Satellite Tracking

[oldtrucks]

Damn Eric, you're a regular "Post Ho" over there......

[ATVUtah]

I have had the SPOT Satellite Messenger for a little over 2 weeks now and I am impressed. We have used it on two trips so far and it's worked flawlessly. The live tracking is cool but don't think it will give you a track log like a normal GPS will. It does give your family or friends a way to see where you are. The send "Help" and I'm "OK" functions have worked flawlessly without missing a message. I'm confident the 911 function works just as well, but I've been chicken to press the button and see who shows up. :rofl I wouldn't hesitate in a real emergency and I am very confident help would arrive quickly.

The unit looks and feels very well built and ruggedized. The case is GE Cycoloy C6600-111 engineered plastic. It's construction is similar to the Garmin 60 series GPS with a heavy duty plastic body and a rubberized bumper around the edge. It use is simple as there are only 4 buttons. ON/OFF, OK/CHECK, HELP, and 911. Anyone, even kids, can be taught how t use it in mere minutes.

I traveled between Colorado and Utah with the unit on and my family could actually tell where I stopped at the motel that night before I called to tell them.

My brothers took SPOT to Glamis the next week and I could check the findmespot.com website and see their travels. They tell me the place was total insanity and if they had broken down it was not a place to leave your quad alone for even a minute. SPOT's send help function then became a very real necessity should they break down and need someone from their camp to come help or tow them back to camp.

I have put SPOT in the sink for 30 minutes then opened the back and saw no water intrusion. The device is rated as waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes. This is an IPX7 rating. The same rating as a Garmin 60 series GPS. An IPX7 designation means the device case can withstand accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Only an IPX8 designation is for continuous underwater use. Cleaning the unit is the same as for any IPX7 rated device. Mild soap and water, a soft cloth and rinse it off.

SPOT floats, but we were told that it does not reliably float with the antenna toward the sky, as was originally intended. As a result, a caution was added to the instruction that tell you to hold the unit with the SPOT logo facing the sky. That's similar to most other PLBs. A GPS signal is adversely affected by water and, unless it was very calm conditions, it probably wouldn't get a GPS fix just floating so you still need to hold it facing the sky and above the water, just as you would any PLB.

We have decided it needs a belt pouch and I have found one that works well. As soon as I get them in stock I will be adding them to the website and give more details. I recommend the case for two reasons. One is the obvious added protection it provides SPOT and secondly because I feel the thing needs to be attached to your body in case you are thrown from the quad and are injured to the point you cant find it. I am also going to include a secondary safety strap that will connect the unit to a belt loop or other area of your clothing in case the belt case gets torn open. Just a backup but I like the security of having it.

We have ridden with the unit in the case on the belt and inside a RZR. The tracking worked well with the loss of only one tracking point. Remember to function as intended it must be exposed to the sky. Inside the RZR it was slightly blocked. On an ATV it functioned perfectly. If your going to use just the messaging functions and not the live tracking the belt case or inside any case or box is not an issue as you would have to pull it out to operate the buttons. The case I chose is easy to get the unit out of yet holds it very securely when the Velcro flap is closed.

I have even managed to send a few test messages from inside the house but I would NOT recommend trying it there if it was a real emergency. The unit is intended to be used when exposed to the open sky and the logo facing skyward.

One point I should make is that SPOT incorporates a GPS in it. Many PLB's do NOT. They rely on radio triangulation to find your location. SPOT send your longitude/latitude with every message if it is able to get a GPS lock. The only thing preventing that would be the same reasons a normal GPS might not get a location fix. This feature narrows the search area for rescuers to within feet not miles of your location. Now the first location alert warrants launch of SAR assets. It's claimed that earlier launches puts assets on scene sooner - an average 3 hours saved in maritime, 6 hours saved on land.

Every day I am asked to sell junk items on my website but I refuse to sell anything I do not truly believe in and recommend. I highly recommend the SPOT device and service for everyone who spends much time outdoors and away from civilization. Not because I sell them but because I honestly believe in the safety and security it brings to outdoor travel. Remember, you can travel further on an ATV in an hour than you can walk back in a day. This makes the SPOT an extremely valuable device should something bad happen. It also give your loved ones back home the security they can be sure your OK and can get help if necessary.


OPERATION:

Pressing the ON/OFF button turns SPOT Satellite Messenger on. A green LED will flash once every three seconds. Once turned on, there is a two-second delay before you can activate any other function. To turn the device off, hold the button down for three seconds.

