SPOT

[philair]

Get the ACR Aqua-Link

The Spot is heading in the right direction, but if you're serious about getting help in a remote area, get the ACR AquaLink. Far superior and faster in getting help to you, and if its important, you can add the notification feature.

Check the specs, if you really want help in an emergency, offshore or inland. We use ours both for sailing and for our motorcycle adventures, where accidents occur and cell phone coverage is non-existent.

 

[sloopy]

SPOT Experience

Used SPOT when we drove down to Puerto Vallarta. Worked pretty good after we figured out how to get friends and family emailed on the OK setup.
Used on my sailing trip soputh from San Diego down the Baja. Main thing to remember is that you have to be sure it's in the clear and that it actually sends the message, whatever it is. You have to watch the lights to be sure the transmission was sent.
I would still carry an EPIRB on my next voyage but SPOT is great for the OK messages and tracking ones progress. Family and friends can see where you are.

 

[sea_casper]

AquaLink vs SPOT

The Spot is heading in the right direction, but if you're serious about getting help in a remote area, get the ACR AquaLink. Far superior and faster in getting help to you, and if its important, you can add the notification feature.

Check the specs, if you really want help in an emergency, offshore or inland. We use ours both for sailing and for our motorcycle adventures, where accidents occur and cell phone coverage is non-existent.

Aqualink can't be used for keeping family and friends updated on your progress, it is strictly for emergency use only. Both use satellites and do not rely on cell phone coverage. The SPOT definitely has more entertainment value.

 

[spuki]

I think a lot of the comparison between SPOT and EPIRB is sales hype. SPOT is fun and functional if you are with in the coverage area. EPIRB is serious rescue only with its own coverage area. Both would be ideal.

We have had our SPOT II less than a year, but it appears that they are making improvements. The addition of the emergency button for linking to a specific service like SeaTow or BoatUS is a step in the right direction. They also allow you to sign up for $100K of worldwide, emergency insurance for cheap. Overall it is not that expensive, especially if you buy it on sale or with a rebate. Ours worked great all the way to the US Virgin Islands and back to Florida. If you are going to shut it off for any reason, make sure you wait for the 20 minute message cycle to complete if you have just sent a message.

Our track was nicely recorded on the map on the internet site. You pay extra for this. In fact, we kind of signed up for the whole package. We didn't try linking photos to way points, but apparently you can do that, too.

SPOT is fun and functional.

 

[mccary]

I have had my Spot for 2 full seasons now. It was a gift from a concerned daughter. She worries about me when i sail alone. I have never needed to summon help or SOS with my Spot, but I have used it to report in and to provide tracking logs.

I subscribed to the service and added the insurance to have them send assistance at no cost to me (not likely to need this but it wasn't expensive). I also added the replacement policy too. That service I have used. Last fall while sailing my Spot (V1) was mounted in its holder with suction cup on the bulkhead. We tacked and for some reason the sheet caught the Spot and over she went and right to the bottom. I remembered I my replacement policy and called SPOT to inquire. In just a few days I received a new Spot 2 (mine was the original).

The major difference between the 2 is the Spot 2 is smaller, fits easily in a shirt pocket and uses 3 AAA Lithium batteries instead of the 2 AA in the original. There is a seperate tracking button and you can be tracking and push the OK button to send that signal as well (nice additional feature). The other difference is the HELP and SOS buttons require you to remove a cap and then push a button as opposed to just pushing the button on the Spot 1 (I guess this adds a level of protection against accidental SOS messages being sent, but as a sailor in the need of assistance and possibly IN the water I am not sure about an extra cap to remove).

Another ice feature is my Blackberry can view Spot Tracks with an app.

 

[sailingdog]

Pros and cons of a SPOT Messenger

First, it isn't a PLB or an EPIRB and isn't designed to be used as one. It doesn't have the durability or the battery life of either in many ways and doesn't have the SART transponder function of an EPIRB.

It is a very useful device for people traveling, especially if you're in remote areas and by yourself, since it gives you a pretty good way to at least let your friends and family know you're okay and where you are.

The SPOT Messengers have evolved, but the basic feature set included:

• the ability to be tracked via a subscription service,

• send out "I am here" messages with a GPS location,

• send out "HELP" messages to trigger e-mail or text messages to pre-defined people with a pre-defined message

• and a "911" function to summon SAR help in an emergency.​

EPIRBs and PLBs can now do some of these, but IMHO it is foolish to waste the batteries of an EPIRB or PLB to send an "I am here" message.

The SPOT Messengers were designed to use the "ultimate lithium" AA and AAA batteries developed by Energizer brand of batteries and gives you about 14 days of use if you're using the tracking function. If you're just using it on an ad-hoc basis, the battery life will be significantly longer, especially if you shut the unit down between uses.

The SPOT messenger tracking website does allow you to download your SPOT location reports as a GPX file, which can often be uploaded into charting/navigation or GPS software packages. This means that you can often preserve the data and use it on a blog, as I did on my blog article on the SPOT messenger a couple years ago.

One issue I have with the SPOT messenger is that the Tracking feature only runs for 24 hours and then needs to be reset...which is a PITA... IMHO, it should run until you shut it off or the batteries die. Other than that, the SPOT is a pretty nice addition to a sailor's kit bag.

