Posted: 2/5/2012 10:55:34 AM EDT
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I just got one of these for hunting, ATVing and motorcycling in the wilds of Utah and Colorado.
I was wondering what messages others are using for the "Help" button and how many people you have it set to send to. Any tips from long time users would be appreciated. |
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Check out http://www.advrider.com/forums/index.php. There is a long thread over there on the SPOT.
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Check out http://www.advrider.com/forums/index.php. There is a long thread over there on the SPOT. Thanks, I figured the guys over there would know something but didn't know where to find it. I always think,"ARFCOM first". |
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My "help" standard message is "I need a hand ASAP, but not an emergency". It goes to my wife, all 3 adult kids (1 lives out of state), and 4 friends that I can count on to drop everything and come running. I figure that if my kids get it, even though they can't personally come and help me out, they can "phone tree" to make sure everyone's in the loop and that help is being organized.
I just got the Spot this past fall for the hunting season, and I believe it makes a big improvement in personal safety when you're out in the woods, especially here in the mountains. I won't be without it. |
I did a review of mine a couple of years ago from the asphalt jungle of the Las Vegas strip. My overall experience was less than impressive, and I have since moved on to an ACR PLB. I'll try to find the review text and pics-I superimposed the SPOT successful broadcasts and missed transmissions with my Garmin 60CSx GPS over the Google Earth map that you get with the tracking/check-in feature. It was a fairly interesting experiment  Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I did a review of mine a couple of years ago from the asphalt jungle of the Las Vegas strip. My overall experience was less than impressive, and I have since moved on to an ACR PLB. I'll try to find the review text and pics-I superimposed the SPOT successful broadcasts and missed transmissions with my Garmin 60CSx GPS over the Google Earth map that you get with the tracking/check-in feature. It was a fairly interesting experiment
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I played with mine a little and found the 60CsX was about 20 ft away from where the SPOT thought it was. I'm thinking of including a series of phone #s in the help message so people can figure who is closer or more capable of getting to me. Some places I ride are horse/dirtbike/mountain bike accessible only. Not many people would even want to ride in on a dirtbike. |
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I did a review of mine a couple of years ago from the asphalt jungle of the Las Vegas strip. My overall experience was less than impressive, and I have since moved on to an ACR PLB. I'll try to find the review text and pics-I superimposed the SPOT successful broadcasts and missed transmissions with my Garmin 60CSx GPS over the Google Earth map that you get with the tracking/check-in feature. It was a fairly interesting experiment
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Was yours with the new or old model? When they first came out they sucked. I've heard they've improved. I know the guys at Neels Gap on the AT were given some to rent to hikers and they quit doing it because they sucked so bad. My friend used the Communicator while sailing from Florida to the Med and it seemed to work very well. If you have a smartphone that might be a better option since you have more flexibility in the messages you can send. |
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Was yours with the new or old model? When they first came out they sucked. I've heard they've improved. I know the guys at Neels Gap on the AT were given some to rent to hikers and they quit doing it because they sucked so bad. My friend used the Communicator while sailing from Florida to the Med and it seemed to work very well. If you have a smartphone that might be a better option since you have more flexibility in the messages you can send. Back when I wrote the review below it was with the old version, and after that review was written I upgraded to the newer version. The new version was an improvement in two key areas-it would get a fix and send a signal much faster, and this greatly increased the success rate of check-in messages. That said, moderate to heavy tree canopy and large structures were still able to consistently defeat the new version-and that was finally the deal breaker for me. Put another way, it was capable of failing faster than the old version 
When the new version was first released I took advantage of a promotion to upgrade mine and tie it into my existing subscription. I did a lot of testing before finally giving up and moving to an ACR PLB. My summation was that if you work and play and wide open spaces that have an unobstructed view of the sky the Spot2 would probably be a viable option. For me however, being under a heavy forest canopy is a more likely scenario. Here is my original review from a few years ago. The information is dated but still relevant: SHTF gear mini-review: Evaluating the SPOT Satellite Messenger in worst-case urban conditions i.e. Las Vegas Boulevard First off, thanks for looking
Since I'm an obsessive compulsive creature of habit, there are certain pieces of gear that are always with me when I travel. My Surefire A2 Aviator, 6P LED, Garmin GPSmap 60CSx, and more recently, a SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker are never further away than my carry-on bag. They are carried in the same backpack as my laptop. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the SPOT Messenger, it is a handheld GPS enabled emergency transmitter that runs on two AA lithium batteries. In the event of an emergency, SPOT will transmit your exact location to the GEOS International 911 Emergency Response Center. From there, operators will coordinate a response for SAR, paramedics etc. SPOT's intended users are hikers, snowmobilers, campers, and other outdoorsman. I bought mine for a different reason-it's part of my emergency kit for business trips. There are two features of the SPOT Messenger that I use frequently while away from home: the "SPOT Checking" check in feature, as well as the "SPOT Casting" track progress feature. The SPOT Checking feature allows you to transmit your location to the people back back home, letting them know that you're okay. This feature works great at Orlando International Airport for example, where cellular reception is horrid at best. Once I land, I fire up my SPOT messenger (usually from the baggage tram) to let me family know that I'm on the ground-safe and unhurt. The SPOT Casting feature is pretty cool too. It transmits your location in realtime every 10 minutes so the people back home can follow your progress. Your location messages are saved as waypoints that you can review at a later date. The purpose of this mini-review is to evaluate both the Spot Checking and SPOT Casting features in less than ideal conditions. The towers of concrete and glass on Las Vegas Boulevard are just about the worst case scenario for GPS reception. I wanted to find out how the SPOT messenger would perform under these conditions. For obvious reasons, if the transmitter can't send a signal, then it's utility is nil. First, we'll look at the SPOT Checking feature. The SPOT User's Guide says the check-in LED will blink green once every 3 seconds, and then turn solid for 5 seconds when transmitting your position. For maximum reliability, the manual says, the messenger will repeat it's transmission 3 times. Using my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx as a baseline for reception, I used the SPOT Checking feature during a walkabout from my hotel to Las Vegas Blvd. The results were mixed, as the photo below illustrates: The red dots in the pic were tramsmissions that did not succeed. The "OK" icons indicate successful transmissions. In every case of transmission failure, the single common denominater was the southwest sky being blocked from view-either by concrete walls or buildings. This was confirmed by the graphical satellite display on my Garmin. 
The same story was repeated while evaluating the SPOT Casting feature. As before, when the view of the southwest sky was blocked, the SPOT Casting transmissions failed. The red dots in the pic below indicate transmission failures, while the "Track" icons indicate transmission success. The overlapping "Track" icons happened when I reversed direction. 
It should be noted that when the "911" button is pressed, the SPOT unit will send a distress signal every five minutes until you cancel the alert. It will also attempt to send a signal even if the can't get an accurate GPS fix. I would think that sending a signal every five minutes would increase it's chances of a successful transmission. Here is the SPOT Messenger next to my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx and Surefire A2 Aviator for size reference. 
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I think the woodland coverage is why they did so poorly in the "Green Tunnel" and probably why my friend had good success on the open ocean.
That's too bad. The PLB is good if you need help but are there any models that let you send a simple update? That'd be nice if you get derailed by a storm and can't make a designated area but you don't need help and just want to let someone know you're not where you'd planned on being. |
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I think the woodland coverage is why they did so poorly in the "Green Tunnel" and probably why my friend had good success on the open ocean. That's too bad. The PLB is good if you need help but are there any models that let you send a simple update? That'd be nice if you get derailed by a storm and can't make a designated area but you don't need help and just want to let someone know you're not where you'd planned on being. Not in the way that SPOT does it unfortunately, and that's really a shame. ACR has 406link.com, but that's intended more for diagnostics than check-ins and updates. The check-in feature was my favorite aspect of the SPOT service-it was good peace of mind for my family when I was on the road. Having owned both, I really wish someone would combine the best features of SPOT with the ACR PLB. |
yeah the ACR seems much more reliable. There are tons of spot horror stories on Amazon and it has never done well on Equipped. That said I have the spot that hooks up with a gps, pretty expensive I have used it once and it tracked reliably but that was in an open area. I mostly got it just for fun and have not tested the reliability of the satellite text message service |
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The SPOT is an interesting idea if you go out in the wilderness.
