"Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

[Expidia]

I'm checking out these new personal tracking GPS units. For $99 plus an annual $100 subscription fee . . . it "seems" like a great idea.

It works by satellite (not by a cell phone where there might not be any service).
It will call 911 or it can notify a family member to send help to your location.

This model for $149 allows you to send a text message to family or for help to emergency people. Plus same $100 subscription fee.

I also see $50 rebates on the $149 units (I hate rebates).

The $99 model does not allow text messages.

http://www.amazon.com/SPOT-Satellit...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1266772284&sr=1-2

I was looking to buy two of them. One for me for boating and one for my Daughter who does boating and also mountain hiking and other various traveling far away from home (like China)

I figure if the units work as advertised a family member could track where we are by using the web, since its a GPS. For an emergency or just piece of mind we could send each other a text. We are both out of cell phone coverage often.

But one of the reviews on Amazon claims this brand is a toy when it comes to the units specs.

REVIEWER: This is a TOY. The technical data on this unit is sub standard when compared to units that really work.

If you are going to buy a self rescue device (PLB) then spend a few more dollars and get a unit that works. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, AND I MEAN RESEARCH IT, VERY THOROUGHLY! Google AQUALINK or SARLINK, that is a good place to start. Look at the technical data and then decide. You WILL see a difference.

ANY ?Pay? service is a for profit company. A TRUE ?PLB? should cost you the price of the unit and nothing more. No monthly fee's, NOTHING, end of story. A TRUE PLB is required to be registered with the Govt with all your data, since that is who gets the signal, DIRECTLY.

HONESTLY PEOPLE, if you are wanting something that WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE, this is NOT the device you want in a do or die situation.

And YES, I have tested this unit AND the companies older model. Unfortunately, I know people who purchased them and after the tests, back to the store they went. These are toys, clear and simple.

I own the SARLINK and I DO trust that unit with my life. It does cost more, but how much is YOUR life worth? So give up fast food for a month or two and invest that money in a device you know will work if your life is in danger.

Hope the info helps.

EXPIDIA: So has anyone had any experience with these devices. If I pay for the unit I don't feel I should also have to pay an annual subscription fee. They should give you a free unit if you pay a fee like they do for a cell phone.

If I pay like $400 for another unit with no annual fee do these do the same thing?
Thx

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

I was asking about these at the boat show a couple weeks ago and what I found is that while both use GPS, SPOT uses private satellites to relay your information and a distress call is handled by SPOT first. In the case of a PLB, it's using the government's satellites and your distress call will be handled by the most appropriate first responders. For example, when you're on the water, it would be the coast guard but if you're hiking, it may be the local rangers.

The conversations I had were with people selling PLBs, and I was sold on the idea. I haven't bought one yet but I plan to before boating season here in the Northeast.

 

[Expidia]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

I was asking about these at the boat show a couple weeks ago and what I found is that while both use GPS, SPOT uses private satellites to relay your information and a distress call is handled by SPOT first. In the case of a PLB, it's using the government's satellites and your distress call will be handled by the most appropriate first responders. For example, when you're on the water, it would be the coast guard but if you're hiking, it may be the local rangers.

The conversations I had were with people selling PLBs, and I was sold on the idea. I haven't bought one yet but I plan to before boating season here in the Northeast.

Thx for your response. Now I see why they charge the $100 because the spot brand runs on a private network.

I don't mind paying higher for the unit and not have to pay an annual subscription fee.
But from your conversation with them do you know if I could still send a text message to my family using the free network?

And could we track some one's location on the web?

Last year my Daughter drove cross country with a friend to Denver. She was expected at her friends house in Denver on a certain day. She had little cell phone coverage going through Kansas and just before Colorado she decided to take a 2 day detour up North mountain climbing. Needless to say we were all pretty worried not knowing where she was for 2 days. Of course she could have called us at a pay phone along the way, but kids don't think that way. She was texting me from state to state. Sent a text that she was entering Kansas and then just disappeared

A personal locator would have been just the ticket!

I'm on Lake Champlain a lot and it's a 132 mile body of water.
I'd like my family to know where I'm boating or if we have an emergency.

I've wanted one of these devices for years while boating but they were always so expensive in the $1000 range. Now they are down to $399 list.

Too bad lifesaving type gear has to be so expensive. They should be mandatory on a boat if you are on larger bodies of water, in my opinion.

 

[Expidia]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

I was able to get about 10 responses off of another more active boating forum. The site is more geared to salt water where EIRPB's are a must if you go far off shore so there was more interest and discussion with my question.

Here is more info I found.

This one compares the different technologies:

http://www.myboatsgear.com/newsletter/2009324.asp


The bottom link describes an actual rescue
It also talks about the 3 football players incident.

The ultimate would be having both type units.

