OT - Spot Devices

I'm considering getting a SPOT satellite communicator. I know some of you have them or have used them...

What has your experience been, good and bad?

Do you have experience with the personal tracker vs GPS Messenger vs Connect?

Do you find the basic functions are adequate or do you use the messaging and tracking services?

Have you found any alternatives?

I find myself in the boonies alone, without cell coverage, pretty often on my outings, so having one is probably not a bad idea. Having watched 127 hours this weekend probably isn't helping the situation either.

Thanks!

I've had the spot for almost 2 years and I take it on every trip, even if is close by. I use the messaging and tracking..it helps ease my wife's mind. DeLorme just came out with the PN-60 which is GPS maps,waypoints, compass, tracking AND Spot. I also pay a few bucks extra each year for emergency recovery...covers up to $100,000 if you should ever get billed for a rescue. Personally I think it is a great thing to have if you are out hiking in remote areas!

Kalin, here is a link to an actual rescue of CSNP member. Without the Spot he would most likely not made it. I have been carrying one for over two years. It is inexpensive and good insurance plus, as Jack pointed out, it has a good feature for tracking waypoints that links back to google maps.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=48174&CGISESSID=f265523d9a96d6f91580d5fe47d23351&u=9961

The thread is long so here a link to a summary on the spot website about this rescue.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/spotnews/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=352:a-spot-message-and-blinking-leds-help-save-photographer-ed-cooley&catid=2:news&Itemid=19

Be sure to goto REI or Amazon and read the reviews of the Spot before getting one. Overall it is a pretty decent device, it can be useful and did save one of our members BUT it is not a real PLB. Some of the reviews and comments on it might give you pause, if you want this to save your life. Things like trees, canyons, and mountains can really make it difficult for this device to work properly sometimes and since that is where we as photographers spend a lot of time that may concern you. Now if you want the communication (I'm ok and follow my trip features) that could be useful but its success rate for actually getting those messages through is not close enough to 100% either.

If you are a solo traveler and are beyond cell coverage a real PLB is a better bet for a rescue as they are more reliable.

Another plus for a real PLB is there are no annual fees like with Spot. It costs more up front, but is cheaper over a few years.

I had some friends that attempted to use the SPOT on a Denali climb and said that they could not get it to work for them, Didn't get into sepcifics.

I have the PN-60w version and so far it has worked well sending out texts to let my girlfriend know I'm ok. There is currently a recall because the spot may not work under 40 degrees but mine worked at emerald lake when it was near zero...I'll be getting it replaced soon under the recall

Thanks guys. Yeah, Darren, after I posted this I started doing a lot more digging and came to the same conclusion, a PLB may be more appropriate. The power of the radio, dedicated SAR satellites, design of the system, and no fees are all benefits. The messaging and tracking might be fun or sometimes useful, but only if they work reliably. The subscription fees for all of that add up quickly. My PN-20 still fits my needs, so I don't really need the PN-60 combo right now.

Thanks for the recall info, David.

I'm leaning to a PLB vice Spot. REI has the McMurdo and ACR brands. I'll have to read up on them. I'll also have to discuss this with my wife and see what she thinks.

Hey Kalin, I don't have time to respond right now, but I have one and love it. I'll try to respond later. Write if you have particular questions and I'd be glad to help.

One thing I should mention is that the real beauty of this device is that one of the services allows you to have it automatically transmit your location every 10 minutes. This allows my wife to track me. We had an incident in Rocky a few years ago where a ranger fell and hit his head. Even though he had a radio and was in line of sight he couldn't communicate and it took many days to find his body. At least with this device they know where to look and if you don't move for many hours then a loved one can call rescue services. You don't need to be conscious for it to work for you.

yeah, Erik, that is one of the advantages of the Spot tracking capability that I've thought about. Do you have good luck with that or have you had issues with updates not going out due to interference (trees, canyons, etc.)? The literature says it can take spot 20 minutes to connect and transmit a message, so transmitting every 10 minutes may be problematic. Also, to enable tracking requires an addition to your basic subscription correct?

The ACR brand PLBs offer an "I'm OK" message capability for a cheaper subscription fee ($39.95/yr). This is intriguing as that capability is one of the Spot features I wanted. The downside is the number of transmissions is limited. Hmmm.

Kalin, I just looked back at this. I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off right now so this is quick. Once the Spot gets its connection after you turn it on it stays connected very well. If you start and stop your spot from the same place it usually gets its connection in less than a minute. I've created a small pouch that I attach to the top of my pack so that the Spot is always facing directly up. This improves its connectivity and I don't have to stop and push "ok" all the time because every 10 minutes it is already doing that by placing me on a map. If I decide to spend a long time in one place and don't want my wife to worry, then I send out an "OK" message. That sometimes takes a while to transmit, but that is generally fine because I'm not in a hurry when I get to my destination. I have the original spot and it works really well in all of these ways. The new generation is even more sensitive and I hear makes it even easier to send out messages while at the same time being smaller and lighter. As for connectivity, I generally get a good connection while even in deep forest. Once in a while it will not transmit a 10 minute signal because of deep forest but most of the time, even in Forest Canyon here in Rocky, it has performed wonderfully. As for deep canyons, I do have trouble getting a signal in some deep places but I figure most anything will have that problem. I'm a very happy customer and as I stated, love the fact that I can turn it on and not worry about it, knowing that my wife can follow my trip whether it is in the back country or on the road. We even give the url to track the spot to friends or relatives when we are on our way to visit them so that they can track our progress and know when we are likely to arrive. I use my spot almost every day and generally get about 6 months of battery life out of each set of AA lithium. I think everyone who travels solo should have one.