Every time SPOT is turned on, the unit runs a complete self-diagnostic (self-test), and the OK/Check LED will flash red to indicate any problems. The OK/Check button also functions as a self-test button with the added advantage that it tests the system end-to-end since it actually transmits a location so that you can check to confirm it works. That end-to-end system check is a great confidence building capability that doesn't yet exist for PLBs. A PLB does transmit when running a self-test, but there's no practical way for a user to check on it. SPOT does not mention this end-to-end self-test explicitly in their manual, but I think they should.

The "Ask for Help" message is designed for non-life-threatening situations. Say your vehicle broke down or you blew a belt on your quad and you needed someone to come get you. You press and hold the Help button for two seconds. The green LED above the HELP button begins to flash every three seconds while in "Send Help" mode and turns solid green for five seconds every time an alert message is transmitted at five minute intervals. The manual says 10 minutes, but we have discovered it is actually every 5 to 7 minutes. SPOT messaging uses email or text messaging with a link to Google Maps as well as you longitude and latitude to provide your location to your Family or friends. The service calls your contact list your SPOTteam. The message is pre-programmed by you via the findmespot.com website, so its usefulness beyond just notification is limited. It sends your message and location every five minutes until you cancel the messaging by holding down the button for 3 seconds. The LED flashes a red LED which turns solid on for five seconds when the cancel message is sent. You can also cancel any messaging functions by turning SPOT off.

Check In, (OK/Check function) what SPOT call "SPOTchecking" is a variation on the Ask for Help mode. It sends a SPOTcheck message, a simple message, which again you pre-defined via the findmespot.com website, essentially saying that you're OK. Your location is shown via GPS coordinates and a link to Google Maps, for your SPOTteam members. These locations are saved on the findmespot.com website, so they could be referenced as waypoints at a later date. In the OK/Check mode, SPOT actually sends 3 identical messages for redundancy. Only one of these is transmitted to your contacts.

To use the distress alerting capability, what they refer to as "Alert 9-1-1," the power must be on, then you have to press the "911" button for at least two seconds. Your distress alert with a GPS derived location is sent to the "GEOS Global Command and Control Center" in Houston, Texas, operated by SPOT 's partner, GEOS Alliance Travel Safety Group. The green LED above the 911 button flashes every three seconds while in Alert 9-1-1 mode and turns solid green for five seconds every time an alert message is transmitted (at five minute intervals).

The GEOS response center will contact the appropriate agency or organization to respond to the distress alert, depending upon where you are. This is essentially what happens with a PLB alert, but via government run non-commercial rescue coordination centers run by the Air Force and the Coast Guard.

Like with a PLB, GEOS will try to contact you at the contact numbers provided when you signed up, or check with your emergency contacts, to determine if it is a real or false alert. If they cannot make contact or there is no mitigating information, they act on the alert as a real emergency.

GEOS provides these services to a number of clients using a variety of devices such as cellular based emergency notification devices, cell phones and GPS equipped satellite phones. It is their basic tracking and messaging software that is being massaged and integrated into the SPOT web site.

SPOT also offers a $7.95 per year option for a GEOS Search and Rescue Benefit ($100,000 worth of benefits) that is essentially insurance to cover rescue in less capable areas of the world. One of GEOS' primary businesses is as a corporate emergency services and travel consultant and supplier and this capability is what is activated and covered by this insurance if necessary. They will arrange rescue via private contractor if necessary.

A 9-1-1 alert can be canceled by holding down the button for 3 seconds. It then flashes a red LED which turns solid on for five seconds when the cancel message is sent.

Battery life is variable, depending upon what you are using it for. The lithium AA batteries should be good for up to 10 years in storage. This is about the same as typical PLB batteries, which have a conservative replacement interval of approximately half that. I'd be inclined to suggest that would be a reasonable strategy if you own a SPOT and use it strictly for distress signaling.

SPOT claims fully charged new batteries should last:

Power ON: approximately 1 year.
Send Help mode: approximately 7 days (message sent every 5 minutes)
9-1-1 Alert mode: approximately 7 days (message sent every 5 minutes)
SPOTcasting tracking mode: approximately 14 days (message sent every 10 minutes)
SPOTcheck mode: approximately 1900 messages (adjusted for the triple message format)


Here are a few key items I found not covered well in their literature.

#1 SPOT Satellite Messenger does not always send the message immediately. (Transmission is indicated by the associated blinking LED turning on solid for 5 seconds) But don't panic. It goes into "preparing to send" mode where it first makes sure it has a current GPS location if possible, which can take a minute or more. Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still send a distress signal without your exact location, while it continues to try and get a GPS location. Then SPOT actually makes sure a satellite is over head and has good signal strength, and that conditions are good for the message to be sent. Again if SPOT is not sure a satellite is overhead it will still send it's signals, repeatedly. The longest I have seen it "preparing to send" is 5 minutes and I think that was my fault as I was standing under the patio awning for part of that time. [smiley=x-039.gif] Out in the open the unit functioned a lot faster.

