Gotta get a SPOT

**sly dog** · 03-24-2010, 13:21

Wife talked to me about it before but after she hiked with me on the AT she see's there is no need for it here. I do go out solo or with my brother for weeks and never came close to needing it and I do carry a cell. Most cell phones will hold a charge for your 10 day section if you only turn them on to check in with a text or blog. They also sell a charger that will give your cell another little bit of power from a AA battery. This will save u money. Now in Aug I am heading to Alaska for 10 days and she IS making me rent one for that trip.

**Panzer1** · 03-24-2010, 13:26

Originally Posted by tagg

what's wrong with that?

If the problem is that the wife is upset about your leaving then maybe you could reassure her that you will be safe and that she should not worry.

Just use your cell phone to call home and let her know your ok.

Panzer

**Panzer1** · 03-24-2010, 13:42

Originally Posted by tagg

what's wrong with that?

when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself. If I had a SPOT device I would leave it with my wife so I wouldn't worry about her.

Panzer

**dzierzak** · 03-24-2010, 13:54

Cell phones don't work everywhere. I carry a PLB, not because I depend on it to save my a$$, but to keep the wife from being too concerned. "No news is good news." No tracking involved, or even "I'm OK" messages. It may as well be a brick, but it makes her happy.

**10-K** · 03-24-2010, 14:11

Originally Posted by Panzer1

when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself. If I had a SPOT device I would leave it with my wife so I wouldn't worry about her.

Panzer

Cool, then do that.

As for me, I'm not carrying one or leaving one with my wife but if she asked me to I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I'm not trying to sound like "Husband of the year" because lord knows I'm far from perfect but one thing I know: If something means everything to her and nothing to me I don't even consider it a sacrifice to do it.

**tagg** · 03-24-2010, 14:13

Originally Posted by Panzer1

If the problem is that the wife is upset about your leaving then maybe you could reassure her that you will be safe and that she should not worry.

dude, if i knew how to do that, i would. if you have a secret formula for changing a woman's mind once she has it set on something, please let me know, because it would really help me out in some other areas of my life, too.

**tagg** · 03-24-2010, 14:15

Originally Posted by Panzer1

when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself.

i agree with you about that.

**weary** · 03-24-2010, 17:09

My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

**Roland** · 03-24-2010, 17:12

Originally Posted by weary

My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

I'm going to tell her it's a device which enables men to perform like they were 30 years younger.

**healthymom** · 03-24-2010, 17:48

I will be hiking alone. My husband is petrified. I've mentioned several times on this forum that he is NOT an outdoors person.
I will be carrying a SPOT and a cell phone and charger and extra batteries.
If that's what it takes to make my husband of 25 years happy so that I can fulfill a life dream, so be it.
I will also buy the tracking feature so that the many friends and family who are backing me in my hike can watch my progress.
I will also buy the insurance.
None of this is for me. It's all for my loved ones. Because I do love and care for them as much as they care for me.
So, it's not a gender issue. It's a caring about those you left behind (and hope to return to) issue. It's about the peace of mind of those who support you.
Just my 2 cents
Dee
healthymom

**STICK** · 03-24-2010, 17:50

Originally Posted by weary

My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

Haha.....

Spots really are an issue. I don't have any beef with them (ok other than the weight, but like tagg says "it is simply a matter of helping someone you love feel at ease"). I just have eyes for so many other pieces of gear right now, the spot wasn't high up on my list.

Anyway, now with whats come up, by the time I get one maybe the Gen 2's will be cheaper.....

**WILLIAM HAYES** · 03-24-2010, 21:18

buy a dog and name him spot take him with you

**STICK** · 03-25-2010, 00:54

He might be heavier than the gen 1 or 2.....

**STICK** · 03-27-2010, 14:24

Oh, and just for the record, I used my SPOT money for the sewing machine.
Cheers!

**jnetx** · 03-27-2010, 19:41

Originally Posted by STICK

I actually have a BB Pearl. It's old and worn out and needs to be replaced, but I have never loved a phone like I do this one.

I thought you had to be preparing for a thru or something to set up a Trailjournals account....

If you have a BB Pearl, pay the extra $ for data with your cell phone co. Open the browser and go to google maps and download the mobile version. Open that, allow it to interact with you phone's built in GPS, and sign up for Google Latitude. Add your wife's email to the list of people you want to be able to see your whereabouts. With the Latitude it will track you to within about 3' if you have a data signal. On the top 500miles of the AT and AT&T provider in 2008 I had enough signal to update the Latitude from almost every mountaintop I tried. If your wife uses a gmail account she'll get a nice little app on the google page that shows last location and time, and you can put a little text status message in. Might not work where you stop every night, but at least enough for a every couple days check in. If she has a Pearl too you can do the same for her phone so you can see where she is too!

Main thing to remember is to exit out of the Google Maps Latitude when you know it has updated, leaving it on wears the battery down real quick, but a couple times a day won't drain much. I also updated my TJ from my Pearl, but only when I got in to town. With a spare battery I was able to type the TJ entry in a notepad file each night, then copy an paste to the TJ site when I had a good signal and fresh charge.

**Panzer1** · 03-27-2010, 20:47

A few months ago most hikers did not have these things. Now it sounds like it the new "gotta have" thing. scheese

Panzer

**STICK** · 03-27-2010, 22:37

jnetx, that sounds pretty cool. I'll have to loo into that....

**STICK** · 03-27-2010, 23:51

The Goggle Latitude is very cool. I have downloaded it to my phone and I can see myself on goggle maps at an iGoggle homepage or at the map at Goggle Latitude (when I'm signed in.)
This could knock SPOT over a little, IMO.

**Panzer1** · 03-28-2010, 04:10

Now they have portable electric bear fences. If your wife's find out about this you'll have to carry one of these things too.

Don't worry; only 3 pounds - batteries last for 5 weeks.

http://www.udap.com/bearshock.htm

Panzer

**jnetx** · 03-28-2010, 09:54

Originally Posted by STICK

The Goggle Latitude is very cool. I have downloaded it to my phone and I can see myself on goggle maps at an iGoggle homepage or at the map at Goggle Latitude (when I'm signed in.)
This could knock SPOT over a little, IMO.

It's a neat little application. I certainly wouldn't want the entire world tracking me, but my Mum, sister and my little neice get a kick out of being able to see where I am, and the search feature for businesses has been useful when I'm in an unknown town looking for something.

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