My wife worries like heck when i am out racing or riding...she cant help it she just does...like the enduro this weekend I was suppose to finish at 3:08 if I was "on time"...i ws only 5 minutes late and then taking of gear and such it was about 25-30 minutes...and she was freaking out... thought one of these might ease her worries as she can see I am not dead and still moving/riding around... anyone use one?
I loaned mine to one of the guys that did a Baja ride and it worked fine and gave his wife and family a solid link to how and where he was. Definitely for those who ride alone too. Try and carry it on your person rather than the bike, which may end up far, away from you....
I carry one all the time when we're out and about, even when riding the supermotos on pavement out in the boonies. I don't use the tracking feature much, even though I can. I just carry it in case we have a major medical issue that needs to be taken care of right now and we're in the middle of nowhere. When alone I carry it on my person, but when we're out goofing around in the desert I carry it in my bags. WoodsChick
I use one all the time. Yes, Kelly I know I am always lost. In the winter I often ride alone and really like the sense of security that the spot gives me and my wife. I use the track and OK features all the time. That way if I am knocked silly she will see a non moving track and send the S&R. I hit the ok button anytime I am stopped for any amount of time doing something else like photo's and exploring old mines and such. At the very least she can get the body recovered before the pile starts to decompose. Hope I never have to try out the SOS feature.
I am a loner in the forest too. I always have my Spot with me for the last few years of singletrack searching/stashing:devil:. I have on accident left the Spot on for weeks. oops. Batteries seem to last forever though...even with the cheapos. I have the early huge version of Spot and has never stopped working which is rare for me. IMHO my Spot seems to need too much time at standstill for quick reception/email, but I have a lot of tree coverage in my backyard.:ride: Seems with todays GPS it would be quick to pick up a satelite and send, but again mine is the dinosaur model and I would hope the newer lil versions are quicker. pin it til the trees bleed
I ride alone or in areas with no cell coverage quite often and use the SPOT. Its awesome. I use it to let my family know where I am, usually towards the end of the day. If I ever do hurt myself out in the woods, it gives someone a location to start searching. For the scenario you give being 30 mins late, you would be using the tracking function for that. Personally I don't use that function so can't comment on how well it works. I know people have mounted them on their bikes. It does have its limitations, which are related to the limitations of both GPS and satellite comms. Under tree cover or in deep canyons (or indoors!) it will take a very long time to determine its own location, and possibly won't be able to do that at all. If your riding consistently in areas like this, you couldn't count on it to always track your location.4 Like Runner above I have the original version and they built that with a relatively low quality GPS antenna. My Garmin 60Cx gets an accurate fix quite quickly (5 minutes, usually within seconds) even in deep, wet tree cover, while the SPOT has a lot of trouble with locations like that. Good luck!
Thanks for the link, Kelly. Is the new version the more rectangular package? I think mounting it on top of a backpack would aid reception. FindMeSpot looks like a must buy. Where is the least expensive place to buy? Are the optional services ever discounted?
I am amazed at how many of you ride solo in the boonies. But its good to hear some of you have the spot plan as an emer back up. The Spot rep did a briefing at a local offroad/DS club meeting I recently attended, its an impressive package and great insurance policy to have.
So enter 1 custom message through the internet, then push button when you want to send that 1 message? A single predefined message? SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger: HOW IT WORKS: Once you have activated your SPOT Messenger and set up your account, you can change your contacts and customize your message at any time. When you push the Check-in/OK button, you send one pre-programmed message to your contacts. Your contacts will receive an SMS text message including coordinates, or an email with a link to Google Maps™ showing your location.
I carry mine in one of my back pack pockets that is in the front on the strap. I haven't had any issues with getting a lock and sending a signal from inside the pocket. I have the latest version and it picks up satelites fairly quickly. If you decide to carry the unit clipped on to a strap or whatever you will quickly find out that the included carrier doesn't hold up to being battered around much. It's made of a fake leather and will rip easily. Just an FYI.
IMO, the best thing about Spot is that when you get service, you can add GLOBAL medevac insurance for like $12. So All in... it costs like 150 a year and you have the ability to extract yourself from a problem in mongolia. Even if the device didn't work, I think that insurance would be worth the cost. the fact that spot does apparently work pretty well is just a bonus peace of mind thing to me.
I have a first gen. spot. Has tracked pretty good. Of course the dense trees or a Seattle ferry can black it out. I would like to get the new DeLorme PN-60 w/spot to consolidate things and have the text features. Which ever version you get google around for rebates/promo codes. I got my first year of tracking ($50) for free from a promo code, and got my spot for $50 nib on eBay. You can get the RAM cradle and mount at gpscity.com and even get a ball mount to screw in to a mirror post to eliminate a bulky handlebar clamp.
