SPOT - Who has one?

[TWB]

I have just begun to research this, what seems to be a new system, of Satellite-GPS emergency locating. So, whom of you have seen this, and who has one? What can you tell me. It looks like a great, emergency locating-tracking system at a very reasonable cost?

I wasn't able to find there web site, but if you Google SPOT there are several online stores selling the product. I wonder if Fisherman's might be selling them?

Below is a discription of the product, kind of an overview of what it can do:




SPOT Satellite Messenger and Tracker
The SPOT “Satellite Personal Tracker” unit has more features and services than other Emergency Handheld GPS Personal Location Beacon units selling for over $1000.00
Never be lost, stranded or be in potentially in life threatening situations in remote areas beyond the range of cellular phones.
Now, with Spot Satellite Messenger you can send a message for help or tell family members, friends or the emergency responders where to find you using GPS accuracy regardless of cellular coverage. Help is just a push button away!


SPOT’s message and tracking functions enable users to send messages to friends, family or emergency responders, based upon varying levels of need and to visually track the location of the SPOT Satellite Messenger:

• “Alert 911” button dispatches emergency responders to an exact location
• Ask for “Help” button sends a request for help to friends and family
• “Check In” button lets your contacts know where you are and that you are okay

“Track Progress” sends and saves your location and allows contacts to track your progress using Google Maps. See example:

• GPS location coordinates accurate to within 20 feet
• 99.4% Satellite Reliability Using a 48 Satellite Constellation
• Weight 7.37 ounces
• Dimensions 4.38 x 2.75 x 1.5 inches
• Waterproof
• Floats
• Shockproof
• Operating temperature range -40 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit
• Uses easy to replace AA lithium batteries
• Standby battery life approximately 12 months

This is an essential line of communication in emergency situations. There are over 64 million consumers in the United States that are outdoor enthusiasts. The National Association for Search and Rescue has participated in an estimated 50,000 or more search and rescue missions each year. These rescues usually begin and the rescuers have no inclination where the victim may be located. Not only can SPOT send messages to family, friends, or the authorities it also provides GPS accuracy on your location. The SPOT satellite messenger gives a location within 20 feet of accuracy. The SPOT is great for commercial lone worker safety applications or for people who live in areas where natural disasters may occur. Drivers who drive outside their cell phone coverage area would also benefit from this valuable tool.
SPOT Satellite Messenger has a rugged waterproof construction, floats, and is functional in extreme temperatures and climates. It uses AA lithium batteries that have a standby of approximately 12 months. It is light and easy to transport with coverage in practically all of the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Australia, sections of South America, Northern Africa, and Northeastern Asia. This also has coverage in hundreds or thousands of miles offshore to these areas.
There is a proven 99.4% reliability with the SPOT system. They process over 6 million messages a month or approximately 2.3 messages per second. The SPOT network uses a GPS satellite system to verify a user’s location.
Optional unlimited tracking service will transmit your location to friends and family using Google maps every 10 minutes for a 24 hour period. Tracking can be reactivated by the user of the spot unit by a press of a button. Learn


What do you think?
Jerry

[gerberman]

I have a SPOT, and I purchased one for my Son-In-Law, We both do a lot of outdoor activities. I got them at the Dealer show in Las Vagas. The $99.00 annual fee gives you a lot of information to send back to your family or desiganated receiver to keep track of where you are. If you run into trouble, just a push of a button and the authorities are notified of your location, and help is on the way. Not a bad system and the cost is not as much as an Epirb original cost. The only major cost is the annual fee. Good luck. Gerberman

[thresher]

They are selling them at Joe's

[fish_on]

Great tool for but don't expect much more than a satellite messenger. If you want a tool purpose built to save your life get a PLB. There is a group purchase on the salty board, and for the cost of a spot and 2 years service you can have a PLB. Unlike an EPIRB a PLB can be used on both land and water, but unlike most EPIRBs you have to manually activate your PLB.

[TWB]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I will take a look at them at Joe's. Not trying to down play the emportance of an EPIRB or a PLB, but this system seems to have the ability to message someone on shore when you are out of cell phone range. I think I like that, a lot? EPIRB'S and PLB'S are for emergency only, like life threatining emergencies. I see this as being a comunication system and a tracking system for both land and sea?

I don't know, I will check them out?

Thanks again for the input.

[Bait O' Eggs]

I believe you can only send 1 of 4 preprogrammed messages from the field at a time. I dont want you to think your going to be text messaging

[SecondSeason]

i was looking at one of those but ended up buying a PLB. my needs are at sea and lost in SE Oregon looking for the land tuna [chucker]. if you have a wife or mother that sits at home freeking out about your lack of skill at sea or on land well the spot might help them through their problems. if your need is to have medical/rescue help when all hope is lost well a PLB may be a better and faster device.

PLB- 5 minutes for your location to be alerted to the med/rescue folks.
spot- my understanding is that if you hit 911 it needs to route through the internet to your list of folks.

i think that both will and could save your life. my personal opion is that a PLB/Epirb will get the troops running much faster which for me is what i want.

if your the type of person that is a "self-rescue" person meaning that unless ALL HOPE OF RESCUE is lost or DEATH is certain than PLB which can be used on land or sea.

good luck

[flapbreaker]

Looks like a great idea for the outdoorsman but would not rely on one to save my life out in the water. The difference being the necessity for a quick response from the coast guard when your floating in 55 degree water. In the woods you generally have more time for rescue.

[TWB]

No worring wife here, after 40 years of putting to sea, commercial fishing, sport fishing, and operating charters, she doesn't seem to worry much. In fact she just took out a large insurance policy in my name....wonder what that means?

Roy, I think you are right about the preprogramed messages. I found the operations manual on line and that looks to be the case. Also, it looks like the 911 alert goes to the agency where you are at. At sea, to the Coast Guard. Probably not as fast as an EPIRB, however.

I think I will still check it out, might be a good back up to a PLB.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

[KeyWest]

I have one.

I have a PLB.

I have an EPIRB.

I have a Sat phone.

I have backup GPS, VHF, etc.

You can never have too many ways to communicate.

[fish_on]

all your missing is a really long string to pull really tight and shout.

[KeyWest]

Originally Posted by fish_on

all your missing is a really long string to pull really tight and shout.

Well, don't know about that - a couple of weekends ago I had to tow a buddy in - so we had a long string between both boats . I do admit, however, we didn't try to communicate over the tow line.

[tunarookie]

how much do the plb's run and or where can i find them

[Mark Mc]

Originally Posted by tunarookie

how much do the plb's run and or where can i find them

The most recent ACR model is the ResQFix PLB 2897. The price is somewhere around 560 - 580. Englund Marine has them; tell them you're a Salty Dog and they'll give you a little discount.

[tunarookie]

thanks mark ill have to check them out next sat before the swap meet

[Megabites]

We had a discussion about the SPOT a while back. I love the "OK" feature for those days when you are overdue but not in trouble. Here is the link.

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthrea...highlight=SPOT