Spot personal locator

[nu2hike]

Are any of you familiar with this device and if so how reliable is it on the trail?

[10-K]

I've got one and my wife really likes it. All I can tell you for sure is that the "I'm OK" feature works as advertised. I've never used the tracking service or needed to SOS for help.

It's a neat toy, but it's really for the folks at home.

[TrailPossum]

I have had one for the past 3 years and have had no problems with picking up service or the performance of the device itself. The first year I had the tracking feature upgrade along with my regular service. My mother enjoyed tracking my outings on google maps and it made a nice way to track hikes since it saves the waypoints. The only drawback of the company I have noticed is when it was time to re-up my subscription. They stealthed charged my card that was originally given to them to continue the subscription without any warning! Good thing I had the money in the account. =) Maybe I didn't read the small print close enough but I would at least think they would call letting me know that they were going to charge 100-200 dollars on my card. Like I said though, the spot device itself has worked fine through many elements in the backcountry and the satisfaction of knowing help is a button press away is comforting.

[Shooting Star]

I've used a SPOT on trips since 2008 and like it. It keeps the folks back home happy, so no one
minds me doing trips. I like the tracking feature - upload the waypoints to google maps and provide
a share page to friends. The share page is updated as you walk so anyone you provide the web url
to can follow your trip as you're walking. I've never used the Help or SOS functions.

One thing to be aware of is that transmit power is pretty weak in order to get longer battery life. A
full tree canopy overhead will block the signal, so some of the tracking waypoints never make it "home".
For OK, Help, SOS use, get into an open area to make sure your messages get out. I switch the
batteries out about every 10 trips and probably don't need to do it that often.

Like 10K says, it's a toy, but a pretty handy one. Do you really need one of these things? Nope.
But I carry other things I don't need and that's ok.

[Country Roads]

I had one of the first ones and it was only about 60 to 70% on the sends. I purchased one of the newer ones this year. I am at pretty much 100% send on it so far. I like that the newer one is more user friendly too. It is worth it to keep the home folks off my back about solo hiking and yah never know when you might need the 911 feature. I can recommend the new spot units, they seem to work pretty well, even here in WV.

[nu2hike]

Thanks! I purchased it more for my family's peace of mind than for myself! I find that I'm carrying more techno gizmos all the time!, I would prefer not to, but can't decide which to leave at home! I carry my iPhone not only for the phone, but also for the camera and MP3 player! {I'm an audio book fan} I usually carry a GPS, but may or may not need it on the AT. I mostly use the odometer! I like knowing how far I've been as well as how far I have to go! Now I've added the Spot to the mix! Rediculous!! Lewis and Clark I aint!

[topshelf]

Works great for the girlfriend, does struggle with signal in the trees, use it in a field. I use the I'm OK button and my personal message button I have it say I'm ready to be picked up so if I need to be picked up at the end of my section it tells anyone where I'm at and when to get me. The personal message worked well when I had to come off the trail yesterday, cutting my 5 day walk down to 2, due to troubles with the gf.

[mike220]

I have the Spot with the Delorme GPS. Was very use full when we were ahead of schedule and were going to be picked up at a different location.

Just texted a message to my wife of the new pick up details and time, hours early. Didn't have to wait long, our ride arived 30 minutes after hiting the road.

[bk18]

SPOTs are neat, but if you're wanting an actual locator beacon to use in emergencies, look into the ACR brand of PLBs. They don't rely on cell signal, they link up with national search and rescue satellites and transmit your coordinates so that rescuers know exactly where to find you.

[HiKen2011]

SPOTs are neat, but if you're wanting an actual locator beacon to use in emergencies, look into the ACR brand of PLBs. They don't rely on cell signal, they link up with national search and rescue satellites and transmit your coordinates so that rescuers know exactly where to find you.

I thought that's what the spot did? Does it (spot) not pinpoint your location in an emergency?

[Shutterbug]

I thought that's what the spot did? Does it (spot) not pinpoint your location in an emergency?

The SPOT does not use cell coverage. bk18 is confused.

I used to carry the ACR brand of PLB. The problem with it is that you can only use it in an emergency. You can use the SPOT in an emergency, but can also use it just to stay in touch with your family and friends. I was an "early adopter." I bought one of the first SPOTs and have been using it since then. It does what it is supposed to do.

[bk18]

The SPOT does not use cell coverage. bk18 is confused.

I used to carry the ACR brand of PLB. The problem with it is that you can only use it in an emergency. You can use the SPOT in an emergency, but can also use it just to stay in touch with your family and friends. I was an "early adopter." I bought one of the first SPOTs and have been using it since then. It does what it is supposed to do.

