Screw You SPOT! You're FIRED!

[capngeo]

Anyone want a SPOT Connect? Pay postage and it's your's. I am totally fed-up with fighting the software, customer service, and coverage... IT IS ALL JUNK! My subscription runs until November, but my third call to CS today was to cancel the subscription.

OK Rant is over.... In fairness when it works, it works well, but it has been a constant struggle. Every time I go to log in, it says my account is locked, and I need to call customer service (2x today alone). The contacts will not sync, the GPS goes from 3D to "NO" without moving the device. The bluetooth connection to my iPhone is clunky. If so much as a sail or leaf blocks the sky, it doesn't work at all.

So the question bears: what next? DeLorme? Sat-Phone? or just go old school and let everyone who cares if I'm OK wait on the EPIRB? I honestly would rather go without than have something that is unreliable!

[MarkJ]

Skymate

[SVI]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Skymate

$$$Expensive$$$... $1600 for the hardware, and then $70 monthly for 50kb, and $2 for +1kb...

Get a BGAN, $7 per mb. Hunt for equipment on Ebay, $500-700.

[mikepmtl]

You mounting an EPIRB on the Beamer George?

[goboatingnow]

I dont think its SPOT, but the Gobalstar network. Iridium is a far technically superior system, so go Delorme.

Dave

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by mikepmtl

You mounting an EPIRB on the Beamer George?

No, but that was the impetus. I wanted it for the motorcycle trip to Canada, but just like every other time I wanted to use it, I had to fight with it... I'm over it!

[goboatingnow]

SPOT was dreamed up by Globalstar becuase their network degraded to the point of not rally working for voice anymore, SPOT virtually saved the company. But a lot of people agree with your view.

IN my opinion as Globalstar rebuild the network, SPOT will be less strategic and less value to the owner.

DAve

[mikepmtl]

I was thinking just use the iPhone alone, but data would kill you up here. but lots of tracking apps while you are in the US.

[nwdiver]

InReach............... it's much better

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by mikepmtl

I was thinking just use the iPhone alone, but data would kill you up here. but lots of tracking apps while you are in the US.

You want to get me a SIMM card..... Oh wait... never mind!

Checked stock on the Delorme... can't get one before leaving. I guess its cellular and hotspots only.

[David_Old_Jersey]

I thought you guys in the USA were all subscribers to PRISM anyway, so not as if you really are out of contact

[rebel heart]

You can hook up an Iridium satellite phone to Twitter. Underway I make ~1 post a day with my position and some notes, and people can reply which comes in as an sms (for free).

Works fine for me.

[capngeo]

Eric, what plan do you use? Their website is confusing at best

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Eric, what plan do you use? Their website is confusing at best

Iridium Service Plans and Airtime | SatellitePhoneStore.com

I have the "outer boundaries" plan. Again I'm only doing it because I still have a job and need to be connected. An outbound SMS is half a minute of air time, so 40 minutes is 80 text messages (or 30sms + 25 minutes). It's not bad.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I thought you guys in the USA were all subscribers to PRISM anyway, so not as if you really are out of contact

Yeah and you too, Snowden dint mention yall since yer ferners.