Who uses SPOT?

[KRasmussen]

The LOML is growing more concerned each year with my hunting trips lasting longer and venturing farther into the wilderness. I will usually hunt alone and dont really have many local friends that want to spend 4-5 days in the mountains hunting. If I had it my way I would spend the entire season there until my tag was filled. With the growing concern from my wife I am considering the SPOT emergency communicator. Is there anyone here who has one? Do you also use the iphone app for texting and updating social media? I am not really too concerned about updating Facebook while I am hunting but being able to tell her I am OK would make the season more enjoyable.

 

[1_pointer]

I haven't used it, but you may also want to take a look at DeLorme's InReach. It uses a purportedly more reliable satellite system and allows two-way texting. Unless something's changed, the SPOT only allows you to send messages. FWIW...

 

[Jezz]

I have the 1st spot. It is pretty crappy for finding satellites, it works but it takes a bit sometimes. Which if you are in a life threatening situation you may have to wait a bit! BUT my hunting partner has the new model and it is nails. Boots up, locates satellite and sends in less than 2 minutes, plus has an extra message button. I need to upgrade mine.

 

[wyoming556]

I had a spot and had nothing but bad luck with the unit and the customer service. I'd look elsewhere for a true life saving device. Seems like a novelty product for people who like to send text messages and update their facebook pages. Might concider and ACR or Fastfind for something that will actually save your life. More upfornt cost but no yearly subscription which adds up.

Spot is part of Globalstar which is a failed satellite phone company. The ACR and Fastfind use a 406 MHz search and rescue satellite system and spot uses thier own.

It's been discussed here before if you do a search of the forums. Aslo check the feedback on websites like Cabelas, amazon, rei, etc to see what people who own the product really think about how it works.

 

[6speed]

I have the SPOT 2 and have nothing bad to say about it. It does what it says and has worked every time I used it.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've had good luck with the SPOT 2 so far with a fair amount of use.

 

[Bambistew]

I have the SPOT 2. Works most of the time... I don't trust it with my life, so I take a sat phone for backup.

 

[2rocky]

So far I've done better renting a Sat Phone for a week.

 

[Summitthunting]

Here is another option http://www.plbrentals.com/ Personal locator beacon rentals for $55 a week. Maybe a good option if you don't need it for more than a week or two out of the year.

 

[KRasmussen]

Here is another option http://www.plbrentals.com/ Personal locator beacon rentals for $55 a week. Maybe a good option if you don't need it for more than a week or two out of the year.

I don't know if I would feel comfortable putting my life on the line to a piece of rental equipment. I have seen the way some rentals are cared for by the people renting them. Have you personally rented one and felt safe with it?

 

[wyoming556]

I don't know if I would feel comfortable putting my life on the line to a piece of rental equipment. I have seen the way some rentals are cared for by the people renting them. Have you personally rented one and felt safe with it?

Propably true about how people care for equipment but compared to a $100 spot those units they rent are much more durable. here is some info off the link above that explains how these work. When you add the spot unit at $150 and a year or two of service you could buy a fast find and use it for 5 years and save money. Better product that costs less to use over 5 years that has a much higher % of working than the Spot but you cant post to facebook so you gotta weigh all the options. Better lifesaving capability or more social networking capability.

http://www.amazon.com/McMurdo-FastFind-10-91-001-210A-Personal-Locator/dp/B0024YKWZI

Understanding PLBs in less than 30 seconds
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are hand held emergency devices that
use satellite technology to locate individuals lost, injured, or
stranded in the wilderness. When activated, PLBs send a distress
signal received by SARSAT (Search and Rescue Satellite Aided
Tracking) satellites. The distress information including location
coordinates is then passed to the appropriate search and rescue
organization, all in a matter of minutes. Search and Rescue
personnel are then dispatched to pick up the person(s) in distress. PLBs may be
purchased for around $500-$600 or rented for about $50/week from PLBRentals.com
What happens when a PLB is activated and how do they work?
When an individual (or group) is in distress, activating a PLB results in a 5W 406MHz signal being
transmitted. The distress signal is received by the SARSAT (Search and Rescue Satellite Aided
Tracking) system which uses NOAA satellites in low-earth and geostationary orbits to detect and
locate the source of the signal.
Initially, the geostationary satellites detect the distress signal and actual location of the transmitting
PLB is then determined using Doppler technology from the low-earth satellites. The distress
information is provided by NOAA to the AFRCC (Air Force Rescue Coordination Center) in Langley,
VA. Encoded in the transmitted signal is a serial number which is used to determine the registered
owner or renter of the PLB device.
The initial location information is determined in 10-45 minutes and is accurate to within about 2 miles
anywhere on earth. The second pass improves the accuracy to within about 300-400 yards. Some
PLBs have a built in GPS and upon acquiring a signal from GPS satellites transmit location
information accurate to about 100 yards within minutes.
In addition to the 406MHz transmitted signal used by the SARSAT satellites, PLBs also transmit a
121.5MHz homing signal that is used by Search and Rescue teams to locate the person in distress
once they get close to the location provided by the SARSAT system.
How reliable are PLBs and what kind of maintenance is required?
PLBs are strictly emergency devices, and as such, they are required to be and are reliable in the case
of an emergency. A PLB will work in rain, falling snow, blizzards, under a tree canopy and even in a
crevasse. The few cases a PLB will not work include when buried under snow or in a cave. PLBs are
only used in an emergency and so are required to have a 5 year battery life at the end of which an
activated PLB is required to transmit a distress signal for at least 24 hours at temperatures as low as
minus 40 degrees F. PLBs are waterproof and the only maintenance required is battery replacement
after an activation or at the 5 year battery expiration date.
If I have a cell phone, GPS, and/or a SAT phone, why would I need a PLB?
Cell phones have limited coverage and limited battery life. While SAT phones have unlimited
coverage, battery life is also a factor and you have to know where you are to provide rescue personal
the information necessary to find you. Used in conjunction with a GPS, you may be able to provide
location information but the GPS may have battery issues and you may not be able to acquire a GPS
signal under a tree canopy or even in inclement weather conditions. In addition, these devices
typically aren’t waterproof rendering them useless if they get wet.

 

[bow hunter]

i too have the spot 2 and it worked great in the ruby mountains of eastern nevada and on the west slope of colorado

 

[6speed]

The SPOT 2 can't post to Facebook but it can send messages other than the fire up the chopper and activate a SAR team kind.

 

[KRasmussen]

Looks like I will take a closer look at the ACR and Fastfind. I dont care about posting to Facebook while I am hunting. I am out to hunt, not to tell my friends what I am up to and where I am.

 

[Zim]

I bought a Spot Messenger last September. I don't know which version it is, but it worked just fine for me every time. Did a solo backpack trip to New Mexico, and a base camp trip to Wyoming. I can't think of any time it didn't send out a signal wherever I was.