SPOT Tracks: Post up your routes

[mr r2fj]

So can you tell when you send a message if it goes through or not? I'd hate to think I've sent a message only to find out later that it did not go through.

This is the single biggest issue with the spot IMO. There is no feedback to let you know if a message goes through or not. In fact, in order to make sure it goes through the unit will repeatedly send messages for a few minutes straight in duplicate. Although nice, it doesn't make the device a quick and easy thing to use.

Everyone definitely needs to understand this limitation. It's not a turn on, hit a button, and then turn off device. It's a turn on, wait, hit a button, watch it blink for 5-15 minutes, then turn off if you don't want to send another just to make sure the first went through.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

That's a good price considering cost isn't much lower than that.

I paid $133 shipped from BeachCamera

 

[cnskate]

If the light stays on for 5 seconds without blinking then I think you know that you message has gone through, at least that has been the case with mine. Staring at the blinking light for minutes on end is annoying.

 

[cnskate]

The Spot honeymoon is over for me. Mine has failed to send a message at least a dozen times. I still carry it. I just don't think of it with the same feeling of security I felt the first time I used it.

Maybe the real trick is to push the buttons repeatedly until it bursts into flames so you can send smoke signals.

It didn't work in the desert? Did you leave it on outside for a period of time?

Hmmm, you can buy a sat phone for $300, with unlimited calls for $39 a month for the first year, $19 for every year after:

http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/

 

[HMR]

The Spot honeymoon is over for me. Mine has failed to send a message at least a dozen times. I still carry it. I just don't think of it with the same feeling of security I felt the first time I used it.

Flounder- It sounds like something's wrong with your unit. 12+ failed messages is unacceptable.

Did you send a single message at 12+ different locations and none of them went through? Multiple messages from a single location and they all failed?

I travel often and the SPOT has paid for itself a few times over by keeping family/friends informed when I'm outside cell coverage.

 

[adventureduo]

I agree with HMR, you may have a bad unit. Ours has failed Never. I would contact SPOT and see if you can get another one before giving up on it.

 

[mr r2fj]

If the light stays on for 5 seconds without blinking then I think you know that you message has gone through, at least that has been the case with mine. Staring at the blinking light for minutes on end is annoying.

I do not believe this to be correct. Nowhere in my manual does it say that it will actually receive a message back from the satellite to tell it that it has gone through. Please show me where if I'm mistaken.

 

[mr r2fj]

If the light stays on for 5 seconds without blinking then I think you know that you message has gone through, at least that has been the case with mine. Staring at the blinking light for minutes on end is annoying.

I do not believe this to be correct. Nowhere in my manual does it say that it will actually receive a message back from the satellite to tell it that it has gone through. Please show me where if I'm mistaken.

It didn't work in the desert? Did you leave it on outside for a period of time?

Hmmm, you can buy a sat phone for $300, with unlimited calls for $39 a month for the first year, $19 for every year after:

http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/

WOW, do you have one of these? I had no idea it has gotten so cheap! I'd love to hear a full review of one.

 

[mountainpete]

Couple things:

1 - I played with SPOT's export to .kml/kmz feature. Kind of cool to bring them into Google Earth. I then just did this to make them come up on Google Maps

Pete's test waypoints on Google maps

2 - Does anyone know how to delete a message from the SPOT account?

Pete

 

[HMR]

Interesting that your SPOT works inside your bike's storage compartment and under your buddy's bumper. My SPOT (along with all my other GPS/SAT devices) only seems to work with a clear view of the sky.

Bump...
I'm still curious how people are getting their SPOT to work in "hidden" locations?

Quoted from the SPOT manual:
SPOT relies upon GPS and low earth orbit satellites to fix your location and send your messages. To work, the SPOT logo (which is directly above the transmitter) needs to have an unobstructed view of the sky, either outdoors or in a glass enclosed area such as in a vehicle.

I don't know of any GPS devices that can send a signal without a clear view of the sky. Just wanted to clarify this as it could be a safety matter for people reading this thread and thinking their SPOT will work in ways it wasn't designed to.

 

[mountainpete]

Bump...
I'm still curious how people are getting their SPOT to work in "hidden" locations. I did a test with my SPOT, again, last weekend: as usual when I had the SPOT in a cupholder below the dash it was unable to send a signal. When placed on top of the dashboard it worked fine.

Quoted from the SPOT manual:
SPOT relies upon GPS and low earth orbit satellites to fix your location and send your messages. To work, the SPOT logo (which is directly above the transmitter) needs to have and unobstructed view of the sky, either outdoors or in a glass enclosed area such as in a vehicle.

Mine works pretty decent just sitting in my glovebox. The link above was from a little test where I just through it in there.

Pete

 

[mr r2fj]

Mine works pretty decent just sitting in my glovebox. The link above was from a little test where I just through it in there.

Pete

Wow, you can get a message through with it sitting in your glovebox? :yikes: I want your spot!

 

[SOAZ]

I got one I got one!

Here is my first successful transmission.
Woohoo! I was so remote it was frightening. I saw Botox monsters all around! :yikes:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.6186,-111.8995&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

 

[1leglance]

I got one I got one!

Here is my first successful transmission.
Woohoo! I was so remote it was frightening. I saw Botox monsters all around! :yikes:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.6186,-111.8995&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Botox monsters....that is tooooo funny.
Glad to have you on the Spot list...if you want my personal info for your spot list just pm me...good to have your listed filled with rescue folks

 

[Christophe Noel]

Flounder- It sounds like something's wrong with your unit. 12+ failed messages is unacceptable.

Did you send a single message at 12+ different locations and none of them went through? Multiple messages from a single location and they all failed?

I travel often and the SPOT has paid for itself a few times over by keeping family/friends informed when I'm outside cell coverage.

I'm on unit number 2. The first one was defecto.....and annoying. Unit number 2 is better, but has failed to send messages at least 3 times that I can think of. I can get it to work if I double my efforts to get a good view of the sky, give it a stare down while I watch some stupid LED light to blink, pause, or turn on. That bugs. Anyway, I'm not as in love with it as I was day one. It's a little bit of a nerdy project to fiddle with it, isn't it?