I have the FastFind GPS. It costs more than Spot but there's no monthy fees, so in the long run it will cost a lot less. It can only be used for emergencies...my girlfriend can't keep track of my location every 10 minutes...but, for me, that's probably a good thing!

Kalin - I did this research a couple of years back and went with the McMurdo Fast Find. If you want someone to be able to track you most of the time and to reach someone who can aid you some of the time, the SPOT appears to be the best option. If you want the device for emergency SAR location and extraction, the McMurdo is the way to go. You have to register it with NOAA but the true PLB distress signal goes directly to the global 406 MHz satellite system, not a 3rd party call center like the SPOT. Additionally, it simultaneously broadcasts on the local SAR frequency for pinpoint location. It also has an SOS beacon, has a battery life of 5 years, and operates in temps down to -20.

I also looked at a SPOT device, but have decided to go with a true PLB (the McMurdo Fast Find). I always tell someone where I'm going so there is no need to transmit my location every 10 minutes...but in the event something happens, the ability to transmit to a true SARSAT instead of SPOT's proprietary (and less coverage) system, plus the addition of a second "homing" beacon that enables SAR to home in on the PLB make the SPOT a less desirable option (and that's before we even discuss the SPOT's outrageous yearly fees). And beware, some SPOTS rely heavily on cell phone reception. I know you don't have to go to far out into the wilderness to lose a cell signal.
But, I'd also suggest talking to some SAR groups and see what they think...

I am happy SPOT user, this will be my 3rd year with one. My first year I bought the extra tracking option but found out that it was not always that good so last year I stoppped using it. Instead every once in a while I just use the OK checkin button instead, it achieves the same purpose. When I leave my car, I hit the ok button, river crossing or sketch section I hit the ok button, camp for night, first thing in the AM I hit the ok button, basically I have a system down and my wife is familiar with it and likes the way we have it. Each year I have spent the extra $8-9 for the extra rescue coverage, well worth it if needed. By the way the SPOT does not rely on cell coverage like some have stated, I have been well out of cell range and always have been able to transmit. Like Erik said dense forests can be a problem as long as you can find a small clearing the message will get threw. Two thumbs up here for SPOT!

I can't add anything that already hasn't been covered. I can say that I've had the Spot for 3 years, and love it. Get the Tracking service. Its nice just setting it up at the start of the day and forgetting about it for the rest of the day. Also, make sure you add a leash to the unit. They have to stay on the outside of your pack, so they tend to dislodge from the holder in brushy terrain. I added the leash when I picked up the Spot and it's saved me from losing it at least 20-30 occasions.

Sorry to disagree but Spot DOES NOT rely on cell service, it is a satellite receiver. I just took mine out for a ride in the car and I did 3 I'm Ok messages and 1 help message. The up and down time to my phone and email was 2 minutes. It plots to a google map and you can see terrain, buildings, whatever you want.

One other thing...I can input all my medical data (blood type, allergies, important information, etc.) into my settings and if I need to hit the 911 button, it gives all that info to medical/rescue people. The service also gives a personal phone call to my wife if a true emergency exists. I've used mine in the cold, many areas of RMNP, and it's worked flawlessly. Yes, it is a little expensive but if it were to get me the help I needed in an emergency, it is worth every penny!!

My bad...SOME functions of the SPOT (messaging, for example) require at least a smartphone . Obviously, the basic SOS feature is strictly satellite based. http://www.rei.com/product/816133
Sorry if I mis-read the requirements. That said, I'd rather have a true PLB than a fancy text-message device, but that's just me.

Thanks again, everyone. Good info and discussion.

Personally, I think a PLB is a better option for me. I'm comparing the McMurdo Fast Find and ACR 406 series. The ACR ResQLink looks interesting if it hits the market soon.

I also found this article about a low earth orbit satellite communicator that will probably compete with Spot.

True it's nice to have some of the "fun" features of the SPOT device (mapping, auto check-ins, etc.), and some of these options may offer some comfort and peace of mind *when they work.* However, a device that's coverage is so "spotty" (pun intended), offers no peace of mind to me, or my loved ones. I was in the market for a PLB right around the time THIS tragic story occurred. In this case, both climber's SPOT locators malfunctioned and it may have made the difference between life and death. There is no 100% reliable option out there, but I feel there are more dependable devices than a SPOT for signaling for help if that is what your main concern is. Not a knock to any happy SPOT users, if it works for you, all the better.