Does SOS go through if location not found? Last trip my IR mini took 2 hours to get gps location fix.

I live in Australia and due to scarcity of water, we often camp at the bottom of valleys or in ravines where there are flowing creeks. A very challenging enviroment for satellite communcation.

Last weekend I was camping (in a cliff lined valley) and it took 2 hours for my Inreach to get a GPS signal. Reason: there was extremely limited line of sight to GPS satellites. I was able to check for messages and send messages(without location info) within 10 mins as presumably the Iridium* satellites were at a better orbit to have line of sight to my location.

*Note Iridium satellites don’t provide location services they only do messages. GNSS satellites (such as GPS) provide location services.

So, my question is if I have an emergency, and my mini can’t find my location will my SOS go through or cancel?

If it does still go through I can then give my location manually via msging the lat/long to GEOs.

I can find out the lat/long using the earthmate app on my mobile phone. As the phone can communicate with many more location satellites (multiple GNSS) vs mini which only has GPS. (single GNSS). In the scenario above the earthmate app on my phone (in flight mode) got a location within 1 minute vs Mini's 2 hours..

More detail about single vs multiple GNSS here

forums.garmin.com/.../the-reason-for-inreach-mini-poor-gps-performance-compared-to-other-units-phones

Top Replies

Garmin-Heath over 4 years ago +1 verified

wildside, any of the inReach devices can use the SOS feature without GPS. The GPS feature just allows the company GEOS that monitors the SOS request, to know your location to pass it onto anyone that needs…

All Replies

0 twolpert over 4 years ago

If I were you, I would open a support call regarding the unit's failure to acquire a fix. I think there may be something wrong with the hardware. In general, location acquisition is much more reliable than Iridium communication because there are more GPS satellites visible than there are Iridium satellites. This kind of persistent problem indicates (IMO) a possible hardware problem.

I have never used the SOS function in practice. However, if you can send messages without a fix, I would expect you to be able to send an SOS. You should probably check with support to be sure.

+1 Garmin-Heath over 4 years ago

wildside, any of the inReach devices can use the SOS feature without GPS. The GPS feature just allows the company GEOS that monitors the SOS request, to know your location to pass it onto anyone that needs to know about it. They will continue to talk to you via the message system. If you need to know more about this, we would suggest you reach out to GEOS.

GEOS SOS Coverage

0 Volker over 4 years ago

Maybe this helps a little bit (inreach is using the iridium satellite network):

"the iridium satellite network is the only one of its kind in the world as it uses a fleet of low-orbiting satellites that fly over the poles and span the earth like orange wedges. However, for example, steep mountains can not obscure the satellite so that there are a few minutes of waiting until the next satellite enters the field of vision." (I have translated this into English from a German source: https://www.alpenverein.de/bergsport/sicherheit/satellitenkommunikation-im-bergsport_aid_33506.html).

So I would say: yes, the message goes through (possibly after a while)

0 wildside over 4 years ago in reply to Garmin-Heath

Thanks Garmin-Heath , Its very reassuring that I can still send a sos without the inreach having a location fix.

I was concerned as in Australia we have snakes which if your bitten, its advised to bandage and not move (moving increases the venom spread). So moving to a high point (for easier location acquistion) is not a good option.

Would be great if you could look into allowing the earthmate app to share its location with inreach mini. But alteast now I know I can manually type in the lat long co-ordinates from the earthmate app to share with geos.

0 wildside over 4 years ago in reply to twolpert

Its only in deep forested valleys and ravines I have a problem. In open country the location acquisition is reasonbly fast (within a minute or two). So I suspect the unit is fine. It just doesn't do well in very challenging conditions.

However I will reach out to support to see what they say about it.

0 Garmin-Heath over 4 years ago in reply to wildside

Something else to add to this. GPS needs multiple satellites to figure out your location. Iridium just needs one satellite to send and receive your messages. So this allows more users like yourself to go off the more remote areas and still have access to the SOS feature through GEOS.

0 Volker over 4 years ago in reply to Garmin-Heath

But if I trigger a SOS, because I am injured, cannot move and have only iridium satellite network connection and no gps connection, is GEOS able to locate me?

0 Garmin-Heath over 4 years ago in reply to Volker

They will know your last known position.

0 Volker over 4 years ago in reply to Garmin-Heath

But if I just have started my device, no data sent via inreach that day and just have arrived from Europe in the Serengeti (Africa)? The last known position could be thousands of miles away...

0 wildside over 4 years ago in reply to Volker

@Garminion The answer is you dont rely on a single device for everything.

If your inreach cant get a gps fix you can use a combination of the inreach and a phone map app (or a paper map) to communicate your location to geos. Unless your in a cave its likely the message using the irridium sat will go through as it only requires one satelite to have line of sight to your position (as Garmin-Heath explained above)

Option one: see if your phone can get a location fix. If it can then you can use the earthmate app (or another phone navigation app) to find out your lat/long coordinate and then use inreach to msg it to geos.
Option two: If your phone cant pick up a location signal, then use your navigation and map reading skills to estimate your aproximate location on the earthmate or other phone navigation app. If your inreach has a map display with postion co-ordinates you might be able to estimate your location and then get a lat/long directly from the device. Then use the inreach to msg the lat/ long to geos.

You should already know your aproximate location (unless your lost).
Option three: Use a paper map to identify the grid reference or (lat/long if your can) of your estimated position. Msg that to geos via the inreach. If your not sure how to provide a grid or lat/long then you could describe your trip to them and where you think your located.

Geos will also be able to obtain the trip plan/route map that you left with your emergency contacts. They can use this plan to learn the aprox location you planned to be at on that day and then commence a search from there.

Its important to remember that chances are your Inreach will be able to get a GPS fix, sometimes it could take 3 -10 minutes. Its only in terrain with very limited sky visibility that you may need to use one of the other options I outlined above