SPOT gps messanger??

[Vinceh]

Does anyone have any feedback regarding the SPOT units. I have heard and read that they are not 100% reliable and that if you are not in opn country they have challenges acquiring and utilizing the satellites.

Any feedback would be great.

Vince

[BigDog]

I have never had to use mine in an emergency but I use it every time I am up on the property to let the wife know I am OK. Never had it miss a message yet. I bought a second one for use during our deer hunts so that the guides can let the camp know that they are OK or if they need help.

[betelgeuse]

Vinceh, I don't have any feedback on the SPOT but there is a review posted here:
SPOT Satellite Messenger FIRST LOOK - EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE (tm)

This article is also abou the SPOT vs a PLB
http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=82

You may also want to check out my post on a PLB that requires no subscription for under $300 here:
New Mcmurdo PLB for under $300

[paid2raid]

Have used mine on every outing this year into the GTW and the Eastern Sierras when I lose cell service. I have established check-in times with my wife and it has not missed yet.

I do try to be in open areas, but it has worked from inside the tree line.

My wife loves it more then me.

[lote]

mine is awesome. Iv never had a problem with it, and the battery seems to last forever. I change them every season to be on the safe side. If you have loved ones that are nervous about you being in the backcountry, this will certainly calm them.

[socalkid]

I picked one up recently for a good deal at Big5. Haven't had a chance to test it yet though.

[Vinceh]

great feedback!!! One is on the way.. My wife and family will be a little more at peace when I am gone.

[Mirkwood]

I used mine in a heavily forested area in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness on last weekend's scouting trip and had zero problems sending messages. All messages were sent out and received by my wife. My dad and I arranged to have mules bring in most of our gear for our hunting trip, so I also did a test using the "Help" button. I customized the message to read "We have a deer down, call the packer and tell him to bring an additional mule on the way back in, ASAP".

[map]

Does anyone know what the Global Star cost would be if we push the 911 Button? Also, what would the California Agencies charge to come up there and haul us out?

As a Ham Radio Operator and had to call out for help once on the Nevada side of the border. Luckily, my sister told the Mineral County Sheriff that my Blazer slipped off the Jeep Road at Huntoon Springs, because Nevada requires the county sheriff to respond to vehicle accidents. The possie came out on horseback the next morning, but I had already rolled the Blazer over by myself. Apparently, they were only going to rescue me, and leave my Blazer stuck there? Anyway, I drove the Blazer back out toward Hawthorn rather than continuing across the border into California.

[Orygun]

Map,

Not sure about who will respond but its like $375 or so for an "accidental" press of the come and get me I'm hosed button.

My wife and family will be a little more at peace when I am gone.

My better half was dubious about the thing until I sent a couple messages on a trip[ this spring. She is fully in favor of it now.

[blacklab]

Map, I too cannot tell you how much it will cost. However, I can guarantee no amount of money will be too much if in fact I was to need emergency assistance in the backcountry. For the individual who backpack hunts solo this is a must have device. If you can wait a few months a newer and lighter version Spot 2 is coming out!

[Mirkwood]

Originally Posted by map

Does anyone know what the Global Star cost would be if we push the 911 Button? Also, what would the California Agencies charge to come up there and haul us out?

SPOT offers an insurance policy that you can purchase for $8 for a GEOS search and rescue when you activate the account. This policy will cover up to $50k of extraction fees that you may be charged with.

GEOS Rescue Center

[Rodbucks]

Just to let you know that Spot will be coming out with there Gen 2 model. This is smaller, lighter and a lot of improvements over the original SPOT, which I have one. Release date is Fall 2009, so right in the middle of hunting season, $170 is the price I was told
Gen 1 vs. Gen 2

Gen 1: No verification that a message was successfully delivered.
Gen 2: The new dedicated Message Sent light helps considerably. Now it is easy to tell if the SPOT attempted to send/transmit messages (even if you don't know if the satellite received them). The message light blinks green when the unit is transmitting a message. True message delivery confirmation is still not available, since SPOT is only a one-way communication device.

Gen 1: Confusing user interface
Gen 2: SPOT has made considerable improvements. Backlight function buttons that blink when the function is activated (also makes night use a lot easier). Dedicated GPS fix and Message Sent status LEDs. Safety covers over the HELP and SOS buttons. Message LED blinks green when sending messages and blinks red when in Tracking mode. GPS LED blinks red when it does not have a fix and blinks green when it does.