#2 when you press the "OK" button you will see SPOT goes into the "preparing to send" mode indicated by the LED above the OK button and the power button blinking. After a short time the light above the OK button will become ON solid for a longer period; say 5 or 6 seconds. This is telling you the message is being sent. MY expectation was then the unit would return to standby mode and the light stop blinking. NOT so. To my delight I discovered the unit stays in "sending" mode and re-sends the message an additional 2 times spaced 5 minutes apart, then goes back to "standby mode". Only one of these messages is transmitted to the user's contacts, the rest are for redundancy to ensure the message gets through. SO do NOT shut SPOT off or cover it up until you actually see it return to standby mode where just the power LED blinks. This usually happens within 15 minutes or slightly longer. This I found out is to ensure the message gets through. Only one message actually ends up getting sent to your contact list, and in my case was the first one sent. The other 2 are simply added assurance the function is successful. All my testing has had the messages show up on my brothers cell phone within a minute or less of my seeing SPOT sending one (indicated by the LED going solid ON).


#3 If you purchase the optional live tracking service (SPOTcasting $49.95/yr) when you activate SPOT Satellite Messenger do not expect it to create a track like a Garmin GPS would. Once activated by pressing and holding the OK button for 5 seconds, it transmits your location every 10 minutes for 24 hours. SPOT only records your location (on their website) once every 10 minutes fro 24 hours and you know full well you can cover a LOT of ground in 10 minutes on an ATV. It however does give enough detail for anyone looking at the track on the website and it's Google maps so they can find you and see where you are in relation to the trails and maps. SPOTcasting must be re-initiated every 24 hours if you want to have continuous coverage of multi-day travels. These locations are saved, so they could be referenced at a later date.


#4 The optional GEOS Search and Rescue insurance ($7.95/yr) ONLY covers the primary owner of the SPOT device and not your whole party or family at this time. So if you loan your SPOT to friends they will not be covered by this rescue insurance benefit. However if your present when a group is rescued I'm confident coverage will help with the rescue expenses if necessary. They are offering SPOT owners a way to add additional Family members to the plan at http://www.geosalliance.com/sar/. There is also offering a plan for companies and larger groups.

The owners manual explains every thing else very well and I am thrilled with SPOT.

UPDATED BATTERY USAGE INFORMATION.
Further testing has confirmed that SPOT Satellite Messenger will function properly on alkaline batteries, sending out 911 messages for several days in limited testing. LED’s will initially show green using fresh high-quality alkaline batteries, and then turned red to indicate low-battery status shortly after. Alerts are sent out regularly while the battery indicator was green, with some messages unsent as the alkaline batteries were depleted.

While SPOT will still strongly recommend lithium batteries, they will include information in the updated manuals on using alkalines in an emergency. It is clear from testing that with no lithium batteries available, alkaline batteries can provide enough power to send out messages for a short period of time. The manual has also been amended to let users know that the low battery warning indicates 30% remaining. We’ll take a look at this ourselves in our testing.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Damn Eric, you're a regular "Post Ho" over there......

LOL! I just saw this Larry, must have missed it before. Yeah, they have me at "Wind Bag" right now, and no one knows what happens at the next level. One rumor says they kick you off for good. But if they anoint me as the first Post Ho, I'll be fat dumb and happy.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Damn Eric, you're a regular "Post Ho" over there......

Hey Larry: Click here, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and look at what's next to the bright green vertical bars.

Dang man, you must have connections! I knew there was a reason I was following you all over the Fordyce.

[ATVUtah]

Damn Eric, you're a regular "Post Ho" over there......

Hey Larry: Click here, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and look at what's next to the bright green vertical bars.

Dang man, you must have connections! I knew there was a reason I was following you all over the Fordyce.

Awe crap that wasn't supposed to show up till you hit 1500 posts.... oh wait YOU DID! Hmmm.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Awe crap that wasn't supposed to show up till you hit 1500 posts.... oh wait YOU DID! Hmmm.

Heeee-hawwww! Thanks Gary! If you get any complaints about "Post Ho" not meeting the Utah family values standards (and I imagine you will), no worries if you have to change that to something else. I was an official Post Ho for at least a while, so I figure I still get to tell the back-when-I-was-a-Post-Ho stories.