Receiving Msgs

Not sure, but I would expect your account to be charged when the message hits the Garmin server. (The path from a sender to your device is sender > Garmin servers > Iridium ground station > Iridium mesh network constellation > your device.)

Except for other inReach users, it is not possible for anyone to send you an unsolicited message. Normally, others can only reply to a message which you sent to them. If you send an SMS message to a cell phone, the recipient can reply directly from the messaging app on the phone, just like any other text message. However, the lifetime of the ability to reply is limited to a few weeks at most. If you send an email message, the message contains a link to web page. The recipient can reply from that web page. I assume, but do not actually know, that the ability to reply via the link in the email also has a limited lifetime.

If you allow it, others who have access to your MapShare page can send messages from there. But you have to allow it explicitly. You have to enable MapShare in the first place. If you choose to password-protect your MapShare page, then the page is inaccessible to those who do not know the password. Finally, you would need to explicitly allow messaging from MapShare. Locate requests also require specific permission (and they are also chargeable).

Do note that other inReach users who know your inReach address (that thing that looks like, but is not, an email address) - [email protected] - can send you an iR to iR message. This is chargeable to BOTH accounts - one as send and one as receive.

The flip side of the limited lifetime "reply only" restriction is that you might be "protected" from people whom you want to be able to reach you. Most of us "prime the pump" before each trip by sending a message to those people so that we are sure they can "reply" during that outing.