SPOT Satelite Personal Tracker

[ICEMAN]

Weekend Check complete.

The device worked under a thick canopy of fir trees from the Winston Unit.

And, WTF? I shut the unit off in Winston. Drove home to Lacey. I placed the device in a metal bucket in the front yard, turned it on and hit OK button. The device should not have been able to locate its new position from inside the can, it should have sent its last known GPS position in the OK message... Instead, it was able to obtain a GPS fix from my front yard?  Didnt expect that. It seems to pull in the GPS signal better than my POS Etrex..... 

I am convinced this is a good purchase for reporting your location and condition to your old lady.

Problem is, she can have Julio the pool boy over now, knowing full well how far away from home you are.... 

[rainshadow1]

Wait a minute.... You Have A POOL?!?!?

[robodad]

Wait a minute.... You Have A POOL?!?!?

Sounds like we should be having the "get togethers" at Iceman's house, The eat's would be outstanding !!   

[Machias]

Hey guys check this out, SPOT for $99.  http://www.globalcomsatphone.com/spot/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC

[DBake]

Don't pay the shipping go to sportsman or cabela's and get it for the $50 rebate.

[buckbrush]

Thanks for the review.  I have been eyeballing one of these for the past couple of months.  Looks like I will be getting one of these. 

[ICEMAN]

Additional follow up, now that this thread came back up.

I have used it all thru late buck, and now into duck season. Failed once from the dashboard, I didnt give it time to send all the message or something.....worked the next time I tried. My guess is to be sure to send your message from outside the rig...  Wife loves the messages, makes her feel good. Wife happy = Iceman happy.  Money well spent.

(Sure hope they dont go bankrupt and keep my yearly fee...)  Havent heard anything, just seems to be happening more these days.... 

Also, been keeping it in a plastic ziplock during the rain and crap.... I sent messages from in the ziplock from my duck boat....worked great....

[rasbo]

Weekend Check complete.

The device worked under a thick canopy of fir trees from the Winston Unit.

And, WTF? I shut the unit off in Winston. Drove home to Lacey. I placed the device in a metal bucket in the front yard, turned it on and hit OK button. The device should not have been able to locate its new position from inside the can, it should have sent its last known GPS position in the OK message... Instead, it was able to obtain a GPS fix from my front yard?  Didnt expect that. It seems to pull in the GPS signal better than my POS Etrex..... 

I am convinced this is a good purchase for reporting your location and condition to your old lady.

Problem is, she can have Julio the pool boy over now, knowing full well how far away from home you are.... 

just text me Ill tell her

[ICEMAN]

Be careful of what you wish for..... 

[PacificNWhunter]

Appreciate all the research ICE. Something tells me I will be getting one from Santa.....I know my wife likes the idea of the SPOT verses me leaving behind copies of my maps and travel routes.

[rainshadow1]

Ok, Do you get to track your progress upon check-ins with the $100 service, or do you have to have the $150 service to see where you were at the check in points?

I mean, can you see, after you get home, where you were standing when you sent the "Ok" signal with the basic service?

I don't want to send a location every 10 minutes, but I want to send a location when I send an OK. Does it do that with the basic service?

Also, is the 911 button only functional with the extra $7.95 for the first year and $150 per year after that? Is it just dead if you don't pony up their dough?

[ICEMAN]

PacificNWHunter, I leave the map too, so If I go down, the wife can relay any other info to rescue...

rainshadow, for the basic package deal, you can send as many OK messages as you like (i think...), and then your wife gets the text phone and email messaage for each message you send. Each time you hit OK, a google map is sent to your home, you can verify later where you were, or wifey can check up on you to make sure you aint in the sleaze motel getting some... 

The upgrade service looks like you pay the extra cash, and get to leave your device on so it monitors your moves? Not really sure how this feature works. The device may be pinging the satelite the whole time you have it on.....probably already does this for their eyes only..., but you gotta pay extra to use the data..... make sense?

[rainshadow1]

Ok, makes sense, I don't need the tracking.

Now the 911 thing, does it jump to an extra $150 per year the second year, or is that just if you don't get it initially? And if you don't get the "Geos" service, does the 911 button do nothing?

Thanks for the link, Machias. I ordered mine today. Saved $50 off Costco.

[actionshooter]

The 911 service comes with the basic plan, $100 a year. The tracking shows where you have been on google earth, thats $50 making the service $150 with the extra. Basically you can mark where you have been and look at it when you get home.
 If you want to get real fancy you can buy insurance that will pay any charges for being rescued 
 Used mine in Idaho wilderness for 9 days and worked great, makes the wifey happy.

Look at the SPOT website, they have a clear explanation.

[ICEMAN]