GPS Tracking

[flyrider]

OK...which version of SPOT do you guys have? I see several models, so getting the right one is primary.

Let me know...thanks.

[IDisposable]

One other interesting tool for folks with an Android phone is CRADAR.

http://actionxl.com/CRADAR.html

CRADAR is a man-down application that runs on any Android phone.

CRADAR senses when you fall, waits 30-120 seconds (whatever you set it for), and if it doesn't see you move at least 8 feet, sends a text message to one of your contacts telling them you might be hurt. This gives your contact a chance to call you to see if you're ok.

In the text message is a link to Google Maps with your GPS coordinates.

If they don't get an answer, they know exactly where you are, and have the GPS coordinates so other people can find you too.

I run it on my HTC Flyer which is also my GPS device. Not yet crash-tested, but passed the bench-test.

[David13]

One other interesting tool for folks with an Android phone is CRADAR.

http://actionxl.com/CRADAR.html



I run it on my HTC Flyer which is also my GPS device. Not yet crash-tested, but passed the bench-test.

Are you guys aware how usual it is for us here in the west to have no cell phone service? A lot of these areas have 80% no coverage. There is only coverage in the towns. And where we like to ride, there are no towns. The GS guys even more so. They go out and camp out there and ride for days out there, with no cell phone service.

[Newstar]

My husband is travelling in Alaska with two friends. My one demand was that he used Spot since cell service is spotty at best. I get regular email/text updates and can follow his progress as the day gets late and I start worrying. You can check it out here by clicking on the spot link on the right.

www.n2a.co

[pffog]

What he said, been using one 5 or 6 years now.

I have had my spot for three plus years. I agree that it is not perfect, but it is a tremendous source of peace-of-mind to both me and my family and at a relatively low price. The device is probably the cheapest farkle on your motorcycle. The annual subscription fee is the only cost that I really considered and is definitely worth the price.

Here is how I use mine. Many times I leave the house for overnight weekend ride not knowing exactly where I might go. I usually tell my wife that I will be heading to someplace I think will be a good ride but on the the way I see an alternate and off I go that way. When I stop for the night I call her on my cell if I can. If not I remove the spot from the bike, make sure I am in a clear area with a good view of the sky and press the "checking in" button. Within 10 minutes my wife and daughter both receive a text messages on their cell phones stating that I am "checking in". On their smart phone (or by viewing my tracking page) from a computer they know exactly where I am for the night.

Heaven forbid that I end up having an accident that is not witnessed by someone and to compound my problems my bike and I end up off the road and out of site. Incapacitated so that I am unable to press the help buttons on my Spot or if I can reach the spot unable to move to an open area so the satellite can see me I still know that the likelihood of being found is good. My wife, friends, family AND the authorities will know exactly where I was 10 or 20 or 30 minutes before I stopped moving. They will know what road I was traveling on and which way I was headed. That will reduce the search area from somewhere in Northern California to a few dozen miles on a specific road.

[garthw]

Reading many, many reviews of SPOT, and I'm reluctant to purchase, given the quite large number of negative reviews. If a spouse thought you had a functional tracking device, and yet it failed to work...guess what: The spouse would assume something bad happened, which might be worse than no tracking data at all.

Still researching and soliciting comments from SPOT owners. Thanks!

Have used my Spot II Satellite GPS Messenger http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102 for a couple of years. Have run through western US Wyoming and Montana, around Lake Superior, up to Alaska and as far north as Inuvik 30k from the Arctic Ocean and never had an issue. Had tracking running all the time and it worked flawlessly. Wife could look at the map and see exactly where i was and using street view see exactly what I was seeing. (not sure if that is a feature you want)

Only minor issue is the need to use 3 expensive AAA lithium batteries but on our 25 day Alaska trip I started with the same batteries I used on our Montana trip last year and only had to change batteries 2 times.

[jmb122mp]

The DeLorme inReach is a competing product to SPOT. It looks like DeLorme made products that paired to SPOT previously before making their own SPOT-like product. I don't have experience with either yet but have been comparing the two. What I've found thus far in comparing the two is

Pro's of inReach
-- two way messaging versus only outbound messaging
-- better coverage area (may not apply depending on individual needs)

Con's of inReach
-- pricier subscriptions (which both require)

Speculation I've read about
-- easier to pair/use with smartphones with inReach

Cheers,

[flyrider]

Have used my Spot II Satellite GPS Messenger http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102 for a couple of years. Have run through western US Wyoming and Montana, around Lake Superior, up to Alaska and as far north as Inuvik 30k from the Arctic Ocean and never had an issue. Had tracking running all the time and it worked flawlessly. Wife could look at the map and see exactly where i was and using street view see exactly what I was seeing. (not sure if that is a feature you want)

Only minor issue is the need to use 3 expensive AAA lithium batteries but on our 25 day Alaska trip I started with the same batteries I used on our Montana trip last year and only had to change batteries 2 times.

Did unit come with batteries? Also, what is cost of batteries? Thanks.

[garthw]

Did unit come with batteries? Also, what is cost of batteries? Thanks.

I bought my unit used and it came with batteries.

In Canada the lithium AAA batteries are $12-15 but in the US they are a lot more reasonable but still $8-9 for a 4 pack. Never really tried to shop them out anywhere. Just bought them at Walmart so you may be able to find a better price.

You can use standard alkaline batteries but they say that they wear down quite quickly. Never tried them to see if the economics would work out better. In the end it is really not a huge issue but a built in rechargeable lithium would be a great feature to add.

[tnevling]

I bought a Spot2 a month ago since I am now traveling solo. I know some here have talked about why they use it and that they didn't buy it for the SOS feature. I bought it for 2 reasons; 1. Since I'm traveling solo now, my friends and family wanted to know where the heck I am, and 2. I use the caribiner clip provided to actually clip it on my belt loop of my Olympia pants so it's on my person. What use is it if you have a high side and you are thrown from your bike and can't crawl back to get it? Regardless if you are thrown into the woods without a clear signal; I want the best possible chance to push that SOS button!

Not sure about the first generation, but the Spot2 (second generation) has two buttons; a "check in/ok" button and a "custom" button. You can put 10 entries and a customized message that you create into each of those buttons. It can be a text or email, but only 10 total. So what I've done is put the same entries in both, but used different messages. The "check in/ok" button message is something like..."Hi, I'm checking in as I travel, all is okay". The "custom" button says "I've arrived safely at my destination". So my friends/family can track where I am riding and then they get the message that I've arrived. Keeps me from texting from my phone when I get to my destination, especially if cell signal is weak. Works great!

[flyrider]

Where have you purchased this? Online...from whom? Thanks.

[tommcgee]

The lithium batteries last a LONG time. I replace them about once a year, which is typically 15k miles or so.

[tnevling]

Where have you purchased this? Online...from whom? Thanks.

Purchased mine from West Marine. But you can get them pretty much anywhere; Cabela's, Eastern Mountain Sports, Best Buy...google it, and I'm sure you'll have a lot of info about where to purchase!

[maacova]

My wife tracks me with Google Maps Latitude. Not sure how it will work out west but worked fine on trip from Richmond, VA to MOA rally this summer. Works for free on Android phones. Can't hurt to try it. I will tell you at times it is very accurate to the point she can see what business I am in. No strip clubs for me.
Ken Denton

[richardak]

The lithium batteries last a LONG time. I replace them about once a year, which is typically 15k miles or so.

Unless you have tracking turned on. Then, they only last a couple of weeks.