SPOT Global Messenger

[1leglance]

Tracking and OK are two different things and don't work together

When the unit is on and you press the Ok button for just a second then it will send the Ok message...

To track you hold down the OK button until the light starts blinking but you can't send an OK message while tracking.

So to send Ok then you turn off tracking, send the OK and when the blinking sequence shows that OK has been sent then youdcan go back to tracking....
Yeah they need to work on that.

I still love my SPOT and use it all the time.

 

[Trail Monkey]

Thx Lance. So simple but i just couldnt see it. Like you said, they need to work on that.

jr..

 

[FlyingWen]

Three REI's in San Diego county, and only one had a unit in stock. Now I got it. Sorry. I think they sell out fast. Good luck on the SPOT hunt!

I know a place in AZ that carries them and ALWAYS has plenty of them in stock.... now, if I could only remember the name.. Sierra something...

 

[Willman]

I know a place in AZ that carries them and ALWAYS has plenty of them in stock.... now, if I could only remember the name.. Sierra something...

I think your getting somewhere....

Sierra Adventures maybe????

:bigbossHL:

Found it!!!!

It's Sierra Expeditions!


Linky

 

[articulate]

Well thank God for Nic. Spots and GPSs won't navigate the web for you.

I posted a handful of my little gripes about tracking in this thread: Big Brother is My Co-Pilot

I think I can do without tracking and would simply prefer to send an OK message once in a while. That's how I feel today.

 

[ExpoMike]

Well, to bring back an older thread, the wife and I decided to pick up a SPOT today, for our future travels and adventures. Having just traveled the El Camino Del Diablo trail this past weekend, alone, we decided it might finally be time to get one. We did not have any problems on our trip but at the same time knew if something happened, we most likely would be on our own.

Hopefully we will never need to use either emerency functions but to know they are there will be a major bonus in our piece of mind. We look forward to sending OK messages and tracking our routes. I am sure loved ones will like the fact they will be able to know if we are okay.

Looking forward to using this on our next trip. :wavey:

 

[BigDaveZJ]

Has anybody come up with a way to specify what type of help is needed? I.E. medical help, vehicle help, etc? We have a large event in Moab every year with 4-5 groups in various parts of the area, and as many of you know cell service is only reliable in town, and even then it's sketch at best. We've had mechanical issues, as well as medical issues, be nice to know what kind of group to assemble for the rescue effort.

 

[Tucson T4R]

Has anybody come up with a way to specify what type of help is needed? I.E. medical help, vehicle help, etc? We have a large event in Moab every year with 4-5 groups in various parts of the area, and as many of you know cell service is only reliable in town, and even then it's sketch at best. We've had mechanical issues, as well as medical issues, be nice to know what kind of group to assemble for the rescue effort.

Since you have the ability to customize your OK and help messages, one option for you would be to customize the OK message describing the need for medical support and the help message to request mechanical help.

Doing this, you would not have the OK function available any longer but you would have two different help messages.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Since you have the ability to customize your OK and help messages, one option for you would be to customize the OK message describing the need for medical support and the help message to request mechanical help.

Doing this, you would not have the OK function available any longer but you would have two different help messages.

Or utilize two different units for each group, each with a designated function. For group activities where you'll have out of town "customers" out on the trail with you, I'd still honestly prefer to see each group with either a sat phone or a HAM setup with a trained user.

 

[cruisertoy]

I just picked up a SPOT because of thier 1 yr service free deal that was posted here. I had not purchased one because in talking with the SPOT guys at the Outdoor Retailers show they didn't think it would work where I go in Alaska. I guess things changed recently and they were able to expand thier reception area, so I bought in. Plus my mother is always calling me trying to figure out where my father is when he goes hunting and doens't come home on the right day. He'll be takingit with him from now on.
For me I see the SPOT as a way to let my family know I'm still alive and alright. I like the fact that I will be able to send for friends to come to my location in I have minor issues or mechanical problems. Even if they don't have the parts with them, at least you will have another vehicle to get you out and get parts. I have a ACR personal locator with built in GPS that I will use if my life is threatened. We rented a Sat phone on my last trip and it was fine, but expensive to rent and run. I've got a year to play with the SPOT service and see if it is worth paying for.

 

[toddlamp]

I picked up my SPOT a couple months ago and have been playing with it from time to time and so far it has been working great.

As for the help option, I have set that to strictly mechanical issues. I figure that if there are medical issues than a 911 call is in order.

 

[teotwaki]

I finally had a chance to go read the 2008 Denali Mountaineering summary and found this blurb in the "Rescue Summary"

False Alarm: On June 9, NPS rangers responded to a request for
help relayed through a SPOT Messenger beacon, a personal locator
device with the ability to notify friends and family of potential
accidents while in remote areas. After searching and investigating,
NPS rangers were able to locate the climber descending into
the 14,200-foot camp. The climber was not in distress and was
unaware of the triggered alarm. The SPOT device, which was
hanging freely from a pack, may simply have been triggered by
being accidentally bumped or hit while climbing.

Proof that it works that far North wjile up in Alaska! :jumping:

 

[Enigma]

Any updates on Spot, and it's newer variations?