Anyone Here Use a SPOT?

[Sliverslinger]

Hi guys,

My buddy and I are in the process of planning our annual backpacking hunting trip for elk in September. Although we usually get way back in there, we limit ourselves somewhat by how far we think we can pack an elk out. This year I am thinking about getting a SPOT GPS Messenger, both for my wife's peace of mind, and also so that I can set up a custom message to send to my buddy with horses who has agreed to come pack out our elk if we can find a way to notify him of when and where. I'd be buying that extra service where he would be able to see right where we are online and would get a custom message saying "Elk down, need help." My plan was then to have him plan to meet us at our camp the following morning. Have any of you ever used one of these before? How well did they work? The area we hunt has plenty of wide open areas so access to the sky is not an issue.  Any thoughts from someone who has had one of these?

[RB]

I have not personally used one, but I have a friend that has and it saved his life. He was back country Elk hunting in Idaho a few years ago and his horse rolled onto him and broke his pelvis. His hunting partner was able to use the SPOT to get a helo to airlift him off the mountain. Just my 

[Eli346]

 I've heard good things about the Spot and haven't seen a negative review yet. I bet they'd probably be cheaper than a Sat Phone.

[norsepeak]

Ihave the spot  connect, it works good, but I'd do some more research, there are others out there that use a better satellite system and you can send and receive  messages.  can't remember the name of it right now, but you can find it online.

[Smossy]

Make sure if you get the SPOT 2 atleast, Ive read a few reviews awhile back of people having satellite location problems and were unable to call out for help. The 2 is supposed to have had solved alot of issues. They even have a newer version for the more rugged person.
http://www.jmsonline.net/spot-2-intrinsically-safe-is-gps-messenger-spot-2-is.htm?gclid=CIXH6OaqtbcCFYc7MgodnWoArA

[jechicdr]

I have the older Spot.  It was a requirement for me to be hunting alone.  Works fine.  Need to have an open view of the sky but that's not usually too much of a problem.  If I were to invest now, I'd get the one that connects to your phone and you can send customized text messages rather than limited to couple of messages.  Where I elk hunt, my camp usually has some cell coverage, but most of my hunting spots do not, so the spot is nice, especially if I am taking a little longer to get back to camp (tracking a downed elk is a good example) so my wife does not worry that I have been mauled by a bear or fell off a cliff (though my hunting spot is relatively flat).  Would recommend a solar charger for the cell phone if you use the newer system or you have some spotty cell coverage in the area you hunt.  Seems to eat up the charge a lot faster when the signal is not that great.  Much more efficient to hike to a place you know has phone coverage and call the wife or pack horses.

[Smossy]

I have the older Spot.  It was a requirement for me to be hunting alone.  Works fine.  Need to have an open view of the sky but that's not usually too much of a problem.  If I were to invest now, I'd get the one that connects to your phone and you can send customized text messages rather than limited to couple of messages.  Where I elk hunt, my camp usually has some cell coverage, but most of my hunting spots do not, so the spot is nice, especially if I am taking a little longer to get back to camp (tracking a downed elk is a good example) so my wife does not worry that I have been mauled by a bear or fell off a cliff (though my hunting spot is relatively flat).  Would recommend a solar charger for the cell phone if you use the newer system or you have some spotty cell coverage in the area you hunt.  Seems to eat up the charge a lot faster when the signal is not that great.  Much more efficient to hike to a place you know has phone coverage and call the wife or pack horses.

They make this one to, a take anywhere sattelite for go anywhere cell coverage...
http://www.rei.com/product/816133/spot-connect-satellite-communicator?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-pla-_-product-_-816133&mr:referralID=60a102de-c681-11e2-9dea-001b2166becc

[KFhunter]

I don't know about the cell phone version, will it work if the cell phone is lost or dead?

I got into the older SPOT when they first came out and found I didn't like it very much, you never really could trust if the signal went out even if you followed all the rules. (20 minute wait, open sky yada yada)

I also had the track feature and found that it skipped large portions of my trail - if not the bulk of my trail.   I had the SPOT at the very top of my backpack face up to the sky.