For my needs what bothers me most with the EIRPB is the inability to send a message to rescue or a family member saying you are OK. That case study in the below link must have had his family flipping out knowing they were in trouble, but not knowing to what extent, was one of them dead from a fall and not finding out for many hours that they were all both all right.

From my reviews so far the spot seems more versatile for me personally being that I'm always on freshwater and have DSC VHS emergency signal sending ability. The ERIPB of unit would definitely be needed if you were going way off shore, out of reach with the VHS.

Technology changes fast. I remember my first handheld Garmin GPS cost me about $500 with it's hard to read green screen. It's pretty much obsolete now. Had to download each map and it held only a small area at a time. Last last Tomtom unit I bought was $79 crystal clear color screen, talks to me (in a sexy voice yet) and works great with all U.S maps included inside.

The Spot would best be bought with a full purchase rebate since you have to pay an annual fee. It's going to obsolete in a couple of years anyway. So I figure it will cost $200 for two years use and then there will be newer cheaper technologies available.

I'd like to see an EPIRB the size of a Spot with the ability to send a message. Probably a dual network capability.

http://gearjunkie.com/case-study-plb-in-action



Either way, I need to buy two units so expense is a concern to me especially if the particular unit becomes quickly obsolete. I know a TV is not a good comparison to a lifesaving device but as to how quickly prices drops and newer technologies come out. . . my 50 inch Panasonic flat screen plasma coast me $3600 a few years ago. Same tv now sells for $700. That $3000 hit would buy a bunch of state of the art EPIRB's.

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

I will look at the paperwork I have because I believe that there is one PLB (not EPIRB) that allows sending of messages as well but still uses the same public network for distress calls. Here are two links, one for the company that sells the PLB I was looking at one one with information on their messaging service.


http://www.acrelectronics.com/
http://www.406link.com/

 

[joed]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

You need to review the service plans.
The basic $99 plan does not allow tracking that is an additional $49.99 per year.

 

[Expidia]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

You need to review the service plans.
The basic $99 plan does not allow tracking that is an additional $49.99 per year.

Thanks, I did see that mentioned in another review. Spot is pretty sneaky as to how they make it hard to find the fact that additional tracking service is another $49 a year. But things change so fast with this stuff I thought they may have changed it to $99 for both services.

I figure even for $150 a year these services will be even cheaper 2 years from now. That's why I wouldn't buy a Spot device without a full rebate for the unit.

What is needed is a dual device that's an EIRPB and a messenger service.

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

Check out the links I posted because they have a unit that is a real PLB with messaging. That's what 406link is all about. I don't believe that the messaging is done over the same satellites as the distress system but the service is like $60/yr or something like that.

Also, I know you said EPIRB but keep in mind that an EPIRB is going to be useless other than in a marine environment because they're designed to send the distress signal automatically when wet. A PLB requires you to push the button but will work anywhere in the world. Also, I would suggest getting a PLB that is waterproof as not all of them are.

 

[Expidia]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

Check out the links I posted because they have a unit that is a real PLB with messaging. That's what 406link is all about. I don't believe that the messaging is done over the same satellites as the distress system but the service is like $60/yr or something like that.

Also, I know you said EPIRB but keep in mind that an EPIRB is going to be useless other than in a marine environment because they're designed to send the distress signal automatically when wet. A PLB requires you to push the button but will work anywhere in the world. Also, I would suggest getting a PLB that is waterproof as not all of them are.

Ya, most are now water resistant to like 10 meters for 30 minutes now. I don't actually need a EPIRPB for water since I have the DSC thru my VHS to contact the coast guard. But it would be nice cause some lakes I go on are out of range of a CG station.

I'm more interested in the tracking end of it. But if I have to spend the dollars I'd like to have EPIRB but if they same device can forward an emergency call to CG that OK too. I'll go back into your links . . . thx

Follow up: Ya that unit is almost the ticket. I think the message is limited to only "I'm OK". I worry about their custom battery pack which is built in though. Some EPRIB's are $240 for a new battery . The Newest Spot Messenger (the black model) has user replaceable batteries. That ACR is around $369. If the spot cost me $150 a year and I can get a rebate on the full unit cost, I might come out ahead because I think both units will be obsolete in 2 years anyway.

 

[Expidia]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

Expidia;
So far this seems to be the best way to go for my needs . . . Incorporates the Spot network too. Probably drop down to $299 with rebates after it's intro.

First unit to incorporate Spot with custom messaging into a handheld GPS device.

Having a back up hand held GPS on the boat is another plus along with the ability of the GPS to lead one out of the woods too while hiking.

http://www.delorme.com/about/pressreleases/SPOTcommunicator.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Earthmate-Portable-Navigator-Satellite-Communicator/dp/B0031QNPAC

 

[dingbat]

Re: "Spot" GPS personal locator and messenger service

I would think that a GPS phone w/ tracking would be a lot easier and cheaper.