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I use Iridium SBD 9603 N modems in some hardware (oceanographic buoys). I use high gain antenna, typically the setup is based on https://www.sparkfun.com/products/18712 and https://www.sparkfun.com/products/16838 .

I typically build a series of instruments (20-ish) at a time, and put them outside for testing, very close to each others.

Is having so many RF modems close to each others, all trying to transmit and send on top of each others, at risk of damaging each other? I don't care if a message don't get through now and then because the modems try to 'speak over each others', but I don't want to damage hardware if a modem tries to send a message while it's neighbour is listening... I.e. is 'shouting in the ears of your neighbour who is listening' something that can typically damage Iridium 9603 modems, or is this not a risk at all because there are built in over voltage / RF hardware / RF amplifier protection?

Is there some form of RF protection to avoid any risks of damage, or should I be worried / stop testing my instruments and modems like this?

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    \$\begingroup\$ you should be asking Iridium tech support \$\endgroup\$
    – jsotola
    Commented Feb 9 at 22:09
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    \$\begingroup\$ If the modems are under warranty, you could always return them if they fail and there's no clear warning about it in the manual. That would be on them, not you, then, at least as far as customer relations go :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica
    Commented Feb 9 at 22:58

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Is having so many RF modems close to each others, all trying to transmit and send on top of each others, at risk of damaging each other?

Nah. They have separate up- and downlink bands anyways, and their transmit filters should be pretty steep, so that there's little emission on the downlink.

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