SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

A

AZWaterRat

Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
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I spend a lot of time solo hiking/camping in some very remote places where cell phone coverage can be very iffy to nil. I have had my eye on this device for some time and would like to know if anyone here owns one and can give me some feedback on it. I've read a few reviews online and they have been very mixed. Any help would be much appreciated!

http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102
 
I think Jeff used one on the last trip down in South America and there was a link here where you could track where he (and the class) were.
 
Go to www.equipped.org, they have several great reviews on the SPOT unit and some of the other real popular ones. It's a great site that isn't affiliated with any companies so all they're reviews are unbiased and VERY indepth. They're reviews on the old unit and the newer models also.
 
A friend of mine has the original version and has used it for the wish tou were here type messages. Pretty cool you can have it send emails and text messages that will link you to google maps. I believe the $100 subscription still covers some insurance to help cover the cost o a search and rescue if needed. I've been waiting for the new version with needed improvements.
 
Let's move this to Gadgets & Gear. Just because you spend most of your time in ESEE it doesn't mean you post anything you want there. Please post in the appropriate forum.
 
333rm said:
Go to www.equipped.org, they have several great reviews on the SPOT unit and some of the other real popular ones. It's a great site that isn't affiliated with any companies so all they're reviews are unbiased and VERY indepth. They're reviews on the old unit and the newer models also.
Click to expand...

Equipped is a great site, but Doug Ritter is affiliated with a few companies, such as AMK, CRKT, and Aeromedix. He always seems to call out his affiliations though, and I've seen him pass off reviews to other people when there might be a conflict of interest. Doug posts on BF and might chime in at some point. I remember that he was cautioning people about using the SPOT with the original version.

The original SPOT had a lot of problems, which they seem to have addressed with the new model. I don't think the new one has been out quite long enough to have extensive, long term reviews on it. If you need something that is almost guaranteed to get a signal out, I would recommend a real PLB. They are pricey, but can be rented for a week or two if you just need one for a single trip.
 
I was looking at this very device just the other day. It's so close... but yet so far... from being right. Doug's reviews of it are extensive and didn't encouage me. I also dislike the inability to send a brief text message. As Doug points out, these units will send an emergency message whether or not they have a GPS fix -- which is what they should do -- but won't send an OK unless they have a GPS fix. This can leave you unable to call off a potentially very expensive emergency response. Doug also points out that you have to turn the unit on before you can send an emergency message. Since the emergency button has a very-difficult-to-accidentally -- or intentionally -- open cover, pressing that one button should active the unit and send the message. Perhaps it can turn the unit on, active a beeper and flashing light for thirty seconds during which time you can abort, and then send the message.

The high cost of service subscription is also discouraging to me.









Granted, this is only somewhat related, but I will now show you an iPhone App that does a lot of what the Spot2 does for a whole lot less. It's curiously mis-named IAmSafe.

http://www.iamsafe-mobile.com/

When you active this app, it gives you an opportunity to abort (though if you do nothing, the incident will proceed). Then, it will send five pre-nominated people e-mail and text messages allerting them that you have declared an incident. The e-mail will link your five family or friends to a website where they will be able to track your location on a moving map in near-real-time (updated every seven seconds), AND listen in to the audio from your location in near-real-time with the ability to listen back to a recording of audio going back to the beginning of the incident. Of course, an iPhone is not as ruggedized as the Spot unit and only works when there is AT&T Coverage
(notoriously poor outside of major metro areas). But, this app costs only $5 and has no yearly fee.
 
I kind of wonder how effective a green laser would be at signaling at night in an emergency. The high intensity ones can be seen for many, many miles, but I guess someone needs to be looking in the first place.
 
I take a Spot with me whenever I'm going off road or hiking in remote places. I personally know of people it has helped out. Also, the "I'm OK" message is great for you wife or ?

I don't know anyone that is using the tracking feature and I didn't subscribe to it.

An updated model just came out and I'll be trading up to it.

