Essential Outdoor Emergency and Lifesaving Communication Methods for Hikers
Reflect on yourself during your hikes, temper yourself through sweat, and immerse yourself in breathtaking scenery... The essence of hiking lies not in the destination, but along the journey.
In recent years, more and more friends have joined the ranks of hikers, packing gear, shouldering backpacks, and wielding trekking poles to explore those lesser-known sacred places. However, such beautiful sacred sites are often remote and in very primitive regions. Hikers with insufficient experience may not prepare adequately—failing to carefully study the weather forecast or other safety conditions at the destination, or to consider the potential impact of extreme weather—greatly increasing the risk of safety incidents. In recent years, cases of hikers going missing have occurred frequently and are on the rise, bringing the issue of hiking safety back into the spotlight.
Screenshot of the "GPS Status" interface
What kind of communication equipment should you bring for outdoor hiking? How should you seek help in an emergency outdoors? How can you stay in touch with the outside world and avoid losing contact? We spoke with several seasoned hikers and well-known domestic wilderness rescue organizations to learn some highly practical outdoor communication tips, which we now share with our readers:
Emergency Communication Tip 1: Install a GPS positioning app on your phone and send your longitude and latitude information to rescuers when it's critical.
Mobile phones are the most commonly used communication devices. When signals are available, in case of an emergency, hikers can immediately use their phones to call or send text messages to family and friends for help. But in remote mountainous areas without clear landmarks, how do you tell others your exact location? A GPS positioning app can help. Among the many positioning apps, experienced hikers recommend "GPS Status," which is available for download on major Android app stores. It is practical and easy to use. Simply tap the "Share Location" button in the upper right corner of the app, and you can instantly send your current location to family or friends via your preferred sharing method.
Emergency Communication Tip 2: Pay attention to the usage techniques of walkie-talkies and remember several walkie-talkie monitoring frequencies.
Walkie-talkies not only allow you to maintain communication within your group and keep track of the overall situation, but they are also a vital lifesaving tool in emergencies. Experienced hikers suggest: 1. For those going on long treks, carrying an extra battery can always come in handy at critical moments; 2. You get what you pay for—cheap walkie-talkies can solve general problems in normal situations, but high-end models can save your life in critical moments and extreme environments; 3. When calling for help or making important calls, try to avoid obstructions, reach open areas, and stand as high as possible; 4. Memorize the following monitoring frequencies—they can really come in handy when needed:
438.500 MHZ, the public frequency of the Beijing Radio Sports Association, an unbeatable frequency. On average, about 10,000 to 20,000 people across Beijing monitor this frequency daily. No matter where you are in Beijing, if you need help and attempt to call, someone will likely pick up your signal and be willing to assist you. Remember, when calling for help, always start by saying you need help.
434.750 MHZ, a frequency of the Beijing Radio Sports Association, an unbeatable frequency, monitored by the Blue Sky Rescue Team and the Changping Chahanlian Radio Club. If you need help in the northern area, this frequency is a top choice. Usage is the same as above.
438.550 MHZ, a monitoring frequency of a club under the Beijing Radio Sports Association, where many veteran radio enthusiasts with powerful signal systems operate on this frequency.
439.650 MHZ, the monitoring frequency of the South City HAM Alliance. If you need help in the southern area, this frequency is your top choice.
438.125 MHZ, the monitoring frequency of the West Beijing HAM Alliance. If you need help in the western area, this frequency is your top choice.
437.325 MHZ, the frequency used by 8264 Xiaoyao Outdoor. Everyone there is a hiker, and they will definitely help if they can.
437.500 MHZ, the agreed frequency of the Off-Road E-Club. Everyone there is out exploring, and they will definitely help if they can.
.........There are several other radio frequencies that cannot all be listed here. Friends who need them can search for "monitoring frequencies."
Emergency Communication Tip 3: Choose a suitable satellite phone within your budget.
Satellites can provide services such as voice calls, short messages, GPS positioning, voicemail, email, and satellite internet (portable base stations). Product types include the most common handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, marine models, base station models, and more. Satellite phones include systems such as the American Iridium and Globalstar (global coverage), AsiaSat (covering most of Asia), Inmarsat (covering most of the world), and Thuraya (covering most of the world), operated by different providers (overseas). Their service quality, coverage, communication costs, and value-added offerings vary. But one thing remains constant—their coverage is extremely extensive, allowing communication anytime, whether in deep mountains, forests, deserts, or oceans. They offer good communication quality, include positioning features for real-time location tracking, are compact and lightweight for easy portability. However, satellite phones are relatively expensive (ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan), and usage fees are also high (typically 6 yuan per minute). Most hikers find it difficult to afford the cost of using satellite phones, making them more suitable for team use, with costs shared among members.
Emergency Communication Tip 4: Consider buying a "Beidou Box."
The Beidou system is China’s independently developed global satellite navigation system and one of the world’s four major satellite navigation systems. But this is no ordinary satellite navigation system—it has a lesser-known feature: the ability to send and receive short messages, also known as satellite SMS functionality. The Beidou satellite signal covers all of China, allowing users to communicate via short messages without blind spots nationwide, anytime, anywhere.
Emergency communication terminal based on the Beidou system—The Beidou Box
The "Beidou Box" is an emergency communication terminal based on the Beidou system. Its standout feature, the "SOS distress" function, is inspired by Beidou short message communication technology. The biggest advantage of the "Beidou Box" is that it allows you to stay in touch with family and friends via satellite messages even in areas without mobile phone signals, sharing your current location. Even without a phone signal, your loved ones can know your whereabouts. When you encounter difficulties or danger during your trip, you can use the one-touch SOS alert to send a distress message with your location, enabling rescuers to quickly understand the situation and provide aid. It is compact and portable, moderately priced, and you can visit the official website for more information. This device could save your life in a critical moment.
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