{"id":69503,"date":"2016-11-07T23:25:01","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T15:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/satellite-to-the-rescue\/"},"modified":"2016-11-07T23:25:01","modified_gmt":"2016-11-07T15:25:01","slug":"satellite-to-the-rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/satellite-to-the-rescue\/","title":{"rendered":"Satellite to the Rescue"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Joe Hiscock and his son look forward each year to hunting on the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Their cabin is 35 miles from the nearest road and accessible only by private helicopter or snowmobile. One September, they were dropped off at the cabin, where they planned to spend the week. Instead, Joe began suffering abdominal pains that worsened as day turned into night. Finally, he pulled out a gadget he carried called SPOT and pushed a button on it labeled \u201cS.O.S.\u201d Within 20 minutes, the local RCMP detachment was on the phone with Joe\u2019s wife, confirming his location. Shortly after that, a helicopter was dispatched to Joe\u2019s GPS coordinates but could not land due to heavy fog. It was in the early morning hours, as visibility improved, that Joe was airlifted to the nearest hospital, where he would spend two weeks being treated for an abdominal infection complicated by kidney stones. In his view, \u201cAnybody who goes into the woods should have one of these devices.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"flex flex-col justify-center items-center w-full image-block px-8\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Placeholder alt text\" class=\"w-full object-cover max-w-sm\" src=\"http:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DvqanONyRiWIfoECqZrT_SPOTGen3-Globalstar.jpg-scaled.jpeg\"><\/figure>\n<p>SPOT is an example of personal tracking technology. The device, which fits in the palm of your hand, communicates your exact GPS location to a satellite network. A web portal lets users create pre-set messages that go out by email or text to people they designate. Each message is associated with a button on the unit. Press one button and you send a friendly \u201cGuess where I am?\u201d message with a link to a Google map showing your location. Press the S.O.S. button and the nearest emergency responders start racing to the rescue. Since the technology\u2019s launch in 2007, SPOT has initiated more than 4,500 rescues around the globe.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/E2c0xmuTqGfJ3jCXEL1A_01_VS_120116_Cover_DGTL-1-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"width: 120px; height: auto;\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/E2c0xmuTqGfJ3jCXEL1A_01_VS_120116_Cover_DGTL-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/E2c0xmuTqGfJ3jCXEL1A_01_VS_120116_Cover_DGTL-1-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/E2c0xmuTqGfJ3jCXEL1A_01_VS_120116_Cover_DGTL-1-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/E2c0xmuTqGfJ3jCXEL1A_01_VS_120116_Cover_DGTL-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"fs-5 mt-0\">Explore the December 2016 Issue<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-0 fs-smaller text-balance\">Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-primary\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"offcanvas\" data-bs-target=\"#offcanvasMENU\" aria-controls=\"offcanvasExample\" aria-label=\"button\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tView More <i class=\"bi bi-arrow-right-circle\"><\/i><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes it is machines, not people, who need help. The logging industry operates heavy machinery in remote places far from roads or cellular coverage. When that equipment needs maintenance or repair, it tends to mean high costs and long delays.<\/p>\n<p>Black Diamond Mechanical &amp; Welding sells and services logging equipment from its headquarters in British Columbia. \u201cThere is a shortage of skilled heavy-duty mechanics in our industry,\u201d says Black Diamond\u2019s owner, David Pope. \u201cIn fact, half of the people on our job sites are apprentices. Often, they have to check out a problem and then drive back to the nearest internet connection an hour away to communicate with our master mechanic. Then they go back and forth, trying different solutions and reporting on results. It wastes hours and days.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A long-time user of sat phones, the company has now added another satellite technology: a Wi-Fi hub called Globalstar Sat-Fi. Users can now use their existing smartphone and tablet devices to communicate beyond cellular, with up to 8 individual users having the ability to connect to one Sat-Fi hotspot device. Switch it on anywhere with a view of the sky, and it provides internet access to devices within a 100-foot radius.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a69218a592c4;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a69218a592c4 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a69218a592c5').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a69218a592c5'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>With satellite-based Wi-Fi, workers with a smartphone can take pictures of the equipment problem and text or email it, along with their questions, to the master mechanic. It can also handle voice calls and provide internet access. \u201cWe have seen a significant improvement in productivity,\u201d says Pope. \u201cWith Globalstar Sat-Fi, it\u2019s like having the master mechanic standing right beside the apprentice in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When migrants began flooding into Europe in 2015 from the war-torn Middle East, Disaster Tech Lab was there. This nonprofit grassroots organization provides rapid response communication networks for disaster relief and humanitarian aid. On the Greek island of Lesbos, Disaster Tech Lab staff used Globalstar sat phones to keep its teams connected and to call for medical help and supplies as they moved from place to place. But the impact of the phones went far beyond the practical, according to the Lab\u2019s founder, Evert Bopp.