Satellite to be rerouted in James Kim search
[The satellite company] declined to state what the cost was to the company to “retask” a satellite.
“We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Text messages to Kim family helped narrow search
That’s because the cell phone company was able to pinpoint which relay towers the messages went through when the Kim’s phone briefly was in an area with good reception. This greatly narrowed the area where searchers needed to look.
Re: pinging cell phone
Could a portable cell site carried by searchers be used to locate a lost person carrying a cellular phone, especially a gps cell phone?
Yes, the second article I link to details how they can do just that and how people have been found that way.
As a southern Californian that has migrated to northern Oregon I can vouch for the unpredictable weather (the forecasters call for rain and it snows …call for clear skies and it pours) this state holds and I’m sure the higher elevations of southern Oregon are no exception.
It just occurred to me… if he could text message why couldn’t he dial 911? Or text message someone else besides his wife? The effects of hypothermia have been mentioned in this story before so I’m guessing it has a deep effect on the brain. Maybe I have my info totally wrong… sad sad story though.
…did he have the phone or his wife? I’m confused here.
The text messages were incoming, not outgoing. I’m not sure who had the phone. Apparently there was just a short window when the messages came through and maybe they didn’t even know.
He was found in a steep ravine, 1/2 mile away from the car. I’ve backpacked in steep mountain areas, just going one mile can literally take hours, and that’s in full gear with hiking poles. He had none of that.
It’s really important if you are are lost or trying to get help to stay on the road or path.