1) poor with freezing fog and low cloud
2) very high with course and destination changes, radio and frequency changes and commercial plan changes.
I would be communicating using old fashioned radio to an ATC unit who could give me vectors and weather information not a mobile phone, until I was on the ground and safe.
Based on the evidence to date, that is what he was doing, industry insider.
Walking through the time line as I understand it, the "text" communication ceased from the cockpit about four minutes before the mishap. If you look at the radio transmissions being discussed and available, he was absolutely doing the old fashioned "work with ATC" drill that all of us are familiar with ... using a radio.
Why was he talking to them? To see if he can get into a helioport or not, or if he has to adapt another course of action. (Some are suggesting that RTB is what he had chose when the helo and crane tried to occupy the same space).
Unless further information is available, I find the issue of "texting" to be a red herring.
Four minutes at 60-70 knots is how far? Four miles, and more, depends on winds.
Anyway, I am out of this thread, sorry to have intruded.