Gen 1: Activating Tracking mode confusing - one long press of the OK button did not give a good indication if you were, in fact, in Tracking mode.
Gen 2: A dedicated Tracking function button is both easy to use and know when you've activated it.

Gen 1: Limited message length and limited number of message recipients on the SPOT website.
Gen 2: New Custom Message button: This expands your ability to communicate by sending a message besides I'm OK or I need help. (We know of users that would send three OK messages in sequence to indicate a new message status for their trip.) The Custom Message operates in the same way as the OK message function, but has a different message content and a separately maintained email notification list.

Gen 1: GPS receiver performance is not as good as the best handheld GPS units.
Gen 2: A new high performance GPS chipset should help a lot. That being said, the Gen 2 single antenna is still optimized for message transmission to communications satellites (a different frequency than receiving GPS signals) so GPS performance will not be as good as "straight" GPS units with an antenna optimized for GPS reception.

Gen 1: Tracking mode may have significant message gaps while hiking and backpacking.
Gen 2: New GPS chip and improved antenna should help here. Also Gen 2 queues the previous two tracking waypoints. If message transmission fails a couple of times, but the GPS is working, the waypoints will not be lost. The queued waypoints will be conveyed on the next successful message transmission. This will make your track log plots a lot prettier.

Gen 1:Long wait time to transmit OK messages. One of the Gen 1 slowdowns was for a first fix due to slow GPS chipset. Gen 1 could take as long as five minutes to get first fix.
Gen 2: SPOT claims that Gen 2 should normally acquire a first fix in less than a minute (the best dedicated GPS units are in the range of 20-40 sec for a first fix), but this is still a complicated issue. SPOT makes three attempts to transmit an OK message in the twenty minutes after you press the OK button. Getting a fast GPS fix should speed OK message transmission considerably in areas with a clear sky view and good satellite coverage, but the real challenge for SPOT is message transmission. So for maximum reliability, especially in areas without a clear sky view (and possibly poor satellite configuration), one should still wait the full twenty minutes so the SPOT will make all three attempts to send an OK message.

Gen 1: At 7.3 ounces (208 g) with batteries, the SPOT could be lighter.
Gen 2: A 30% reduction in size and weight is quite welcome. A slightly less ruggedized (it's could be a word!) unit could weigh even less. What is Still Not Addressed

No text display (probably due to operational problems of LCD displays in extremely cold environments). For those of us not at the top of Everest or in Antarctica, it would be nice to get a SPOT with a small LCD display.

• An LCD display would allow the SPOT to display GPS coordinates. As such, it could do double duty as your GPS unit, saving weight and the amount of gear you carry.
• An LCD display would convey the unit's operational status in a way that a few LED's can't come close to matching.

No message delivery confirmation.

• This will not happen until Globalstar gets new satellites in the sky. The current ones have failing amplifiers that complicate two-way communication. SPOT was in part developed to make use of the working channels on satellites that were no longer useful for sat phone communication. A SPOT with two-way communication/message delivery confirmation would probably be larger, heavier, and more expensive. The service plan would likely be more expensive as well.

[HOGHUNTER714]

Thanx for the info Rodbucks....Looking at getting one myself....

[jindydiver]

Originally Posted by Mirkwood

so I also did a test using the "Help" button. I customized the message to read "We have a deer down, call the packer and tell him to bring an additional mule on the way back in, ASAP".

Don't you have to do the "customizing" at home before you go? How many different messages can you program into the unit?

[subfan]

I have the 1st Gen. model. Can't wait to see the Gen. 2. Mine is somewhat unreliable but I am satisfied with it. Got it as a gift and found a deal on the year of service.

[Mirkwood]

Originally Posted by jindydiver

Don't you have to do the "customizing" at home before you go? How many different messages can you program into the unit?

yes, you have to do the customizing at home before you go on the current unit. Basically, you can only program up to 2 messages for the "Check In/OK" button and the "Help" button. The "911" button is the only one I use for a real emergency.

[BackCountryHNTR]

I'm very happy with my SPOT it does most of the functions I need...its very versatile. That being said, if I had the money I would rather have a satellite phone and a dedicated PLB unit...

BTW the SPOT insurance it's a VERY good deal!