- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 9,786
We picked one up earlier this year. I didn't get the Plus version as I already have a good GPS (Garmin Oregon 550T) and didn't need this unit to double duty as a GPS navigation aid.
Basically, this is an emergency beacon with text-communication and weather forecast retrieval capability via satellite network. Like all such devices, you need to activate a service in order to make it work. From an emergency beacon standpoint it works just like a SPOT. There is an emergency button with a protective cover over it that you hit to call Emergency Services with a relay of your GPS coordinate. But the system also has an ability to send and receive text messages to any smartphone which makes both emergency communication and social communication possible.
It is a rugged little device similar in size and shape as the Garmin GPS map 64 series. One thing I like is that the service plans are quite flexible. You pay an initial activation fee and monthly plan which activates you for a minimum of 30 days and then you can suspend the device for $3/mo which keeps it activated but without a plan. Then when you want to reactivate you just pay for the 30 d plan you want. The activation fee is $30...so you can kill your account and reactivate it if you plan to have it go off line for more than 10 months. In Canada, I went for the second highest plan which offers an unlimited text feature and weather forcasts for $70/mo. Given that I only intend to activate it during 3 mo, it really isn't that bad a cost overall. In contrast, and maybe it differs now, SPOT used to require a 1 year subscription which was about $200/year and had no capability for texting apart from the emergency response button (it also had the tracks feature similar to the garmin).
Thus far I've used the In-Reach explorer for texting in the bush in Eastern Ontario (not too difficult as I also had cell phone service) and in China (thought I'd bring it along as a trial on my trip). The texting works great and connects to satellite in about 2 minutes after turning on. It also has an electronic compass and you can pull out GPS coordinates and mark waypoints. It just doesn't have the sophisticated features of a map-based GPS. However, you can pair it to your smartphone (which makes texting easier) and you can upload maps to your smartphone and use your smartphone as a mapping GPS when it is bluetooth connected to the explorer. This is a neat option, but rather useless in the bush IMO since I don't want to be using up batteries on two devices nor do I want to risk losing my emergency beacon by using it for regular navigation purposes.
Battery lasted a solid week when on full time, although you can simply shut it down and use it only as needed. Obviously it can't record your tracks while it is shut down, but this does save battery life if you use it entirely for communication purposes. I had it shut down for 1 month and it lost about 25% battery when I turned it back on. Recharges through USB, which is nice, and can be charged by battery back-up or solar panel. Overall, it is a great gadget. Oh yeah, in order to use the texting feature, you text somebody a message. You can use the device if connected to your smartphone to access your phones address book and simply use your phone via the free app to text the message. That assigns a new number that the recipient can use to return their text to. The return text works while the unit is off, i.e. if somebody texts back while the unit is off you will receive the message when the unit turns on. I don't think the number is permanent though as it seemed to change over time intervals. That would mean that the number it assigns has a finite lifetime of which I do not know how long it lasts.
Pluses - sturdy, rugged and small, satellite plans are flexible, communication options flexible, can pull out tracks and do some mapping with smartphone if you desire, decent power, USB rechargeable, rudimentary GPS functions, easy to set up satellite plan (I had mine working in 1 hr and I'm not usually good at this stuff).
Cons - texting on unit is possible but tedious (works better to pair with smartphone if you are going to text a lot), yet another electronic gizmo and service plan to buy, not a stand alone GPS and I'm told the plus version isn't a very good GPS (or at least not as good as standard garmin models), its not a satellite phone or satellite smartphone so you can't call your favorite 1-900 number in the middle of nowhere or surf the web (but sexting is quite possible if that's what you are looking for)...
Overall, I recommend this and at about twice the price of a spot I think the texting function makes it well worth it.
Basically, this is an emergency beacon with text-communication and weather forecast retrieval capability via satellite network. Like all such devices, you need to activate a service in order to make it work. From an emergency beacon standpoint it works just like a SPOT. There is an emergency button with a protective cover over it that you hit to call Emergency Services with a relay of your GPS coordinate. But the system also has an ability to send and receive text messages to any smartphone which makes both emergency communication and social communication possible.
It is a rugged little device similar in size and shape as the Garmin GPS map 64 series. One thing I like is that the service plans are quite flexible. You pay an initial activation fee and monthly plan which activates you for a minimum of 30 days and then you can suspend the device for $3/mo which keeps it activated but without a plan. Then when you want to reactivate you just pay for the 30 d plan you want. The activation fee is $30...so you can kill your account and reactivate it if you plan to have it go off line for more than 10 months. In Canada, I went for the second highest plan which offers an unlimited text feature and weather forcasts for $70/mo. Given that I only intend to activate it during 3 mo, it really isn't that bad a cost overall. In contrast, and maybe it differs now, SPOT used to require a 1 year subscription which was about $200/year and had no capability for texting apart from the emergency response button (it also had the tracks feature similar to the garmin).
Thus far I've used the In-Reach explorer for texting in the bush in Eastern Ontario (not too difficult as I also had cell phone service) and in China (thought I'd bring it along as a trial on my trip). The texting works great and connects to satellite in about 2 minutes after turning on. It also has an electronic compass and you can pull out GPS coordinates and mark waypoints. It just doesn't have the sophisticated features of a map-based GPS. However, you can pair it to your smartphone (which makes texting easier) and you can upload maps to your smartphone and use your smartphone as a mapping GPS when it is bluetooth connected to the explorer. This is a neat option, but rather useless in the bush IMO since I don't want to be using up batteries on two devices nor do I want to risk losing my emergency beacon by using it for regular navigation purposes.
Battery lasted a solid week when on full time, although you can simply shut it down and use it only as needed. Obviously it can't record your tracks while it is shut down, but this does save battery life if you use it entirely for communication purposes. I had it shut down for 1 month and it lost about 25% battery when I turned it back on. Recharges through USB, which is nice, and can be charged by battery back-up or solar panel. Overall, it is a great gadget. Oh yeah, in order to use the texting feature, you text somebody a message. You can use the device if connected to your smartphone to access your phones address book and simply use your phone via the free app to text the message. That assigns a new number that the recipient can use to return their text to. The return text works while the unit is off, i.e. if somebody texts back while the unit is off you will receive the message when the unit turns on. I don't think the number is permanent though as it seemed to change over time intervals. That would mean that the number it assigns has a finite lifetime of which I do not know how long it lasts.
Pluses - sturdy, rugged and small, satellite plans are flexible, communication options flexible, can pull out tracks and do some mapping with smartphone if you desire, decent power, USB rechargeable, rudimentary GPS functions, easy to set up satellite plan (I had mine working in 1 hr and I'm not usually good at this stuff).
Cons - texting on unit is possible but tedious (works better to pair with smartphone if you are going to text a lot), yet another electronic gizmo and service plan to buy, not a stand alone GPS and I'm told the plus version isn't a very good GPS (or at least not as good as standard garmin models), its not a satellite phone or satellite smartphone so you can't call your favorite 1-900 number in the middle of nowhere or surf the web (but sexting is quite possible if that's what you are looking for)...
Overall, I recommend this and at about twice the price of a spot I think the texting function makes it well worth it.