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn several days, he says, \u201cwe used the satellite phones to let refugees make a quick call to family back home to let them know they were safe. From a humanitarian point of view, this had the biggest impact. We had people foregoing medical treatment to wait in line to use the phone. Many were overcome when talking to their families and burst into tears. It was absolutely fantastic to be able to pull out the satellite phone, hand it to someone and let them make a call there and then.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Satellites circle the Earth hundreds or thousands of miles above the surface. That may make them an odd choice of rescuer for people in distress. But the invisible web of communications they weave keeps body, spirit and the occasional machine together, day after day, from one corner of the globe to another.<\/p>\n<p><sub class=\"Annotation -subscript\"><em class=\"Annotation -emphasis\">Produced for Via Satellite by the Society of Satellite Professionals International.<\/em><\/sub><\/p>\n<p>,<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">In This Issue<\/h2>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407714:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gXa8MsXTHmawg5zxrLlQ_ThinkstockPhotos-488869710-300x200.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gXa8MsXTHmawg5zxrLlQ_ThinkstockPhotos-488869710-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gXa8MsXTHmawg5zxrLlQ_ThinkstockPhotos-488869710-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gXa8MsXTHmawg5zxrLlQ_ThinkstockPhotos-488869710-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gXa8MsXTHmawg5zxrLlQ_ThinkstockPhotos-488869710.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tBridenstine Says Satellite Industry Needs to Do More<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407708:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LnwBx94iQ3WvE9nI61Oi_Launchers-1-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LnwBx94iQ3WvE9nI61Oi_Launchers-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LnwBx94iQ3WvE9nI61Oi_Launchers-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LnwBx94iQ3WvE9nI61Oi_Launchers-1-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LnwBx94iQ3WvE9nI61Oi_Launchers-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tLaunchers: The Race to Orbit Tomorrow\u2019s Spacecraft<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407720:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/x7ydn7MNRmOzkNHIeL96_VS_120116_Ft2-300x200.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/x7ydn7MNRmOzkNHIeL96_VS_120116_Ft2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/x7ydn7MNRmOzkNHIeL96_VS_120116_Ft2-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/x7ydn7MNRmOzkNHIeL96_VS_120116_Ft2-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/x7ydn7MNRmOzkNHIeL96_VS_120116_Ft2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tNational Satellite Operators Challenging the Paradigm<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407757:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"166\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e581YwhwRneDlI57ePKm_Regional_RoundUp_Map-300x166.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e581YwhwRneDlI57ePKm_Regional_RoundUp_Map-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e581YwhwRneDlI57ePKm_Regional_RoundUp_Map-800x443.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e581YwhwRneDlI57ePKm_Regional_RoundUp_Map-640x355.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e581YwhwRneDlI57ePKm_Regional_RoundUp_Map.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tRegional Roundup: December 2016<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407763:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7fSfSMTRiabBwG5QyewD_EdNote_Header_Web-300x167.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7fSfSMTRiabBwG5QyewD_EdNote_Header_Web-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7fSfSMTRiabBwG5QyewD_EdNote_Header_Web-800x446.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7fSfSMTRiabBwG5QyewD_EdNote_Header_Web-640x357.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7fSfSMTRiabBwG5QyewD_EdNote_Header_Web.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tSeismic Political Change and the Impact for our Industry<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407726:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x300.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-640x640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ftDP4XeR7SGD0QHXJMhh_Opinion_Bubbles_Web.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe Inherent Riskiness of Space<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 407732:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x300.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web-640x640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Q5BM07gtQOC2VYLAw0GX_Opinion_Bubbles_Web.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe Principle of Technology Neutrality in Telecommunications Regulations Must Be Restored to Meet Global Connectivity Goals<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Joe Hiscock and his son look forward each year to hunting on the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Their cabin is 35 miles from the nearest road and accessible only by private helicopter or snowmobile. One September, they were dropped off at the cabin, where they planned to spend the week. Instead, Joe began suffering [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69504,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69503"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}