SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Hi All,

I thought I would make a dedicated thread to the SPOT messenger as it is far more than just an EPIRB. I have purchased one and really like its tracking service and the fact that you can share the journey you are on via a shared web page. I have written more about this in the EPIRB thread.

Now I have received an offer from SPOT that provides the hardware component free when you purchase the basic service plus the tracking option. The hardware costs $299 here in Australia.

You can read more about SPOT on their website http://findmespot.com/en/.

I have placed a link here to the offer I received http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...Serv-NEWv3.jpg now the kicker is this is a friends and family offer. After speaking with SPOT international sales manager he believes that although this offer was for USA subscribers he believes that they should honour it in this instance to myself due to the way I came by getting the offer. Now he did say it would be limited in number and I already have two people wanting to take up the offer but I could probably get a couple more through. the SPOT international sales manager is going to call me on Tuesday to confirm the numbers so if you want in then PM me asap.

Cheers

Mav

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

PM sent.

[HGMonaro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close HGMonaro]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

a guy on explorOz took one on a recent trip. Very amusing keeping track of him!

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

I also like that I can export the tracking log into 3 different formats so tat they can be used with programs like OziExplorer. One of the formats is CSV format which is what Garmin use.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

This seems to be a pretty objective review: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9839898-1.html

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

I just checked my track for last Sunday and out of a possible 24 hits I dropped 4, these were not 4 in a row but dispersed throughout the trip. Pretty happy with that performance, it does not matter what system is used there will always be a percentage of dropped packets. I think back to that Satuday night at Jay Creek and how many times we tried to get a connection with the Satellite phone only to have it drop out just as it connected. At least with this system it is not trying to make a call connection it is simply sending a ping for want of better words. Again though this system should not be seen as a be all and end all of emergency comms but something to add to the stable of emergency equipment. It is a relatively cheap insurance policy for those times when things go wrong, I can think of many times over the years of traveling to and from Alice Springs and Newcastle when I have thought to myself that I wish I had a way of alerting someone of this accident in the midle of nowhere. Wouldn't it be great if all our HWYs had cell coverage but that is a pipe dream, there has been no increase in coverage on the Stuart HWY in the past 7 years and the same for the Barrier HWY.

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

mav, which satellite system does it use?

If the spot would do text messages, I'd have one in a flash.

Michael

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

mav, which satellite system does it use?

If the spot would do text messages, I'd have one in a flash.

Michael

It uses a mixture of satellite systems as per their documentation. I think you will find an answer to most questions on the FAQ page which is:

http://findmespot.com/en/spotlight/inde ... &Itemid=22

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

I guess one of the main advantages of the SPOT system over an EPIRB (apart from the ability to be tracked and send non-life threatening distress calls) is the fact that the system actually first receives signals from the GPS system thereby knowing exactly your location on Earth (quite accurately), before then sending this data to the system's own satellite systems. This means that the tracking and emergency function will provide rescuers or friends a very accurate location of where you are stranded or in need of assistance. Unlike the EPIRB that only sends out a one-way distress signal that is accurate within a few square kilometres.

The tracking function seems to be perhaps the most interesting for me. It would become obvious to family or friends, without the 'help message' function if your track suddenly stops for an extended period of time (contrary to your itinerary) or deviates significantly. At least friends could then go straight to your last GPS coordinates to provide assistance. It would also give family piece of mind when heading off the beaten track to know that they can see your progress, almost live.

Mav ~ still seriously thinking about getting one. Will decide before weekend's out.

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Hey Mav, very interesting sounds like a simpler and cheaper version to the Iritrack system ?

http://www.satcomms.com.au/files/equipm ... 0Sheet.pdf

[FlyNdrive Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyNdrive]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Right now Spot is running a promotion in the states. Get a free Spot W/ 1 year of paid service. I hope you can get the same offer.



-Ben

[Kevin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kevin]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Unlike the EPIRB that only sends out a one-way distress signal that is accurate within a few square kilometres.

I don't think that is 100% correct. The GME site states the their GPS equipped EPIRB can achieve 100m accuracy...

http://www.gme.net.au/products/emerg...ns/plbs/MT410G

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Unlike the EPIRB that only sends out a one-way distress signal that is accurate within a few square kilometres.

I don't think that is 100% correct. The GME site states the their GPS equipped EPIRB can achieve 100m accuracy...

http://www.gme.net.au/products/emerg...ns/plbs/MT410G

You are right, Kevin... ops: I was of course referring to the older style EPIRBs that didn't have a GPS function inbuilt. The newer (and much more expensive) EPIRBs that come with GPS functions are much more accurate. But the SPOT device will still do much better and provide an accuracy of within about 10m to your rescuers. 8)

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Right now Spot is running a promotion in the states. Get a free Spot W/ 1 year of paid service. I hope you can get the same offer.



-Ben

Hi Ben,

This is the offer that I have had conversations with the international marketing manager about. He has advised to me that the offer was supposed to be for US buyers friends and family. However he is honouring this deal for me which is why I posted the offer on here for anyone that may have wanted to get one. Probably not something that is high on th etoy list at the moment for most folks but I love mine.

The marketing manager is going to be calling me tomorrow to confirm the numbers which he is hoping is not many I think.

Cheers

Mav

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker

Well folks the deal for the SPOT is now finished, sorry for those that come to this thread wanting it but it was a limited time offer which has now expired.