Spot Satellite

[elkman54]

During a search on this device I noticed quite a few of you guys have had a Spot Satellite for some time. Has it performed as stated, does it send messages with consistency, are you required to be out in the open or does it work with a heavy canopy, is it worth the cost, how much delay from send to receive, has anyone dealt with customer service. Sportsmans has them for $75, but then add $99 activation, $13 rescue insurance and other additional charges depending on what extras you desire
Is a PLB a better choice?
Who is liable in the case of a rescue?

[Bean Counter]

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[Machias]

I had one, actually still have the device, but I no longer do the service.  It worked as advertised even in thick cover I got signals out.  I was happy with the service and liked it, I just let it lapse and have no re-activated.  When I move back out west I will probably re-activate it or buy a new one if they have an updated version.

[Bob33]

Some user reviews here:

http://www.rei.com/product/784892/spot-ii-satellite-gps-messenger

[JColony]

Machias - If you didn't, make sure that you contact them and actually cancel the service.  Just letting it lapse does not cancel the service and you are actually still accrueing charges.  I had a similar situation with mine, let it lapse cause didn't have the $$$ to renew it at the time, then when we went to sign it back up we owed like $400.  All that being said, the customer service was phenomenal!  They were able to look at my usage and see that I hadn't used it at all during the time I thought it was deactivated and waived all the  extra charges.  They told me the reason they don't deactivate accounts when they don't receive payment is for legal customer safety.  That way if there were an issue with a payment and for whatever reason it didn't get to them, someone wouldn't be out in the woods thinking they have the services when they have actually been turned off.  Just some food for thought.

[Bob33]

For pure emergency use only a PLB is a better (and less expensive) solution. If you want something that sends periodic location updates to someone then Spot is worth looking at.

[ghosthunter]

I have had one for two years. Wife bought it for me. I have never had it not work. I entered my own cell number as one of the 10 numbers for each message. And I always get the alert from spot along with link. When I have cell service.
I sent with my son to Texas when he flew down and drove back. We were able to pin point his location the entire trip.

I have never found a spot it will not work.

I keep my activated all year. And in my truck. Just to send a ok message to the family is worth it to my wife when I am hunting.

[CAMPMEAT]

I just bought a PLB because I didn't want to pay for a service. I had 2 SPOTS and sold them. I bought the ACR 2881  ResQlink from the GPSSTORE for $ 245 delivered. You can also buy more services on www.406link.com if you want, it's a lot cheaper than SPOT.

[briancorneal]

Customer service is great.  I use it when I hunt solo deep in the wilderness and it's kept my wife's piece of mind.   You can't buy piece of mind for $99 a year

[ICEMAN]

Mine works fine, had it four years...

recap here:     http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,11775.msg131890.html#msg131890

[Wanttohuntmore]

Mine works fine as well, have had it since they came out, possibly 6 yrs ago?  We've kind of used the messaging as a way to help locate where we are when there is an animal down.  Already has worked on 3 kills.  Also nice to know, when my dad is in Montana, when they get an animal down, I can see, at work, where he is, and exactly when he got it. 

[huntergreg]

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