Anyone Using Spot Devices???

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

Have you seen the SPOTX?

Ya but like the inreach it makes it a requirement to contact people and relay info. I really like the old spot’s that require me to push one button and is one way com’s not two way. This is the biggest reason I’ve avoided inreach, I don’t leave civilization to have to talk/text people. In reality I’ll proabbly just move to a plb, higher cost but no membership and one way com’s.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by MoonlightSailor

DeLorme inReach....

Is Delorme just a different service that uses the inReach devices?

More than just a device difference. It uses the Iridium network, which had full global coverage. SPOT uses the GlobalStar network which does not.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by davenrino

I have Inreach Explorer for sailing and backcountry motorcycle trips. I also bluetooth my non-cellular ipad to it for Navionics. One of my friends was killed in a motorcycle crash in Mexico where there was no cell service. All 3 of our friends with him hit SOS on their Spots but never did find out if anyone received it. They switched to Inreach.

When I had a SPOT here in the W Carib, it often dropped messages and there was no way to know because its one way.

In one case here, repeated SOS messages were dropped.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

It's not US only.. Though the two-way messaging has a smaller footprint compared with the tracking functionality. If you upgrade to SPOTX from A SPOTGen3, the tracking coverage will be the same..

You can see the coverage map for one-way (send) vs two-way coverage here: https://www.sea-tech.com/product/glo...ite-messenger/

GlobalStar has lied for years about their coverage.

Coverage map for InReach is the entire globe. Done.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by rbk

Ya but like the inreach it makes it a requirement to contact people and relay info. I really like the old spot’s that require me to push one button and is one way com’s not two way. This is the biggest reason I’ve avoided inreach, I don’t leave civilization to have to talk/text people. In reality I’ll proabbly just move to a plb, higher cost but no membership and one way com’s.

Both SPOT & InReach SOS messages are relayed to SAR...no further contact required.

[Moontide]

Garmin bought Delorme so it is the same, maybe with a newerodel. It uses the Iridium system so has world wide coverage.


Spot is limited in how far offshore it will cover. If doing Transocean and you want full coverage them Inreach is it.

[boatman61]

Well CF has been tracking my Spot for years.. and members have been using its tracks to calculte speeds, course changes and guess my track choices for approaching fronts.. Caribe, N Atlantic and Med..
Mind, I do only have it on for half hour or so maybe 4 times in 24hrs.. must gain response points for less time switched on..

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Moontide

Garmin bought Delorme so it is the same, maybe with a newerodel. It uses the Iridium system so has world wide coverage.


Spot is limited in how far offshore it will cover. If doing Transocean and you want full coverage them Inreach is it.

Yes, Garmin introduced a newer version of the Explorer with full GPS functionality, including map/chart display. Unfortunately, it only supports maps/charts sourced via Garmin. This does inclued OpenStreet Map's maps (topos & road maps) and NOAA charts (USA only) and is a small display. No ability to import maps/charts from other sources, but you can import routes & waypoints. For my purposes I found that limited ability not so useful so did not upgrade from my Delorme Explorer.

With either model you can pair with EarthMate running on your phone/tablet. This gives you a bigger map/chart display and makes entering messages WAY easier than pecking them out one painful character at a time on the device itself.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Well CF has been tracking my Spot for years.. and members have been using its tracks to calculte speeds, course changes and guess my track choices for approaching fronts.. Caribe, N Atlantic and Med..
Mind, I do only have it on for half hour or so maybe 4 times in 24hrs.. must gain response points for less time switched on.. [emoji3]

SPOT has expanded their [claimed] coverage a lot in recent years. Atlantic coverage in particular has expanded a lot, so likely works for many of your routes, but Pacific still lacks coverage.

The GlobalStar network is made up of land terminals (antennas) linked by satellites. SPOT must be in range of a land terminal to work. Iridium is 100% direct satellite comms so no gaps on coverage.


https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=108

[Checkswrecks]

I've had a series of SPOT devices for years to use on motorcycles, kayaking, and hiking around the world. Switched to the Garmin InReach Mini and agree with belizesailor and others on InReach being FAR better than SPOT in almost every aspect.

Regardless of what the SPOT coverage map shows, I've had the device not connect in the US, Canada, and Africa. That's a fatal flaw right there. We use Iridium sat-phones for work and I've never ever had problems connecting with that service, which is what the Garmin is on.

Got tired of SPOT's predatory business practices and ending that was almost the best part of the switch. Garmin is not my favorite company in a lot of ways, but dealing with SPOT was an annual pain in the a$$. When I began, the annual cost was something like $50-$60/year. That doubled to renew and people suddenly realized that if they called to bitch, SPOT would drop the increase. It happened year after year, but what their practice was became apparent after that first year. They'd increase the price, but tell us the increase was far more. People would call to complain and say they were leaving the service and suddenly we'd get an increased price, but not as big as the announced annual increase. I'm sure that most people just paid the big increases, so I consider that predatory on SPOT's part. They wanted something like $245 to renew earlier this year and I'd had enough of their game.

The worst part is that when you sign up for SPOT, the AUTO payment goes on your credit card and they will NOT give that up. I'd already decided to change to a full size InReach and coincidently this year, my SPOT annual renewal and the credit card were expiring a month before the InReach Mini was to come out. The "you MUST give us your new card number" emails from SPOT began about a month before the credit card expired. With the change in card number, their service finally terminated and I still got calls and emails for another month. There is no way in Hell I'll give another credit card number to SPOT.

Picked up an InReach Mini on the most basic plan and tested it for use on a motorcycle around home and in the Canadian Rockies for most of two weeks where there was no cell service. Took it offshore in Maine attached to my life vest and had it in Guyana a couple months ago. Sent and received messages with no problem and because it will bluetooth to the phone, using the map, weather, and comm features are easy. Just watch your frequency of use because it can drive the cost up a lot if not careful. I have no doubt that if I push the panic button on the Mini, somebody will get the signal and with the drop-outs I was never totally comfortable about that with the SPOT. On the most basic plan, cost wasn't a factor and I can suspend the InReach if not using it in the winter, which is not something SPOT will do.

There's more info on the differences in this adventure motorcycling thread:
https://advrider.com/f/threads/ive-g...#post-36498499

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Now this is why I love my Spot.. the owner et al can follow my progress but.. I have the peace and independence away from the outside world..
yet still can transmit messages from 'all is well'.. to 'PanPan' and 'Mayday'..
The rest..? you guys can keep.

and CF members can see where you are and start "helping" by contacting the owner to send out a tow you didn't need

[winschwab]

Another vote for Garmin InReach-works great-had it since 2015. I especially like using my phone to send short emails and texts from anywhere.

[Shorty]

I've had SPOT 10+/- years and am lukewarm about them. Technology is dated, their customer service slow. I have kept up because, for the money, it works for me. All I really want is the tracking to show family & crew's family where we are and it does that. Sailing Maine & Canadian Maritimes. Other services offer more and charge more.

[Amapola]

inReach

[zeehag]

i have spot generation 1 i push button when i want momma to know where i am and donot need to hear input from my brother, who also worries he may lose another sibling.. worse yet he thinks he may inherit boat if there is more than a mere scrap remaining
eventually i MIGHT upgrade to more intrusive spot gen 3, but at present, i have gen 1 and re-up my service only when sailing. itis great for coastal issues.