When can we expect emergency alerts to be broadcasted through satellite devices?

There are 3 year old threads on here that discuss this issue - so this can no longer be considered an oversight in the software and technology. Jasper National Park - the ENTIRE national park (not just the town) was evacuated due to a massive fire which started a few km from my campground. The evacuation alert was issued at 10 pm and several subsequent updates throughout the night. I was extracted by helicopter at 1pm the following day there was no alerts sent from my InReach Explorer nor my friends Zoleo nor any other device present in the campground. The following day the winds kicked up and the fire moved 5km in 1 hour and burned 30% of the town. Had the wind blown towards my camp and not away from it, I might not be here to write this.

This is not an oversight by Garmin or any company that manufacturers and sell these devices. This is not a new issue.

This is unacceptable. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and emergency evacuation/imminent danger alerts need to come through the sat devices. This is a need. Not a perk.

0 twolpert 3 months ago

Fair question. I hate to cite the technology, but it is the issue. iR devices use Iridium short message services. There is no provision for “broadcast” messages to iR devices. Each message is addressed to a single device. That The only way an iR device will see ANY message is if it proactively contacts the Iridium network and “asks” for messages. This occurs once an hour (automated message check) and whenever the device sends something (for example, a message or a track point).

It might be a fair ask for Garmin to queue an emergency message which would be picked up the next time the device checks. Garmin’s info about device location is only as good as the last track point or message. Location would have to be taken into account in deciding which devices to target.

You can submit suggestions here: www.garmin.com/.../

0 skyeye 3 months ago

as far as Iridium is concerned, they would have to implement services similar to what they already have with Iridium-PTT system. This can address special Iridium based phones by group or geographical area boundaries either squared or circle etc. Not really cheap service, it has lot of priority as it needs to work near real time. However to use it is still a pain.

So yes, there is some technology in the background, but to support it with extremely cheap messaging like inreach, someone would have to be found to pay for it in advance.

And there are many satellite services which could be used too. Which one is the right one? Which one will do the business? Iridium is just one of many. Garmin is just one of many customers.

Other major question is always: who is allowed to spread information to any larger population? Who can check if such use is legal and not a misuse? One could create extreme panic just with such messages. Or use it for political propaganda?

I have been participating in some structure design of spreading important security messages via cell broadcast, low level broadcast system of mobile networks which does not need any extra app etc. The question is who can initiate such messages for example when it should go to more then one country and more provides. The work was done by UN, there were 512 levels of authorization, but unfortunately nobody was interested at the end.

So one day some common system will come up, but this is not to be expected in near future.