Spot Tracker
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 188
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
Spot Tracker
Picked up a Spot GPS tracker for my upcoming Alaska trip. Playing with it for the last couple days, seems to be fairly accurate with location. Anyone here have one and have the misfortune in having to use the help or SOS function. Wondering what the result was and how quick someone responded to your alert.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 149
From: High in the Colorado Rockies
I use a SPOT when hiking in the back country. It works great and being able to send updates that my wife can see right on google maps is a real comfort for her when I am in the middle of nowhere for weeks. Fortunately, I haven't had to use the SOS feature, but a I now a few mountain climbers who have and it goes directly to SAR & the Sheriff here for immediate assistance. SJ Ron
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 22
From: right down from the FloraBama
I beta tested SPOT back in 2007. It is an awesome aggregator of technology when you think about it. Globalstar satellite network, internet, google maps, email and text. Not to mention the GEOS rescue service. That said the most useful features to me were breadcrumbing my travels (you have to subscribe to the optional track feature) and the check in feature when camping at remote (no cellphone) sites.
Breadcrumbing is helpful in a rescue situation because even if you can't get to the help/911 button, your relative last known position can narrow a search initiated by the absence of a check in.
Check out http://spotwalla.com/
The site was created by Jason Jonas, a rider and sometime poster on the ADV site.
It's easy to set up a trip for tracking with lots of extras like permissions, etc.
And it makes it easy for friends and family to follow along.
Another point specific to motorcycling. There is no need to mount your spot on your handle bars. Device orientation is most important (antenna up) and it will even shoot through saddlebags. I keep mine inside the top of my tour bag. It effectively transmits through the lid of a Kuryakin gran tour bag and a sealine bag stuffed with leathers and such. Not every track will register, trees, weather and the vagaries of a low earth orbit satellite constellation.
In the picture below, it's even shooting through Eddie's helmet (JaxHarleyRdr) which had fallen off his bike (unbeknownst to him
)
I was working on the vendor side of emergency communications for a few years.
The important thing to remember, no one device provides a 100% solution.
Breadcrumbing is helpful in a rescue situation because even if you can't get to the help/911 button, your relative last known position can narrow a search initiated by the absence of a check in.
Check out http://spotwalla.com/
The site was created by Jason Jonas, a rider and sometime poster on the ADV site.
It's easy to set up a trip for tracking with lots of extras like permissions, etc.
And it makes it easy for friends and family to follow along.
Another point specific to motorcycling. There is no need to mount your spot on your handle bars. Device orientation is most important (antenna up) and it will even shoot through saddlebags. I keep mine inside the top of my tour bag. It effectively transmits through the lid of a Kuryakin gran tour bag and a sealine bag stuffed with leathers and such. Not every track will register, trees, weather and the vagaries of a low earth orbit satellite constellation.
In the picture below, it's even shooting through Eddie's helmet (JaxHarleyRdr) which had fallen off his bike (unbeknownst to him
)I was working on the vendor side of emergency communications for a few years.
The important thing to remember, no one device provides a 100% solution.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 331
Likes: 1
From: Glendale, AZ
Yeah, their customer service sucks. Mostly on the billing side. They want to try to push you to doing everything on the internet. Nevertheless, the service basically works as promised. There's gonna be a few spots here and there that you'll lose tracking, but for the most part I have had no issues. I've been a customer since 2007
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