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We tested a satellite Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) in the laboratory (on a float and on captive seals) and on a free‐ranging harbor seal in the Southern California Bight to investigate the utility of satellite telemetry in documenting seals’at‐sea behavior and movements. We used records from a microprocessor‐based time‐depth recorder (TDR) to interpret location and diving records from the PTT. For the free‐ranging harbor seal, we obtained at least one uplink during 70% (while the seal was at sea) to 82% (while she was ashore) of satellite passes and at least one location each day. Of 62 locations determined by Service Argos for the free‐ranging seal, 20 were verified from TDR records to have been at sea; these indicated that the seal may have ranged up to 48 km from the haul‐out site, although most locations were within 5 km. The accuracies of locations calculated when the seal was at sea (±15 …