I guess this might fall under the "gear list" category.

A lot has been said about how the SPOT performance on the Where's Karl website. I watched the early postings with interest as we had just purchased one of these gizmo's for an upcoming hike. Well, we used it all last week in SNP and it worked perfectly, even in the green tunnel. The only time it didn't work, we had "pilot error". The sequence for pressing buttons and getting the thing into tracking mode was a little touchy. Hold one button for longer than 2 seconds, another for longer than 5. If you don't do that, you still get blinking lights which lead you to believe it's tracking. Later you find that it isn't. Ugh. That's my only complaint. I'd rather one-touch tracking versus the combo-synchronized button pushing that has to be done.

But, even with that complication, when it was correctly set to track, it did just that. The folks back home loved being able to watch our progress.

Interesting, Lellers.

A fellow who started the CDT SOBO in June this year used the SPOT to call for rescue. It worked, fortunately for him.

Did it track after 5 pm?

I was planning on taking it with me next yr on my NoBo thruhike, and after reading reviews and the performance of Karl's...I decided its money wasted.

I got one for father's day. It works for me. If I could post a file, I would put up a kml file that shows a mix of canopy and open space. You can see where SPOT didn't get a track message out and where it did. The point I try to make is that my loved ones know where I'm at and sort of feel a part of my adventure.

I guess Karl, a great trailrunner, must just be a dumbass. :-?:D

I guess Karl, a great trailrunner, must just be a dumbass. :-?:D

Hardly. But it is more than a little puzzling that the device--which should have been showcased--has performed worse than pathetically. I would be interested to hear some sort of explanation from the company.

I submitted a complaint letter to the company. They haven't replied.

A fellow who started the CDT SOBO in June this year used the SPOT to call for rescue. It worked, fortunately for him.

Is there a link to a story?

The warden at Waterton NP told us (~June 26) the trails North of Waterton were impassable and was pissed that we wanted to hike NOBO. Said something about having to rescue a hiker already. We did it anyway and found the trails passable and the snow nearly too soft to support us.

I got one for father's day. It works for me. If I could post a file, I would put up a kml file that shows a mix of canopy and open space. You can see where SPOT didn't get a track message out and where it did. The point I try to make is that my loved ones know where I'm at and sort of feel a part of my adventure.

I too would like to post a kml file of a trail i am working on.
I am not quite finished but think that i should be able to upload it to my wordpress blog with a link. (haven't really researched it yet)

If anyone else knows a better way to make a kml file easily accessible by many, (or here on whiteblaze) please post the answer.

Ok, i think i've found the answer to my own question here (http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=65629&topic=11367).

Luckily i have google pages already although they only allow 3 websites and i have 2 already. So, i guess i will use the 3rd one for this purpose. (unless someone else comes up with another answer.

Is there a link to a story?

The warden at Waterton NP told us (~June 26) the trails North of Waterton were impassable and was pissed that we wanted to hike NOBO. Said something about having to rescue a hiker already. We did it anyway and found the trails passable and the snow nearly too soft to support us.

I never found a news story on it. A fellow who started SOBO on the CDT a day after we did was carrying SPOT. He ended up calling for rescue not far north of Two Medicine. His problem was a perforated ulcer, not any sort of hiking-related thing. It's probably not the rescue incident the warden at Waterton was referring to.

Ok, i think i've found the answer to my own question here (http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=65629&topic=11367).

Luckily i have google pages already although they only allow 3 websites and i have 2 already. So, i guess i will use the 3rd one for this purpose. (unless someone else comes up with another answer.post on googlemaps.com you can the link or embed map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.00044e27d5d54ea0f640b&t=h&z=11 http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.00044e26670d6f0dcbafa&z=15 (lower forge and game creek were done with SPOT)
Whiteblaze doesn't let you embed

post on googlemaps.com you can the link or embed map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.00044e27d5d54ea0f640b&t=h&z=11 http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.00044e26670d6f0dcbafa&z=15 (lower forge and game creek were done with SPOT)
Whiteblaze doesn't let you embed

Thanks, is there a page that tells you how to do what you did there.
That would work for me although i have big descriptions of my different days hikes that i might have to figure a different way to describe relating to the points you have on there.

I don't use google maps, only google earth but will check into it and see what they have available here relating to all the small roads i am seeing/using sometimes.