I decided I would cancel my subscription and hope that a much better SPOT would come out that is reliable, one that would certify your message went out.


Reading the reviews at SMOSSY's link it looks like I'll be waiting ahwile longer. 
It's a shame as I really could use a device like this - but they do not have my trust. 

[Bob33]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

[hike2hunt]

I have one and have been using it for over 6 yrs. I personally have not had any problems. I upgraded to the 2nd gen this year for the same purpose as you want; send a custom message to help get an animal out. My wife enjoys the piece of mind.

[Simcoe hunter]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

Have you used any of the other two that you mentioned Bob33?  Any recommendations?

[washelkhunter]

I carry one but happily have not needed to use it.

[Simcoe hunter]

Make sure if you get the SPOT 2 atleast, Ive read a few reviews awhile back of people having satellite location problems and were unable to call out for help. The 2 is supposed to have had solved alot of issues. They even have a newer version for the more rugged person.
http://www.jmsonline.net/spot-2-intrinsically-safe-is-gps-messenger-spot-2-is.htm?gclid=CIXH6OaqtbcCFYc7MgodnWoArA

Smossy- the intrinsically safe nomenclature refers to it not making arcs and sparks that could ignite the atmosphere in a hazardous location such as a refinery.  They may be a little more hardened than a standard model, but not necessarily.

[Bob33]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

Have you used any of the other two that you mentioned Bob33?  Any recommendations?

If I plan to go solo to an area without cellular coverage, I always take a satellite phone. Nothing beats the ability to carry on a two way conversation

[Simcoe hunter]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

Have you used any of the other two that you mentioned Bob33?  Any recommendations?

If I plan to go solo to an area without cellular coverage, I always take a satellite phone. Nothing beats the ability to carry on a two way conversation

Good to know, thank you.  Is that something you can rent from REI or Cabela's?

[Todd_ID]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

Have you used any of the other two that you mentioned Bob33?  Any recommendations?

If I plan to go solo to an area without cellular coverage, I always take a satellite phone. Nothing beats the ability to carry on a two way conversation

I agree with wanting the ability to have a conversation, and I would rent one for a big trip (solo Alaska moose float).  Most of my solo elk trips are less than two weeks, though.  I had the original SPOT.  My wife liked getting the OK emails once a day from me.  I didn't like the cost of the service, but she was ok with it.  I lost my SPOT somewhere in the wilderness (actually, that's quite ironic) and never could find it.  I bought a PLB on ebay for $250 and haven't had to pay the subscription price since, so I'm money ahead.  My wife doesn't like not getting the daily messages like she did when I had the SPOT, but we KNOW that help is on the way whenever I'll have to activate this one, and that is good enough for us.

[KFhunter]

good read on sat phones

http://www.mobal.com/blog/satellite-phones/advice-satellite-phones/inmarsat-vs-iridium-which-satellite-phone-service-is-best-for-me/

basically you want Irridum extreme for $1400 bucks or so 

but that isn't the killer, it's the plans

$580 or so per year for 24 whopping minutes and $1.99/minute after that.

or

75 minutes for $159 bucks  (but it only lasts for 1 month then it goes away)



I guess I would go with the basic $580 bucks a year just to have the phone activated and figure $1.99 per minute talk time with 24 free minutes. 

[netcoyote]

I had one of the first generation units and it was a POS. The transmitter was weak and could not detect a signal in anything but a wide open area like a ridge or maybe on water. There was no way to determine if a signal was sent. I quit using it and just decided I would not subscribe for the service the next year and call it done. Then I started getting emails from SPOT saying they could not use my credit card info to pay for the subscription renewal. My card had expired within that year and they did not have a valid expiration date. They demanded that I pay for another year because I had not cancelled within their "window" of time. Long story short, their customer service was terrible and I would never purchase anything from that company again.
If you are seriously considering buying a SPOT, please do more research and read the reviews of what others are saying. Their lousy customer service is widely known. Here's a set of reviews from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/SPOT-Satellite-GPS-Messenger-unit/product-reviews/B002PHRDQU/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt_sr_1?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0
I'd be suspicious of any product that got almost as many 1 star ratings (33) as 5 star (39). Somethings wrong.
Check out some of the REI reviews:
http://www.rei.com/product/816133/spot-connect-satellite-communicator
There have been previous threads on this forum about this subject. Just use the search function to find them.
I see that SPOT now has a third generation product on the market. Based on the reputation of the company, I would still not be interested in wasting money on anything they have to sell.

