I have had this experience of full bars but no voice or text coverage. I have also had the experience of receiving texts with out being able to send them or make calls with full bars. I have even received a text while checking the time at Church Creek divide but I couldn't send one or make a call. I used to make calls from Pine Ridge, near the black cone trail head. Doesn't work any longer with Verision. I used to make calls from Black Cone, no longer, but I have full bars. I used to make calls from a spot half way between church creek divide and pine ridge camp. Now I can't get out there, but I have full bars. This used to make things so much easier! I could stay out for indefinite amounts of time and then arrange for rides, or re-supply arrangements, tell people where I was camped if they wanted to come and meet me, or just chat to pass the time. No longer, this time has gone.
Sat. phones: I came up on a guy making a call deep in Sombres canyon. This steep heavily forested redwood canyon, and he was talking away. Note: my GPS doesn’t even work there.
I’ve used a CB walky talky from J. Sierra. But it was a very heavy device.