For urban/suburban use my wife and I use Android apps on our phones that us do similar things. As longs as we have data coverage (Verizon network) Lattitude works, and if we have tex reception we can (and do) use "Where's My Droid". With where's my droid if a password/phrase is texted to your phone (you get to set the phrase) the phone will turn on the GPS and respond with your locations, speed, and direction of travel. It also send back a text with a hotlink to google maps - click on it and it displays your position on google maps. Both apps are free on the Market. HTH. |
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I have something like that throgh AT&T but it is hilariously inaccurate, either that or my wife has been spending time in the middle of a large upstate NY lake when I thought she was at the office. LOL, I bet she is a closet SCUBA junkie! I got into 'Where's my Droid' after one my trips up the East coast to visit family in New England. My mother and brother were always calling/texting to ask "where are you - when are you going to be here?" as if neither of them had never done the trip before. As I refuse to answer the phone or text while driving, I set a password and told them to use it. It seems to be spot on when the GPS is active. Lattitude is a part of Google Maps and takes a bit more to setup (and you need to approve who can see your location) but once activated it's a no brainer to use. |
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I have something like that throgh AT&T but it is hilariously inaccurate, either that or my wife has been spending time in the middle of a large upstate NY lake when I thought she was at the office. LOL, I bet she is a closet SCUBA junkie! I got into 'Where's my Droid' after one my trips up the East coast to visit family in New England. My mother and brother were always calling/texting to ask "where are you - when are you going to be here?" as if neither of them had never done the trip before. As I refuse to answer the phone or text while driving, I set a password and told them to use it. It seems to be spot on when the GPS is active. Lattitude is a part of Google Maps and takes a bit more to setup (and you need to approve who can see your location) but once activated it's a no brainer to use. We use this app on our business cell phones (Droid X2s) and it's pretty slick I love it when I'm traveling for work, because it prevents the frantic "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" texts and calls. Not much I can do if I'm stuck in traffic on I-4...Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Sorry don't know how to embed on mobile.
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=31806&promotion=9864§ion=10820 Does anyone have a delorme Gps. They look like nice little units has the ability to switch between multiple map types. I've been on the look out for a Gps and I dont like my dads garmin. If you get the kit on the link it looks like you can do two way satellite messaging Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted: Sorry don't know how to embed on mobile. http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=31806&promotion=9864§ion=10820 Does anyone have a delorme Gps. They look like nice little units has the ability to switch between multiple map types. I've been on the look out for a Gps and I dont like my dads garmin. If you get the kit on the link it looks like you can do two way satellite messaging Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I have that with the satellite link thing but I have only used it in "easy" terrain fooling around.-like hiking in wide open areas, driving, out on the lawn etc. It's expensive and requires a monthly fee to use the cool stuff but it seems to do what it is advertised to do. |
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Sorry don't know how to embed on mobile. http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=31806&promotion=9864§ion=10820 Does anyone have a delorme Gps. They look like nice little units has the ability to switch between multiple map types. I've been on the look out for a Gps and I dont like my dads garmin. If you get the kit on the link it looks like you can do two way satellite messaging Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I have that with the satellite link thing but I have only used it in "easy" terrain fooling around.-like hiking in wide open areas, driving, out on the lawn etc. It's expensive and requires a monthly fee to use the cool stuff but it seems to do what it is advertised to do. How do u like the Gps itself. I thought It's kinda neat you can download maps to your hearts content for 20 bucks a year. Op sorry for the side track Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Huh odd timing I just got an email It's on sale. Yeah by no means is it cheap but just look at what it can do. http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=32205§ion=10460 Best Buy has the Spot 2 on sale $49.00 free shipping! Spot 2 Best Buy $49.99 |
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Huh odd timing I just got an email It's on sale. Yeah by no means is it cheap but just look at what it can do. http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=32205§ion=10460 Best Buy has the Spot 2 on sale $49.00 free shipping! Spot 2 Best Buy $49.99 dont forget the min of $99 a year for the basic service. |
