium Connected product

“This new satellite PTT device is unlike anything ever offered commercially in terms of capability, and it would not have been possible without the great partnership we’ve built with Icom, who are de-facto experts and leaders in the LMR industry. Icom has created a small, lightweight and very high performing radio that’s perfect for LMR users. We look forward to many more collaborations with Icom in the future.”

The industrial, radio-style design that keeps dispatched personnel connected beyond the reach of traditional LMR networks. The IC-SAT100’s commercial availability makes it useful for government agencies, NGOs, first responders, law enforcement, search-and-rescue organisations and businesses.

The IC-SAT100 is also compatible with existing Icom portfolio accessories and the new VE-PG4, an interoperability gateway feature that allows for integration with any existing deployed LMR systems. No other commercially available PTT device has the design, functionality and coverage of the IC-SAT100.

The IC-SAT100 is a compact, user-friendly radio with military grade ruggedness and includes a high audio speaker to ensure communications clarity, even in high ambient noise environments. Radio-style control knobs and a familiar LMR user interface make the IC-SAT100 incredibly easy to operate for existing radio users.

With real-time, one-to-many communication at the push of a button, and Iridium’s truly global coverage, the new device ensures reliability of communication between work teams in isolated areas. Users will know that regardless of where in the world they need to deploy personnel and assets, they will remain within coverage.

 

This is a great little handheld radio, that I saw at IWCE a few week's back.

Iridium is NOT dead: it has been resurrected twice; first from bankruptcy as a DOD backup( almost 20 years ago!); now as a renewed and more cost effective commercial service.

The best way to look at this is like the old NEXTEL mode, but with GLOBAL reach from the Iridium birds.

Happy to see it back!

 

All the military special forces, CIA, and spy thrillers will be featuring it in their new novels.

 

It

It's a GREAT way to ... 'keep track' of those "types". Give them a radio service that they just can't do without.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. "

- Sun Tzu, Niccolò Machiavelli or Petrarch, Michael Corleone

 

Having grown up in Brooklyn and then close to Long Beach the Corleone "family" was close to real life! It still exists out there.

 

Satellite based Walkie-Talkies...

 

"Enterprise, this is the captain. One to beam up." - James T. Kirk


Some Iridium PTT service plan options. Select one of the two to review the details.
https://fs30.formsite.com/OutfitterSat/form36/index.html

 

These are commercial SATELLITES ! what does it have to do with Amateur radio ? I work the ham satellites daily & all I need to do is PUSH THE MIC BUTTON ! Phil KI6PMD ..

 

and will cost one hundred quatillion dollars.. icom doesnt make amateur radios they make "Professional radios"

 

I don't know anyone I want to talk to.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

 

Iridium phones are common enough here in Australia especially in some Mining sites which are often 300kms away from the middle of nowhere - the only way in and out is a VERY long drive to another fly-blown town or a flight via an airstrip.

I know of a couple of people who work in that area who are very interested in these as it means they will have point-to-point comms without needing an expensive radio infrastructure in place to support it.

Here we have iron ore mines with autonomous dump trucks and remote-controlled trains. The radio infrastructure to support that is considerable.

 

I knew it would be pricey; minimum $67/mo/unit with a minimum of 3 units. Without prices per unit listed on their website, I have little doubt that each one is in excess of $1K. I think I'll stick to 2 meters/HF.

 

...yeah, but will it work on 11m?

 

Yes, over $1000 for the radio alone. The people I care enough about to pay for something like that and the monthly subscription do not want to talk to me on a radio. ha! Well, if we were floating our own boat in the ocean, yeah I would have them.

Comparatively, that price is a few hundred dollars more than the latest cellphone. An unlimited monthly cellular data subscription cost 2/3 less.

 

I'm sure Baofeng will come out with a cost effective model...

...DOUG
KD4MOJ