I coulda swore at one time, SPOTs used cellular towers instead of sattelites. Either way, as others have stated, it's a neat toy but I really wouldn't trust my life to it. I've seen too many reviews of spotty service. SPOT does not connect to SARSAT directly rather it connects to the GEOS system (which means if you don't get a GPS signal, you won't get a communication signal) which has the greater potential for degraded transmissions depending on your surroundings, and for me, that's a no go. Real PLBs use multiple redundant technologies when connecting to the SARSAT system, some of which are not degraded by tree cover or land formations, and will even use Doppler shift to determine your location if GPS data is not present. It will even emit an international 121.5 MHz locator beacon to aid searchers in finding you. Then there's the subscription fee for SPOT. Thanks but no thanks. SPOT is useful as others have stated for letting family members and such know you're doing ok and let them watch your trek, but if your desire is lifesaving ability, a real PLB is the route to go.

[10-K]

On the AT you don't need a SPOT or a PLB but by far the more useful of the two (on the AT) is the SPOT.

[JaxHiker]

If I could do a monthly subscription I'd get the Communicator. I'm not going to pay $99/yr for it to sit in a box 90% of that time. My friend is using the Communicator to send updates while sailing across the Atlantic and throughout the Med. It's been working pretty well and it's been fun watching the journey on the map.

On my last hike I just used Twitter to send my position directly from the GPS app on my smartphone.

[Wise Old Owl]

I coulda swore at one time, SPOTs used cellular towers instead of sattelites. Either way, as others have stated, it's a neat toy but I really wouldn't trust my life to it. I've seen too many reviews of spotty service. SPOT does not connect to SARSAT directly rather it connects to the GEOS system (which means if you don't get a GPS signal, you won't get a communication signal) which has the greater potential for degraded transmissions depending on your surroundings, and for me, that's a no go. Real PLBs use multiple redundant technologies when connecting to the SARSAT system, some of which are not degraded by tree cover or land formations, and will even use Doppler shift to determine your location if GPS data is not present. It will even emit an international 121.5 MHz locator beacon to aid searchers in finding you. Then there's the subscription fee for SPOT. Thanks but no thanks. SPOT is useful as others have stated for letting family members and such know you're doing ok and let them watch your trek, but if your desire is lifesaving ability, a real PLB is the route to go.

Bk - I am with 10k on this one I am unaware Spot ever working on cell towers, and you are comparing a Ford with a BMW. The price difference was huge at one time. Since Spot Came out the price of PLB's came down. Here in America nobody will show up if you transmit on 121.5 Why? The range of the signal is less than a mile. The CAP is seriously defunded and rarely goes out anymore to practice the technique of RDF. When a nearby helicopter tripped the device a few years back, the Heliport was unaware it was on until I showed up and asked them to turn it off. It was on for many hours. SAR's are unlikely to carry a seperate RDF for that stated purpose. And most important, the folks that monitor these PLB's all over the world take a long time to reach out to the right proper authorities in an emergency. (As much as a day) The Spot folks (from articles in the past here on WB and the internet) are far better domestically at getting the 911 signals to the right people.

Now that being said, the answer is different out West, vs East I would ask/ call someone who is in SAR and lives in the Rockies.

For the price and quality - Spot is spot on.

[Big Dawg]

Spot's are for weenies!!!

just kidding,, actually, I'm surprised my wife hasn't insisted on me carrying one yet.

[Wise Old Owl]

Granted Big Dawg - you can go without one on the AT, but you would not go out on a boat on the Atlantic without a radio, survival gear, extra water, and a spare inflatable. It has its place. It's a good solution for hikers.

How long can you tread water?

[HiKen2011]

Granted Big Dawg - you can go without one on the AT, but you would not go out on a boat on the Atlantic without a radio, survival gear, extra water, and a spare inflatable. It has its place. It's a good solution for hikers.

How long can you tread water?

Ahh, good point! I have one but have never acctivated it, plan to this fall.

[10-K]

just kidding,, actually, I'm surprised my wife hasn't insisted on me carrying one yet.

And once you do, it's going with you every time. I've tried to conveniently forget mine the last 2 times I've went hiking and just as I was getting ready to go my wife asked, "Did you get that thing that let's me know you're ok?".

[max patch]

Thanks! I purchased it more for my family's peace of mind than for myself!

Hoe much "peace of mind" is your family going to have if you camp at a spot that does not have service and that "I'm OK" message never comes?