I may pm you for more help on this if that's ok with you. thanks a lot. it seems to be the way to go or at least a start. fh

Thanks, is there a page that tells you how to do what you did there.
That would work for me although i have big descriptions of my different days hikes that i might have to figure a different way to describe relating to the points you have on there.

I don't use google maps, only google earth but will check into it and see what they have available here relating to all the small roads i am seeing/using sometimes.

I may pm you for more help on this if that's ok with you. thanks a lot. it seems to be the way to go or at least a start. fh
im off to work, but you can copy from google earth and import to google maps. i use it for planning hikes also with my son. will post tonite.

After 30 minutes, i can see it's going to work for me for what i am trying to do.
But i too don't have a lot of time right now.
I've already imported my KLM file and it looks great. Now i will put in my gps points with some descriptions.
But i have detailed logs between many or my points (necessary as there is no trail and a lot of bushwhacking)
Somehow i will try to figure out a way to link to my blog entries.

This is going to take some thought. But thanks a lot. It's going to do what i need done and be public and i can upload my pics too. Great stuff.

It will really be necessary to view it in google earth though because you do need to tilt the earth to see the steepness of some of the terrain. It makes a huge difference in looking at it and is one of the beauty's of google earth.
More later.

https://sites.google.com/site/hobbyhintstricksideas/spot-messenger-information

I went ahead and uploaded a kml file to a newly created Google Pages account. Now I'm worried that the CIA will come knocking on my door :) (Google's lack of privacy is a little creepy).

The file shows a hike in Idaho. The first mile of the hike is in canopy and on the south-facing side of a hill in the morning - not many track messages got out. And you can see later, by a good fishing lake, lot of messages because I forgot to turn it off.

After 30 minutes, i can see it's going to work for me for what i am trying to do.
But i too don't have a lot of time right now.
I've already imported my KLM file and it looks great. Now i will put in my gps points with some descriptions.
But i have detailed logs between many or my points (necessary as there is no trail and a lot of bushwhacking)
Somehow i will try to figure out a way to link to my blog entries.

This is going to take some thought. But thanks a lot. It's going to do what i need done and be public and i can upload my pics too. Great stuff.

It will really be necessary to view it in google earth though because you do need to tilt the earth to see the steepness of some of the terrain. It makes a huge difference in looking at it and is one of the beauty's of google earth.
More later.
i embeded a map on my trail journals (kayak karl) as a test, so far the map updates itself (on trail journals) when i add trackings from spot on google maps. the trackings have no meaning just houses i worked at. im going to try it for a couple of days. should work for trail. ill get my own where's karl thread:Dhttp://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/%3Ciframe%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22350%22%20f rameborder=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20marginhe ight=%220%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20src=%22http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&om=0&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.000455f334575203b9e43&ll=39.656706,-75.520802&spn=0.030211,0.023195&output=embed&s=AARTsJqrtw6XPGyF_oZQjfzTCSsaPGuHBg%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Csmall%3E%3Ca%20href=%22http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&om=0&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.000455f334575203b9e43&ll=39.656706,-75.520802&spn=0.030211,0.023195&source=embed%22%20style=%22color:#0000FF;text-align:left%22%3EView%20Larger%20Map%3C/a%3E%3C/small%3E

Before everybody goes out and gets a SPOT, here's another perspective and another viewpoint: People might mock me for humping a 75 pound pack and I do like to carry stuff like books and apples and extra food, but this is one item I'll never carry.

Here's a SPOT web blurb:

"With the SPOT Satellite Messenger, you and your loved ones have peace of mind knowing help is always within reach."

"No matter where they are in the outdoors, SPOT will be able to send their exact location and a message . . ."

I thought people go out in the woods to get away from this kind of gear. Talk about claustrophobia. Why not just get a GPS tissue implant and be done with it? How did Lewis and Clark make it west and back again w/o one of these babies?? Why would any sane person want to be out backpacking and have other people know exactly where they are? Is this the Nanny State or what?

Peace of mind? You mean, like what Buddha had? Help is always within reach? Really? Always? What kind of help? Helicopters? What if a newb gets caught in a summer downpour and decides to punch a call for help on a whim? Not a happy day for the Search and Rescue team . . .

Bring your digital cameras and your iPods and your little radios and even your cellphones, it's all right with me, but leave this little gizmo at home. Go ahead and backpack without it, cut the precious cord of home connection at least once in a while. What better place to do it than out in the forest on a long backpacking trip. Some of us like to go places where no one can reach us and no one knows where we are. And most of the places are w/o cellphone service, which is perfect.