SPOT in dense brush?

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm not sure if this is the best forum for a SPOT question...

Anyway, I was wondering if anybody has any experience using a SPOT device under dense brush or tree cover? I'd like to know how well it works in a real dense forest. I'm planning on buying one myself, but wonder how well it works in the conditions I am usually in.

Last weekend I was on an organized motorcycle ride, about 200km mostly under forest. One rider actually got lost, and a search had to be mounted. Luckily she found a hunt camp for shelter and stayed put until she was found. Could have been much worse.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I have logged over 7k miles on my SPOT (moto&LC) and yes sometime it misses a mark sometimes 2 in dense areas but for the most part it will get you very close. You can cover a lot of ground in 10 min. but when it misses it normally in tight slow areas. It rarely misses at 65MPH mainly because is usually open terrain if you are running at 65MPH.

Location has a lot to do with reception I have it in my tank bag on the moto and the dash in the LC. Basically mine seems to works about as good as a GPS for reception.

I went with a large group this past weekend to a very popular location and my wife asked why I didn't take the SPOT. The SPOT has become very popular around our house for my wife and daughter they check it frequently to see where I'm at and if Im still moving when solo on the moto.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

That sounds OK then, even if it misses a few points, searchers can get in the ballpark. But my main concern is say you need to do a 911 call, if you can't move, does that work in thick brush? Does the device indicate if the call has been recieved by the satellite?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

That sounds OK then, even if it misses a few points, searchers can get in the ballpark. But my main concern is say you need to do a 911 call, if you can't move, does that work in thick brush? Does the device indicate if the call has been recieved by the satellite?

Like everything in the world nothing is going to 100% without fault but it much better then what we had before. As for indication of received you want to check the web site but I do know it will keep trying for a given amount of time on 911 and I'm OK msg.

When on my moto I have gone back and forth on should I carry it or should it be on the moto. The unit is designed to work best facing up. Hard to do on yourself if on a moto but if its on the moto and I launch and cannot get to my moto is not good either. I leave it in my tank bag and hope that god is likeing me the day I launch.

I'm older now and I think back when I was young and we had nothing and I'm still here...

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm older now and I think back when I was young and we had nothing and I'm still here...

True, but you're lucky. A lot of people died. If you'd be unlucky, we wouldn't be having this conversation, I'd be having it with the lucky guy.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

True, but you're lucky. A lot of people died. If you'd be unlucky, we wouldn't be having this conversation, I'd be having it with the lucky guy.

Good point I got the SPOT because I didnt want to die alone

 

[HMR]

Globalstar's Sat coverage is questionable but their stock (GSAT) has paid for 100% of my vehicle upgrades and other goodies this year.

Go SPOT! :sombrero:

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Interesting... the bike guys I'm talking to also said the sat phones were useless in the bush.

 

[cosmiccharlie]

I've been thinking about getting one to use when backpacking. Mainly to use the OK button to send a message to family once I get to the trailhead if I don't have cell service. But this thread has me wondering how reliable it would be.

 

[mountainpete]

Rob,

Take the replies from south of the border with a grain of salt. From my experience, performance is much more erratic north of 49°. It's far from terrible, but it's not as reliable. Part of the issue is tree cover and part is typography. The Canadian wilderness is hard on any line of sight communications.

For example, I can drive down to Moab and back and generate a reliable track. Not going to get a track consistently ever 10 minutes, but pretty darn good. But if I take a run through BC, it's spotty with times where it's 4 hours between track points.

If I am sending an OK signal in BC, I make a point of going to a clearing, waiting almost 5 minutes, standing outside on the tailgate and hitting OK. That way I am more confident it went through.

Don't get me wrong though... they are a pretty darn good device and always keep mine in the truck. But until there is a mechanism to confirm sent messages go through you have to be much more careful.

Pete

 

[HMR]

Keep in mind the SPOT is only "supposed" to work with a clear view of the sky. I'm not aware of any GPS/Satellite device that will work with the sky blocked by a roof, trees, brush, etc. It's not a weakness in the SPOT design, it's the nature of the satellite signal.

I've used my SPOT from Alaska to Mexico, Los Angeles to New York and it works fine. They can definitely improve upon the user interface to make it more clear whether or not the message was actually "sent" but mine works exactly as advertised.

 

[cruisertoy]

Mountianpete is right. Using mine in Alaska ran into service 70% of the time. We had clear sky view 100% of the time. We lost tracking for 3 full days as we rounded the north side of large hill on a 10 day float trip. As far as trees, my spot did not work here in Utah in a wide canyon with tree cover. I tred 5-6 times over a few hours. Spot is supposed to be releasing a new model that has a better antena or something that makes it work a little better in tree cover. I think it is a Christmas time release. I sure see them trying to dump thier current model. Even Cabela's had the unit for free with sevice setup fees. For the most part I'm happy with mine. I still carry my PLB just in case it really hits the crapper and I need the coast gaurd or National Gaurd to come get me.

 

[HMR]

FWIW- SPOT coverage area and info here.

 

[08whitex]

I have only had my spot fail me one time. I was on a canyoneering trip and I think the canyon was to narrow to get a good connection.

One thing I learned from that experience is to make sure the person receiving the messages knows it might not work all the time. I can tell you after not recieving any spot checks for 2 days my wife was more then a little worried.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm not aware of any GPS/Satellite device that will work with the sky blocked by a roof, trees, brush, etc. It's not a weakness in the SPOT design, it's the nature of the satellite signal.

My Garmin 76Cx has been fantastic. Mounted on my dashboard, under the roof and looking through an electrically heated windscreen, and driving through dense tree cover, I've never lost the signal. Worst case is to have the positional accuracy open up. I've had it where I'm stopped, but it thinks I'm moving around.

With a remote antenna on the truck, or when I use it on my motorcycle, it's been rock solid. Even under tree cover dense enough to require flash photography at noon on a cloudless day.

I can even get good reception in my house. It's been pretty amazing.

By contrast, I've also used an E-Trex Legend a few years ago, which had me wondering what the point of GPS really was. I could stand on a roadway, with bush on either side but a clear view above the road, and it could never achieve a lock. The only way to lock it in would be to stand on the end of my dock on a large lake. Then head out on the bike, and sometimes it would lose the lock anyway.

Pete, thanks for the input. I have been wanting to get a Spot, but decided to wait for the new model once I heard it was coming.

So we're still waiting for Star Trek Transporters eh? "I crashed my bike and broke my leg, beam me up Scotty!" :coffeedrink: