Cell phone signals inside passage to Alaska

[Johnknutson]

Hello, preparing for a mid-April sail of the inside passage from Vancouver, BC to Seward, AK. I wanted to get thoughts on cell service along the route. Also, if anyone has experience with signal boosting antennas. Do they work in this environment? Thanks

[rbk]

Once you’re in Alaska waters the service is not too bad. There is almost nothing along the BC coast once you leave Vancouver island. You’ll have spotty service in Elfin (better in Icy straights and even out in Cross Sound) before jumping across to Seward and get service if you pass close enough to Yakutat, PWS and so on. You can try cell boosters, they will help with weak signal in secluded anchorages and fjords. If you’re trying to keep in touch with friends and family a Spot is relatively cheap and easy but even with satellite based coms they have a hard time in many anchorage due to high mountains, deep fjords etc.

[Johnknutson]

Originally Posted by rbk

Once you’re in Alaska waters the service is not too bad. There is almost nothing along the BC coast once you leave Vancouver island. You’ll have spotty service in Elfin (better in Icy straights and even out in Cross Sound) before jumping across to Seward and get service if you pass close enough to Yakutat, PWS and so on. You can try cell boosters, they will help with weak signal in secluded anchorages and fjords. If you’re trying to keep in touch with friends and family a Spot is relatively cheap and easy but even with satellite based coms they have a hard time in many anchorage due to high mountains, deep fjords etc.

Thanks for the info. Yeah, In addition to keeping in contact with friends and family, I was hoping to use my cell as a hot spot along the way for the internet (work). Thanks, again. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

[rbk]

If you can find an old flip phone with analog capabilities you will get better phone service but data is touch and go. Sometimes you’ll have full bars but data transfer is still impossible or extremely slow. I’ve had plenty of Spot signals fail as well. Try and look for signal when our cruising in open bodies rather than at anchor. You’ll have full service cruising along and nothing a mile away tucked into an anchorage.

[Johnknutson]

Originally Posted by rbk

If you can find an old flip phone with analog capabilities you will get better phone service but data is touch and go. Sometimes you’ll have full bars but data transfer is still impossible or extremely slow. I’ve had plenty of Spot signals fail as well. Try and look for signal when our cruising in open bodies rather than at anchor. You’ll have full service cruising along and nothing a mile away tucked into an anchorage.

Great advice. Thanks, this is our first big trip and there's a lot of things to think about. I appreciate your insight.

[Adelie]

Maybe build yourself a cantenna.

[rbk]

If you are using a spot or sat phone, make sure to tell your friends/family that they don’t always work and if you don’t contact them for a few days not to panic and that you have VHF and the coast guard available. Lots of non boaters don’t get that and figure cell/sat phones are guaranteed 100% to work everywhere. April/May is a great time to do that trip but the odd spring storm does roll through. Make sure you have lots of fuel capacity as it’ll either be blowing 35+ or dead calm. Bring sunscreen, if it’s calm and nice you’ll need it. People just assume it’s cold and bleak but you can have over 14 hours of sun, not navigable daylight/twilight but actual sun each day, but also don’t forget the foulies

[Johnknutson]

Originally Posted by rbk

If you are using a spot or sat phone, make sure to tell your friends/family that they don’t always work and if you don’t contact them for a few days not to panic and that you have VHF and the coast guard available. Lots of non boaters don’t get that and figure cell/sat phones are guaranteed 100% to work everywhere. April/May is a great time to do that trip but the odd spring storm does roll through. Make sure you have lots of fuel capacity as it’ll either be blowing 35+ or dead calm. Bring sunscreen, if it’s calm and nice you’ll need it. People just assume it’s cold and bleak but you can have over 14 hours of sun, not navigable daylight/twilight but actual sun each day, but also don’t forget the foulies

Long sunny days would be awesome. I'm neck-deep in snow and it's getting a little tiresome. Thanks a bunch for your comments.

[Knot Safety]

I lived in Rupert and have been up and down the coast. Once you leave the communities in BC there is virtually no cell coverage. For example, once you turn the corner from Rupert heading south you have nothing until Hartley bay. Then a little blip. Each little town has local cell coverage but nothing else. Cell boosters won’t help.

Look up Telus and Bell cell coverage areas. They are the two big providers in the area.

[Nord Sal]

You'll find service near towns, but it can vanish pretty quick in the inside passage. It can sometimes appear where you wouldn't expect with the towers and mountains. It's pretty much like Knot Safety described for BC but not quite as sparse.


You won't have any cell service crossing the gulf for trip to Seward. These waters are NOT the inside passage.

[Tiemo]

Let me know if you keep a public vlog documenting the trip. It is on my short list. But, it will not happen until I find myself in Hawaii first. I've read to often of the beating boats and crew take going straight north from Southern California. Here is a link to a north to south route these guys did last year after coming from Hawaii.

https://youtu.be/GTwHsu77l-0

[Johnknutson]

Originally Posted by Knot Safety

I lived in Rupert and have been up and down the coast. Once you leave the communities in BC there is virtually no cell coverage. For example, once you turn the corner from Rupert heading south you have nothing until Hartley bay. Then a little blip. Each little town has local cell coverage but nothing else. Cell boosters won’t help.

Look up Telus and Bell cell coverage areas. They are the two big providers in the area.

I will, thanks!

[Johnknutson]

Originally Posted by Tiemo

Let me know if you keep a public vlog documenting the trip. It is on my short list. But, it will not happen until I find myself in Hawaii first. I've read to often of the beating boats and crew take going straight north from Southern California. Here is a link to a north to south route these guys did last year after coming from Hawaii.

https://youtu.be/GTwHsu77l-0

Thanks for the link. I have been following those kids (Ran Sailing) for a while. Very inspiring. Ran Sailing gave me a lot of great ideas for anchorages. We plan to maintain a video log and a web blog about our sailing adventures. Thanks for your interest. We ain't what you call photogenic, but it should be fun. We are heading to Alaska in April, then will turn around in August and travel south to So. Cal or Mexico, then maybe Hawaii next spring.

[Scorpius]

I've done the BC portion of the trip many times - including up to Rupert then out to the Charlottes last summer. As many have said, cell service is generally non-existant except near SOME communities. The Central Coast, between the north end of Vancouver Island and Rupert is amazingly isolated. To me and the others who who tackle it, this is it's charm and attraction. If you've not been there, be forewarned, there's very little, including almost no cell service. But if there is any, it's pretty well always Telus.

[Cadman]

I had fairly good luck using InReach. All text of course.
Slow, but efficient. Excellent backup for emergencies.