Spot gen 3 satellite messenger

jfarrell

jfarrell

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Barrie,Ontario
My wife wants me to get a SPOT satellite messenger or similar device when I go to our hunt camp. There is no phone service at the camp, and since my 12 year old is coming hunting this year, she would feel better if we checked in with her every evening. Anyone use this device or similar devices. Are they worth it, pros and cons.

Jim
 
I have the simple SPOT system that only has the 4 buttons on it (Track, Check In, SOS and "Help Needed, Not Urgent"). It's a pretty slick little unit and I have never had it not get a signal.
I looked at the fancier ones and the ones that sync with a smart phone but since I mostly use mine for backcountry camping/canoeing I didn't want to be stuck with a dead smart phone (do any of them get more then a day out of a charge anymore?) if I ever really needed it. This unit seems to get over a week out of a single set of batteries, we normally change them just to make ourselves feel better, not because it goes dead.

Edit: It's also handy for checking in on where you were when you get home. I've used mine to keep track of little honey holes of fishing and hunting. Just have it track you all day and send a "Check In" message if you find a sweet spot. Load up Google Earth afterwards and you can compile a neat little database for future reference.
 
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If you're out there, a SPOT is a good thing to have but a cell phone, esp a smartphone, is quite adequate if the area has coverage. I rely on a dumbphone and a whistle more than anything else, but if I break a leg....
 
hms11 said:
I have the simple SPOT system that only has the 4 buttons on it (Track, Check In, SOS and "Help Needed, Not Urgent"). It's a pretty slick little unit and I have never had it not get a signal.
I looked at the fancier ones and the ones that sync with a smart phone but since I mostly use mine for backcountry camping/canoeing I didn't want to be stuck with a dead smart phone (do any of them get more then a day out of a charge anymore?) if I ever really needed it. This unit seems to get over a week out of a single set of batteries, we normally change them just to make ourselves feel better, not because it goes dead.

Edit: It's also handy for checking in on where you were when you get home. I've used mine to keep track of little honey holes of fishing and hunting. Just have it track you all day and send a "Check In" message if you find a sweet spot. Load up Google Earth afterwards and you can compile a neat little database for future reference.
Click to expand...

Very cool, these should be required equipment to carry when tourists go through Park country..
 
Look into spots. They are considered a toy compaired to a proper PLB.

i use a ResQlink +.

I paid 300.00 and no yearly ever.

I dont want to get into it too much, but please to the research if you're in Canada and you'd like rescue.
 
I have used the Delorme InReach for the last 2 years after using a SPOT for 3.

The 2-way messaging of the Delorme unit in conjunction with it's real-time tracking ability puts it head & shoulders above the SPOT
 
I have has the inreach for two years also. Pairs up nicely with an android tablet and free topo maps. Subscription can be changed to upgrade/downgrade service (now no fee for the change). I regularly go where there is no cell service and this unit is great. You can enable the tracking and the wife can see where you are at all times :). We put it in our parrents truck (80+) when they go up to the Lliard so we can keep track of them.

R
 
Features are a matter of personal preference.

I have used spot units in isolated areas very far from roads and cell service. My personal preference is to not have the two way communication. Part of why I go to these places is to be out of reach. I have used the "check in" feature that allows others to see our position, that we checked in and are ok. If I didn't bring the unit I wouldn't have been able to bring at least one of the guys because his wife would have been too worried about emergency rescue and if we were ok. I know a couple of people that have used the spot units extensively over several years and have found them to be perfectly reliable.

edit to say thanks for the tip safety plus! Looking in to resqlink now. Looks like it has a radio unit in it in addition to the satellite unit, looks like it is a cut above spot.
 
Delorme In Reach for me too. Tried Spot, it was very unreliable when sending an "I'm OK" message, - often signalling that the message was sent, but the messages were never received. Delorme works reliably and the two way communication is very very handy.
 
I don't know inreach (that others here mention). It might be a superior product.
But my good friend that goes sledding all the time carries Spot Messenger. It buys no end of good credit with his wife to know that he's okay, and can be found in the event of a problem. It does sometimes have slow updates...up to 30 minute delays in Northern Ontario (we think it has to do with valleys and clouds but it's hard to say for sure). But it's relatively inexpensive and is great insurance for the money.

If you wanna spend the extra for two way communication then no fault on you. Just that for the buck Spot is pretty great reassurance.
 
Picked up the Delorme Inreach base model today, the one that you can pair to a smartphone. It won't send any messages from the unit or via smartphone so im gonna have to give them a call tomorrow but definitely not the start i had imagined.
 
I have used the original spot for years. I work alone in the Bush, and camp where I am working. I use it to check in every morning and evening. I have not had to use the emergency or need help features . It is an invaluable tool for me. Many areas have poor cell, or no cell service and checking in is required.
 
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