 

[Roger Long]

One issue I have with the SPOT messenger is that the Tracking feature only runs for 24 hours and then needs to be reset...which is a PITA... IMHO, it should run until you shut it off or the batteries die.

I agree but it's probably necessary for them to preserve bandwidth by not having turned on units put on shelves.

For the coastal cruiser, it isn't a big deal. Even aside from battery life, there's no point in filling up your tracking page with a bunch of fixes at anchor.

I've developed the routine of switching the SPOT to sending out an OK message immediately after going below after anchoring or picking up a mooring. By the time the boat is secured, the lights will usually be blinking the pattern that indicates the message has been sent. Friends and family then know that I've stopped and not that tracking has just stopped. The can also look on Google Earth to see exactly where I am anchored.

I agree on an EPIRB being required equipment for passages but I'm comfortable relying on the SPOT for coastal cruising and occasional short passages where I'm generally in VHF range of other vessels.

 

[Lee Scott]

I've got a Spot we used last year on our trip from Miami to Key West, then to Tampa, and it did a good job of tracking where we were and sending the OK signals to those who were interested in our progress. It gave us a little more sense of security, and that trip, with only one overnight sail, did not seem to dictate getting an EPIRP.

I didn't play with the 'track' feature, but I can see why they want you to 'reconfirm' every 24 hours. I can see people pulling into port and forgetting to turn it off. Then having it run dead and then be useless when you really need it.

 

[Union36]

We used the spot when we moved a 46' (sail) boat from the Mediteranean to Puerto Rico. I used it just in case there was an oh crap moment but most of all I used it so my wife could track our progress. It was a great tool & I would definately use it again. The cost of the "Spot" itself was around $200 at the time (its gone down now) & the subscription price was around $100.00 yearly. It was an invaluable tool, especially for my wifes piece of mind. When you click on the co-ordinates (its' sent to up to 8 email addy's or cell #'s), it takes you to the Google map where you can save the journey. Quite fascinating for those back home. All in all, I was very pleased with the functionality of the "Spot". It definately served its purpose.

 

[steveebryant]

No point. Your GPS does a better job of keeping tracks. They are much more detailed and it's fairly easy, with Garmin Mapsource anyway, to import them into Google Earth.

Like this:

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/2010September.htm

Click the image.

I am getting into this conversation a little late.
1. How did you create the travel chart in the link above?
2. I have a Garmin 276c, now about 6 years old and would not trade it for a new one, is it possible for me to connect with Google Earth and use my way points to construct something similar to that which you did?
3. Do you own and use the Spot gps tracking technology; I am thinking about doing so?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[sea_casper]

Download GPS tracks.

I am getting into this conversation a little late.
1. How did you create the travel chart in the link above?
2. I have a Garmin 276c, now about 6 years old and would not trade it for a new one, is it possible for me to connect with Google Earth and use my way points to construct something similar to that which you did?
3. Do you own and use the Spot gps tracking technology; I am thinking about doing so?
Thanks,
Steve

At the risk of hijacking the thread.
I have downloaded the track data from both my Garmin 176c and my 3206, and used both as tracks for Google Earth, I even created a .kmz file which allows a Google Earth user to "fly" along my track and view the scenery. I have attached the file which covered the first part of our trip north, from Stuart, FL to Vero Beach, FL.
(delete the .txt from file name to use)

 

[Roger Long]

I even created a .kmz file which allows a Google Earth user to "fly" along my track and view the scenery.

Very cool. How did you do that? I wonder if I can make my several GE kml files of Maine cruises do that retroactively.

 

[ancientmariner]

Umm, did the original questions get replied to? I have never heard of Spot before, nor am I now very clear on what it is.

 

[Roger Long]

I have never heard of Spot before, nor am I now very clear on what it is.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/

 

[rwspreen]

I'm an old backpacker who's a new sailor. I was happy to learn of the marine application for a great product I already own and love. The payoffs (most listed in previous posts) are the same, and like so many things, when you really need it you'd pay 100 times its modest price to have it. Spot may have one of the best advertising tag lines yet devised: "Live to tell about it."

 

[gettinthere]

At the risk of hijacking the thread.
I have downloaded the track data from both my Garmin 176c and my 3206, and used both as tracks for Google Earth, I even created a .kmz file which allows a Google Earth user to "fly" along my track and view the scenery. I have attached the file which covered the first part of our trip north, from Stuart, FL to Vero Beach, FL.
(delete the .txt from file name to use)

the link didn't work for me. But I'd like to know more...

 

[sea_casper]

Record A tour

Very cool. How did you do that? I wonder if I can make my several GE kml files of Maine cruises do that retroactively.

After loading your Track (KML) into Google Earth and it is displayed, click the "Record Tour" icon.
Then click on the "Play Tour" icon.
After tour completes, click the save icon on the tour control bar, name the tour in the popup, click done or finished, that's it.

 

[sea_casper]

Not a link

the link didn't work for me. But I'd like to know more...

You have to open the file in Google Earth, after deleting the .txt from the name.

 

[chuckwayne]

maybe you got a second "problem" one? there was an issue with excessive battery drain with the intial run of spot IIs-I'd contact Spot and see if they will replace it-again

 

[RichH]

New products just released from "SPOT"

SPOT Connect: Transform your smart phone to a satellite messenger
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027126-283.html

SPOT HUG - Boat Theft prevention via GPS security system.
http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=113

very 'cool'.