There are more reliable units on the market. I've looked at units from ACR which are more expensive but use better technology and don't require an annual subscription. After all, since you may be relying on this to save your life someday, is the lowest price the best criteria to judge a product?

[RB]

If your life depends on it, take a sat phone or PLB.

Have you used any of the other two that you mentioned Bob33?  Any recommendations?

If I plan to go solo to an area without cellular coverage, I always take a satellite phone. Nothing beats the ability to carry on a two way conversation

I rented a sat phone (From Day Wireless) in 2003 for an Elk hunt because my wife was pregnant and due at the end of the season had voice mail set up. Every morning walk to  clear spot check messages check in the afternoon and then call home at night. Cost me 2-300$ but well worth the peace of mind

[Bmcox86]

I had a first gen spot that I was given by spot rep when I was working in the fishing industry. I used it on a week long kayaking trip in the ten thousand island area of Florida and it worked good then. Took a while to send messages on open water so woods would take a while also. For what you want it for it will work fine. If you just wanted something for emergencys a acr or mcmurdo plb would be the ticket. No monetly fees just send into have battery's replaced every 5 years.

I could see how the spot and other messengers could take a while to send a message though. In the US the plbs and eripbs have 100% satelite coverage atleast every 90-100 minutes. That's with dedicated satelite coverage, I don't imagine that privately funded spot satellites would do better.

All that being said i was involved in a search and rescue of a boat off of the Dominican Republic that used a first gen Spot to send off its distress signal. The coast guard made contact by helo in short order.

[elksnout]

Like others have mentioned, I too had the first gen Spot. POS in my opinion. Customer service always saying to try this and that and never owing up to it's problems. Quit carrying it. Couldn't trust the thing. I'd be hard pressed to give them more of my money even for their latest version.   

[norsepeak]

I just upgraded to the inreach by Delorme.  Has the ability to send and receive text messages without having to be paired to a smartphone.  Also uses a better satellite system.  The have them at cabela's and they are having a sale starting the 26th.  I'd look into.

[Simcoe hunter]

It appears the DeLorme is new enough it doesn't have any ratings yet.  Hmmm...  I hate to be the first one to buy the first unit of any new car or updated version of anything. 

Besides, what would my great, great, great(etc) uncle Daniel Boone say?

[bearpaw]

I had a hunter I packed into a remote drop camp. Every evening he sent out a message that he was OK to me and his family. When he killed his buck he sent me a message that he had his buck down and I went and packed him and the buck out. I thought about buying one to loan to my horseback-in drop camp hunters.

[ghosthunter]

I have gen2 spot and I use it several times a month. I have had it 2+ years.
When I am hunting one message says I am hunting here. The other I use when I am back in camp for the night.
I sent it to Texas with my son and he drove a U Haul back here he sent ok message the whole trip.
I enter my own cell in the message list. So when I hit spots of service I know it was working.

I have had not one problem with it.
I use to harass my buddies and let them know I am out doing fun stuff while they are stuck at home.

I have never had it not get service.
100.00 a year is nothing for your life.
 

[norsepeak]

Had to use the DeLorme Inreach this winter in the very back country in B.C. while snowmobiling.  It worked perfect.  We were able to send text messages back and forth with no trouble.  I lost my Spot connect, and I think I'm gonna upgrade to the Inreach by DeLorme.  It's more money for the unit and the service, but what's your life worth?

[ADAHY]

Being an avid backpacker  , my wife wanted some piece of mind so I started with spot one and it worked OK, had some inconveniences. When I went to spot two I've been more then pleased. Don't bother with tracking though, it only works half the time.

[netcoyote]

Being an avid backpacker  , my wife wanted some piece of mind so I started with spot one and it worked OK, had some inconveniences. When I went to spot two I've been more then pleased. Don't bother with tracking though, it only works half the time.

