After 11 years on the mountain, we have gone through 3 uniquely different kinds of phone systems. Our current phone choice is already covered at our-real-life-internet-phone-experience. With a chuckle and a reminiscent twinkle in my eye, I’ll go way back and describe our first “phone” system.
Whenever you consider moving to a remote off grid location, the communications question pops up rather quickly. How will friends and family contact you? Will it be via bicycle messenger service, or homing pigeons, maybe by some kind of telephone?
Back when we moved, there were very expensive cellular phones, no data service, and a really poor signal. I think we had something like 30 o 60 minutes a month for $36. Not to worry, I had a plan.
The initial plan involved using my amateur radio license, a couple VHF radios and a phone patch. Eventually we met some friendly neighbors at church who were willing to help. I ordered normal wired phone service to their property where I installed an antenna, radio, and the phone patch.
It was an exciting moment for us all to see dad make a phone call using the radio! There were some drawbacks to this system, but it sure beat the $$ required for the cell phone.
- Not private in any way since it used shared frequencies.
- Half duplex. This means, that unlike a normal phone where one person can interrupt the other, each person has to take their turn. You can’t talk and listen at the same time. This took some practice for Jackie.
- Our mountain location made our end of the link a well placed broadcast tower.
- Could not conduct any business over the system (FCC rules).
On item 3 above, I was quite surprised to hear a friend mention that he could hear me make a radio-phone call at his home 17 miles away. Really not much privacy. Nonetheless, we had a workable system. Boy, it sure did make our home seem remote at the time!
Good communications is really important for safety and to save gas and vehicle wear and tear. 18 months later I had a consulting project in town and communications became even more important. Next time I’ll cover our second phone system that worked much better, yet it had draw backs too.
Have you ever used a radio – telephone? What was your experience like? Tell us below in the comments.
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My other uncle in law runs a fishing lodge resort on Babine lake. Until two years ago they had only a radio telephone system, half duplex as you described. This system was in use for 25 years prior to Cellular coverage was possible. Much of Northern BC had that kind of telephone service during the latter half of the 20ieth century.
Thanks to satellite internet service they are now able to stay in touch in real time. Even with cellular coverage they have to drive a half mile up to a ridge to get decent signal strength.
We have broadband internet thanks to being able to tap into the fiber optic network linking the BC fire and ambulance stations province wide so we can use skype instead of the expensive telephone system. Skype has its own issues such as software compatibility for my Linux computer. Even so it sure beats smoke signals. Unlike your self we live at the bottom of a river water carved canyon which is some 500 feet below average terrain so all radio signals are blocked more or less.