If you want to be contacted no matter what you have to go satellite phone -
there is no other real choice.   Is this what I do - heck no!  Too expensive!

I have a cellular phone (analog) with voice mail - if I am out of the
calling area someone can leave me a message - also when a message is left
my pager tells me to call my cell phone to get my messages.

The way I look at it is if I am out of the cellular / paging area I am out
of the area where I can really do anything about something.  When I am back
in cellular service or near a land line I can call for messages.

The 3W Motorola bag phones will give you MARGINAL increase in performance.
Get a decent mid size ANALOG cellular like a Nokia 252 - pretty robust but
still small enough to carry almost anywhere.  Another reason for analog
phones is if there is cellular service there is analog service - digital
isn't everywhere and I think the voice quality is pretty poor.

On all of my trips I carry either my Motorola StarTac 6500 or Nokia 252 -
the Nokia is the better phone as it can be bounced around in my Iltis a
little more!  I also carry a Motorola WordLine pager.  Another never leave
home with out it item is my Icom W2A handheld amature radio that
*transmits* from 128 to 174Mhz and 420 to 470MHz - this covers me for HAM
Radio (VE7PBS), Police Radio (never transmit, just listen!), Forestry
Service for radio controlled logging roads - this radio also transmits on
the new FRS bands - quite helpfull!

At 04:34 PM 21/08/2000 -0400, (Donna Cassano) wrote:
>Thanks to all who responded to my propane fill plea for help. Tommorrow
>I will be heading off to AmeriGas to try and get a fill of propane and
>not just hot air. ; )
>
>Now my next question does not really have Vanagon content except that I
>will be traveling in my Vanagon. But I was hoping that with all of you
>Vanagon travelers out there that at least half a dozen of you would have
>an opinion/experience that could help. As most of you know by now I will
>be traveling cross country for 6 weeks. I'm looking for some way that my
>sister can contact me in case an emergency arises here at home - ie;
>sick mother has to go to hospital. I've checked out cell phones, pagers
>and bag phones and all have their downfalls. My biggest concern is that
>I'll be out in the middle of the forest and she won't be able to reach
>me. I would only use a phone to make emergency calls and after the trip
>I don't see me using it at all. I like the cost of the pager and the
>fact that there is no one year service contract like all of the phone
>systems require. But, I like the bag phone because of the higher wattage
>(3 watts as opposed to 1 watt on cell phone) figuring that it will pick
>up signals that the cell phone won't. Also, cost and expense is a big
>concern. I'm already WAY over budget on this trip (those new fuel
>injectors really hurt).
>
>So what do you say? I know a lot of you guys/gals are wired, or should I
>say wireless? Any advice/opinions/experience?
>
>TIA
>Peace - donna
>'84 Westy (Pepe)
>
>PS - Details of my trip plans will follow for anyone who wants to make
>any suggestions or recommendations of good camping, sites to see, and
>reasonable mechanics.
>
>

-- David Marshall - Volkswagen Enthusiast - Quesnel, BC, Canada   --
-- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Iltis, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westfalia        --
-- 85 VW Cabriolet, 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 VW Syncro Double Cab --
-- David's Volkswagen Home Page        http://www.volkswagen.org  --
-- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning  http://www.fastforward.ca  --
-- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list)  --