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It's that service fee that keeps me from buying one. That and the bad feedback reviews for SPOT on sites like Amazon as already mentioned. Complaints about bad transmit service and poor business practices are numerous. ACR PLB is what I use - GREAT REVIEWS and no annual fees. I hate having to pay extraneous subscription fees, be it for satellite radio, SPOT, or whatever. |
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I thought the reviews had gotten better with subsequent versions. I know the original sucked donkey balls. I don't think my friend had any complaints with the Communicator but he was using it on the unobstructed open ocean. I never had any problems with the originals or the newer, smaller tracking units. The newer ones are easier to operate (i.e. it's easier to activate and confirm that you are in tracking mode) I track balloon flights, so the spot units fly up to 90,000 feet and experience extremely cold temperatures and high electric fields before landing on the ground. In about 12 flights not one has broken, and despite landing under tree cover and/or down in narrow canyons they've always managed to keep a GPS lock and get the message back via satellite. They are a good product and I believe the annual charge is reasonable, when you consider it isn't a cell phone type service, it's satellite and works in places that cell phones don't have a chance. If you want to see unreasonable, look at what satellite phone time costs
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| I've used mine for backpacking, climbing 14ers, and skiing. So far it's been great in the field. I have the newer one with the extra button compared to the other older one. SPOT customer service has been great to me and fixed an issue quickly with billing. SPOT isn't a end all to emergencies but it is another tool in the box. |
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They are a good product and I believe the annual charge is reasonable, when you consider it isn't a cell phone type service, it's satellite and works in places that cell phones don't have a chance. If you want to see unreasonable, look at what satellite phone time costs
It sounds like you get your use out of it. I have one major hike each year which lasts a week. I can't see paying $100 for it to sit unused the rest of the year. It'd be great if you could activate for even a month at a time. |
| All it takes is one bad hike! Personally, I'm looking forward to some added insurance. I cut firewood by myself and often don't have good cell service. I also ride a lot of dual sport and adventure motorcycle off road rides where phones don't work. The ability to send emails and test messages to up to ten different people at the same time to ask for assistance without activating 911 is a big bonus! Also the ability to check in with the family and let them know where I am and that I'm ok saves much worry and grief. You have to ask yourself, "what's my life worth"? In my case, if some bad crap goes down it increases my odds I'll make it back to my two little boys and wife! Remember, every great adventure begins with piss-poor planning. |
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From what I've seen, the SPOT communicator is fairly unreliable. A buddy of mine picked one up to use hiking the 46 high peaks in upstate New York. He went out and hiked all 46 in a month. I was his designated go to guy if a problem arose. I kept my laptop open all month with the map up of his check-ins.
At first the communicator seemed to work well, i could watch him climbing every 20 min or so with the topographic map. But once he started to get deeper into the Adirondacks, problems with the check-ins arose. Looking at the maps you could tell it was everytime he was at the bottom of a mountain with heavy tree cover. This posed a big problem because there were times that i did not receive a check-in for almost a full 48 hrs. After seeing how inconsistent the SPOT was I would not recommend it's use for serious hiking or outdoors use. |
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I have something like that throgh AT&T but it is hilariously inaccurate, either that or my wife has been spending time in the middle of a large upstate NY lake when I thought she was at the office. I feel your pain. Our EVO phone says we are in Wappinger falls NY. Which is about 40 miles North of us lol. It even gives us the weather for wappinger falls 
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| I used to do a lot of solo hiking in Northern Arizona and Utah wilderness. Cell phone coverage was very spotty but I almost always managed to hit a 2m HAM repeater. It was my backup plan for emergencies. I also thought of buying a handheld Aviation tranceiver. I flew small single prop airplains as a hobby and needed a spare radio anyway. But my plan was to use it as a last resort in dare emergencies if I get stuck or get injured and can't use any other means of communication to call for help. Most airlines monitor 121.5 Emergency frequency and there are always airplains in the air. |