Win
 
DeLorme and SPOT Unveil First Handheld GPS with Satellite Communicator

Spot LLC, ... and DeLorme, .... jointly announced the world’s first rugged, handheld GPS and satellite communicator product. The DeLorme Earthmate® PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator will be the first handheld GPS navigation device capable of sending customized text messages even when the user is operating far beyond the range of cellular communications. General product availability is scheduled for Spring 2010,.....


http://www.delorme.com//about/pressreleases/SPOTcommunicator.htm

http://www.delorme.com/media/
 
This technology seems to be coming around. Have a friend who had the first generation and I know he had problems with it but it was certainly better than nothing. To me it is simple - if you need it than you REALLY NEED IT and should have one. If you don't need it than just wait for the technology to improve - but then - did you really need it to begin with?
 
Storl, the Greatland Laser site shows what would happen, the thing is with a round spot, hitting the observer's eye is really hard, so their's uses a line so you get a big arc of light, and apparently they show up in NVGs really well.
as for a beacon, if it was me I'd use a EPRB, if its bad enough that I need help NOW its gotta work. as I see it, a smoke signal (where I camp, smoke will get a response pretty damn fast) will give an accurate location much faster, and I've had trouble with GPSrs in the mountains. personally I've never been one for the "better than nothing" attitude for gear, especially electronics. and as more units are sold, EPRBs will come down in cost, just like avi beacons have in the last few years.
 
I operate four SPOT units with my survey crews and have been testing the unit extensively for the past year (Atlantic Canada, BC, and West Africa so far). I have enough confidence in the unit now that it has become our primary "sched" device for remote crews checking in (while Iridium SAT phone is still primary means of emergency communications).

Let's first distinguish between SPOT I and SPOT II receivers. The original SPOT I is larger than the latest incarnation, the SPOT II, the SPOT I uses two AA Li batteries while the SPOT II uses three AAA Li batteries. The SPOT II also has an extra button for a user-customizable message, but this message must be defined prior to use on the SPOT website. Some SPOT II units (including my personal one) were recently recalled due to power/LED issues. The SPOT I can last up to a week with two batteries when sending three messages a day and tracking enabled for 10-12h per day. The SPOT II unit goes through batteries much quicker, I would be lucky to get 1.5-2 days of use from it on one set of batteries. As the SPOT II uses one extra battery, and the AA and AAA lithium batteries are the same price, and I would estimate it lasts 1/5 less time on three batteries than the SPOT I on two batteries, this puts the cost of running a SPOT II at roughly 7.5x higher in batteries alone (and lithium AA/AAA batteries are not cheap!), something to keep in mind. The HELP/SOS button placement on the SPOT I is not good, they are recessed in the housing, but I still worry about an accidental button press while carrying turned on in the top of a pack, so we tape over these buttons with electrical tape to protect them, the SPOT II has proper covers on these buttons which is a marked improvement. The LEDs on the SPOT I are a bit confusing, and unless you are watching it every second, it's hard to tell if the message was sent, and it's impossible to distinguish between tracking mode and OK message being sent by looking at the LEDs, this issue has been remedied in the SPOT II with a separate tracking button/LED. The SPOT II is certainly a much better overall package, but they really should have stuck with two AA batteries, this is its biggest shortcoming.

In my experience, when used correctly, SPOT works 99% of the time. To use correctly, the message must be sent while the unit is in the open, free of overhead obstructions. Our standard procedure while in the field is an OK message every three hours, with the tracking mode enabled the rest of the time.

For the price, it's hard to come up with reasons not to carry one. I use mine at work, and also at play, I did a 20km solo day hike last Friday in a fairly remote part of Newfoundland and my wife was able to watch me every step of the way (I guess that's a good thing!)

In researching the SPOT in early 2009, I was unable to find any independent scientific reviews of the system. I sent an email to the Canadian National Search and Rescue Secretariat requesting they review it, not sure if it was my doing or not, but they have a very good review of it in the latest edition of SARSCENE magazine:

http://www.nss.gc.ca/site/ss/magazine/vol18_3/406/spotchecked_e.asp







.
 
Thank You everybody for your input. After reading your posts (and getting my REI dividend yesterday:thumbup:) I decided I'm going to purchase the SPOT II today. I have a 3 day backpacking trip planned for next weekend and will test and give a review of the SPOT when I get back.
 
I've found the tracking feature useful when sailing in the Caribbean. My family was very pleased to be able to see roughly where the ship was, and zoom in and see the terrain, distance to cities/islands, etc.
 
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