FREE SPOT

[Nicholson58]

I just received this promo.
FREE SPOT HOLIDAY OFFERS

Looks like a good deal. Comments? I think we are interested in the phone. With unlimited plan, I think we should be able to get GRIB files for off-shore cruising as well as keep in touch with the family.

[Matt Johnson]

Aren't they still using Globalstars sat network? Never heard a good word about their sat phone service.

Matt

Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[belizesailor]

Check carefully that they have coverage in your intended area of use. Ideally, by talking to an actual user(s) in that area (GlobalStar will lie to you about coverage, and their on line coverage map is very generalized).

SPOT products do not actually use satellite comm directly (despite the misleading advertising) they must be in range of a Global Star land based antenna. Its my understanding they have expanded the number of land based antennas, but its still basically like a cellular network, but with cells linked by satellite. Coverage is not truly global like Iridium.

Where do you intend to use it?

[JayH]

I think the land-based antenna claim is bogus. I've seen boats (like Boatman61) cross the Atlantic with a SPOT. Satellite data transmitters are not difficult, uncommon, or expensive. I see no reason to doubt that the SPOT is transmitting to a satellite.

The SPOT uses simplex data, not duplex like phones, so we're talking about different services. The SPOT does not suffer from the same problems that have plagued GlobalStar phones.

The GlobalStar simplex coverage map is here:
Globalstar Coverage Map: Simplex Data and Asset Tracking

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by JayH

I think the land-based antenna claim is bogus. I've seen boats (like Boatman61) cross the Atlantic with a SPOT. Satellite data transmitters are not difficult, uncommon, or expensive. I see no reason to doubt that the SPOT is transmitting to a satellite.

The SPOT uses simplex data, not duplex like phones, so we're talking about different services. The SPOT does not suffer from the same problems that have plagued GlobalStar phones.

The GlobalStar simplex coverage map is here:
Globalstar Coverage Map: Simplex Data and Asset Tracking

No, that is their actual network architeture, go look it up...and even SPOT/Global Star show coverage gaps in Pacific/Atlantic.

SPOT uses the Global Star network, and while that network is better suited for data traffic than voice, it still has some basic architectural limits.

Their advertised coverage has improved daramtically in recent years, but there are still significant lower probability to no coverage areas well offshore. Also in my experience, with both SPOT and Global Star phones, there are areas of poor coverage within their advertised coverage areas. For example, Ive had many SPOT messages dropped in Central America (as did the daughter of a cruiser who was murdered in N Honduras a few years back).