Has anyone had any experience with SPOT Connect?

[wwbriggs]

Has anyone had any experience with SPOT Connect?

It is 4.9 oz and runs on two AA batteries. The commercial sales pitch is below. Hype, or not?

http://www.youtube.com/spotarchive#p/u/3/TFVl_HMEblw
​
SPOT Connect Satellite Communicator enables your smartphone to communicate off the grid and out of cell tower range. Keep in touch with friends, family and emergency teams wherever you roam!

Pair SPOT Connect with your smartphone and connect to a global satellite network that lets you send messages and GPS coordinates from virtually anywhere on the planet
SOS function lets you send your exact GPS coordinates and a request for emergency assistance to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center
SOS signal transmits every 5 minutes until the batteries die; GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agency in your area to bring you aid
For non-emergency help, SPOT Connect lets you send preselected friends and family requests for assistance via SMS text and email; signal goes out every 5 min. for 1 hr.
Check-in/OK feature sends a predefined message to friends and family, letting them know that you're OK and showing your current location
Record your progress and share it with others using the Track Progress function; contacts can watch your progress almost real time on Google Maps as your adventure unfolds
Basic service ($99.99 annual subscription required) lets you send unlimited predefined Check-in/OK, Help and SOS messages as well as updates to Facebook and Twitter
Optional Type & Send messaging allows custom text via satellite (additional charges apply for Type & Send and Track Progress service plans)
Subscribe to basic service and optional services at findmespot.com
Unit operates in temperatures ranging from -13°F/-25°C to 140°F/60°C
SPOT Connect Satellite Communicator is rated waterproof to IPX7 standards: it can be submerged underwater to a depth of 1m for up to 30 min.

[Chubbs4U]

Sometimes the search button takes awhile but it does work. Heres the most recent discussion. It seems not to be worth it.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?77402-My-experience-with-quot-SPOT-quot&highlight=SPOT
(edited post, dont mean to sound like a ....)

[bfayer]

I have not used the Spot Connect, I do have the spot messenger however, and for me it works fine and does all that is advertized.

Right now, if I was in the market, I would wait just a little longer and see how the DeLorme In-Reach works out. It has real two way satellite text messaging (160 characters) when linked to an Android phone. It acts like a regular Spot when not linked.

[wwbriggs]

Good feedback on the DeLorme in-Reach. To me, I would think that a bi-directional satellite device would have a huge following given the amount of hikers and cell phone / PDA owners today. Bandwidth is the issue, but much like the early days of the internet with dial-up there could be special sites and interest groups such as the forums and blogs from this site and many others that would be helpful to the intended audience.

[Shutterbug]

Has anyone had any experience with SPOT Connect?

It is 4.9 oz and runs on two AA batteries. The commercial sales pitch is below. Hype, or not?

http://www.youtube.com/spotarchive#p/u/3/TFVl_HMEblw
​
SPOT Connect Satellite Communicator enables your smartphone to communicate off the grid and out of cell tower range. Keep in touch with friends, family and emergency teams wherever you roam!

Pair SPOT Connect with your smartphone and connect to a global satellite network that lets you send messages and GPS coordinates from virtually anywhere on the planet
SOS function lets you send your exact GPS coordinates and a request for emergency assistance to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center
SOS signal transmits every 5 minutes until the batteries die; GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agency in your area to bring you aid
For non-emergency help, SPOT Connect lets you send preselected friends and family requests for assistance via SMS text and email; signal goes out every 5 min. for 1 hr.
Check-in/OK feature sends a predefined message to friends and family, letting them know that you're OK and showing your current location
Record your progress and share it with others using the Track Progress function; contacts can watch your progress almost real time on Google Maps as your adventure unfolds
Basic service ($99.99 annual subscription required) lets you send unlimited predefined Check-in/OK, Help and SOS messages as well as updates to Facebook and Twitter
Optional Type & Send messaging allows custom text via satellite (additional charges apply for Type & Send and Track Progress service plans)
Subscribe to basic service and optional services at findmespot.com
Unit operates in temperatures ranging from -13°F/-25°C to 140°F/60°C
SPOT Connect Satellite Communicator is rated waterproof to IPX7 standards: it can be submerged underwater to a depth of 1m for up to 30 min.


I have the SPOT Connect (deloreme version). It is the same as the smartphone version except that it pairs with the Delorme GPS unit. The SPOT works just as advertised.

When I first got it, I accidentally sent an SOS message. Fortunately, I was still in cell phone range. In less than a minute, I got a call from the dispatch center and was able to cancel it before anyone else was notified. They knew my exact location. If I had not cancelled the message, emergency responders would have been notified.

The track feature works just like the older models of SPOT. A tracking message is sent to my family every 10 minutes or so. The tracking feature is subject to being blocked if I am under heavy cover, but gets out about 80% of the time. My family knows that they shouldn't be concerned if the tracking messages skips now and then.

The message feature works as advertised. I had to learn to keep messages short because of the limited length of text messages. I enjoy sending messages to Facebook to brag when I reach my destination.

This is my third SPOT. I have bought each version. I am watching the information on the Deloreme unit with interest. So far, I have not read how much the annual cost is for the Delorme. If it is reasonable, I will probably upgrade to the two-way messaging.

The reason I bought my first spot was simple. I was hiking the Wonderland Trail and got too close to the edge. I fell down a fairly steep slope into heavy brush. I almost hit my head on a limb. When I climbed back to the trail, I realized that if I had hit my head, no one would have known where to look for me. With a SPOT, one leaves a track that can be followed, even if the SOS button isn't activated.