Uhmmmm...question (from a previous SPOT owner). If you are having trouble with tracking, why would you be confident that it could reliably send a signal in an emergency.

And have you dealt with their customer support crew yet?

[6.8mmARHunter]

Following this thread...

[acnewman55]

My buddy was climbing in the North Cascades two weeks ago with a partner - took a bad fall.  Cracked his forehead and had a compound fracture in his arm.

Partner improvised a tourniquet, and used SPOT to call for help.  Rangers flew in to stabilize him overnight, then hoisted him the next day.  SPOT saved his life.

Not the first time I've seen SPOT save a life.  As a Search and Rescue volunteer, I've been on at least 3 missions in as many years in which the subject was located/rescued because of a SPOT beacon.  They are more common in counties that have more widerness/wild country where phones don't work.  I'm with King County so we don't see a ton of these missions.

I've heard plenty of complaints about tracking/text messaging.  Never heard an account of the SOS function not working.

SAR people love these products - satellite communication that is accessible/affordable to the public?  Makes our jobs easier and saves lives. Bottom line. 

[Sliverslinger]

I ended up getting the SPOT and springing for both the messaging and the tracking option. Just did a two night scouting trip and it worked flawlessly. It sent out the messages each time =, and best yet, my wife had the peace of mind of being able to watch me on findmespot.com and see right where I was, as well as get messages that I was OK. I compared the track of the SPOT with my Garmin and I was impressed. Very satisfied thus far.

[ghosthunter]

The secret is not only use it for hunting use it all the time. Just change the message.
Never know when the bridge on the way to work will fall in the river.

I love to harass my hunting partners when  I am out doing something fun like at the range or scouting.

[Skyvalhunter]

I just used my Spot in the further most northern part of Alaska. It was nice to let the family members know all was well. I also had a sattelite phone along for emergencies and to give the pilot a weather report.

[smartazz171]

I have an older original version and love it.  I don't like the fact it has a yearly fee, but I have used it on every backpacking trip in the last 5 years.  Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, it's been great.  What I mostly like about it is that I have an "I'm ok" messages programed that I send to my wife every night.  She receives a text and/or email of my message and my location.  also you can program the help function, so I have my brother on that one so he knows I may have a car problem or simple injury that I need help but not search and Rescue. I haven't had to use it in an emergency.  But a PLB which is more reliable to get search and rescue, uses a stronger signal that can locate you  practically buried.  But for $500 or so it's pricey and you can only use it in an emergency for Search and Rescue.  I hope i'll never have to use it as a PLB but It helps my wife sleep at night while i'm gone.  I may never use the SOS funcion but I use the checkin/ok function every trip and may very well use the help function.  You can't get that with a PLB.  Just depends on why you need it.  possible emergency only = PLB. Mostly piece of mind for loved ones and maybe an emergency= SPOT    

[ghosthunter]

I have an older original version and love it.  I don't like the fact it has a yearly fee, but I have used it on every backpacking trip in the last 5 years.  Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, it's been great.  What I mostly like about it is that I have an "I'm ok" messages programed that I send to my wife every night.  She receives a text and/or email of my message and my location.  also you can program the help function, so I have my brother on that one so he knows I may have a car problem or simple injury that I need help but not search and Rescue. I haven't had to use it in an emergency.  But a PLB which is more reliable to get search and rescue, uses a stronger signal that can locate you  practically buried.  But for $500 or so it's pricey and you can only use it in an emergency for Search and Rescue.  I hope i'll never have to use it as a PLB but It helps my wife sleep at night while i'm gone.  I may never use the SOS funcion but I use the checkin/ok function every trip and may very well use the help function.  You can't get that with a PLB.  Just depends on why you need it.  possible emergency only = PLB. Mostly piece of mind for loved ones and maybe an emergency= SPOT    

 

[CAMPMEAT]

I bought a PLB, one time cost, $250 ish. It's registered to me only. You get a free 406link subscription for a year. You can tell 406 where you're going in case you need help, but don't have too. I sold my SPOTs because of the subscriptions.