TheBurningReel's Home Page TheBurningReel's Forum Support TBR! Live Marine Forecast TheBurningReel's Online Store TheBurningReel's Photo Gallery TheBurningReel's Fishing Chat The Burning Reel Boating & Fishing Information and Reports Forum - FairWeather


Go Back   Boating & Fishing Information and Reports Forum - FairWeather > General Information > Electronics & Marine Gear




Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 04-13-2008, 10:11 AM
Angler Systems's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 718
See Angler Systems's Photo Albums
Default Hit the SPOT

I am interested in your thoughts on the personal tracker system known as the SPOT.

Details below:


SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker and Messenger



SPOT. THE WORLD'S FIRST SATELLITE MESSENGER.

With the SPOT Satellite Messenger, you and your loved ones have peace of mind knowing help is always within reach. SPOT is the only device of its kind, using the GPS satellite network to acquire its coordinates, and then sending its location with a link to Google Maps™ and a pre-programmed message via a commercial satellite network. And unlike Personal Locator Beacons, SPOT does more than just call for help. Tracking your progress, checking in with loved ones, and non-emergency assistance are also available, all at the push of a button. And because it uses 100% satellite technology, SPOT works around the world even where cell phones don't.

Coverage
SPOT works around the world, including virtually all of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia, portions of South America, Northern Africa and North Eastern Asia, and hundreds or thousands of miles off-shore of these areas.

Messenger

ALERT 9-1-1 - Dispatch emergency responders to your exact location

CHECK IN - Let contacts know where you are and that you're okay

TRACK PROGRESS - Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress using your password and Google Maps™.

ASK FOR HELP - Request help from friends and family at your exact location.


ALERT 9-1-1:
Use this function In the event of a life threatening or other critical emergency to notify emergency services of your exact location and that you need assistance. The GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agencies worldwide for example contacting 9-1-1 responders in North America and 1-1-2 responders in Europe.

HOW IT WORKS:
Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our countrys embassy or consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Unlimited Alert 9-1-1 usage is included as part of the low-cost SPOT service plan.

Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a distress signal without exact location to the Emergency Response Center, which will still notify your contacts of the signal and continue to monitor the network for further messages.

SPOT is designed for maximum reliability. Spot performs a self-diagnostic test each time it is powered on. Additionally, Spot strongly recommends that you send and verify an OK/Check message each time before use. This allows you to evaluate your entire messaging system, from the operational condition of the messenger to the readiness of those youve chosen to notify of your messages.

Product Dimensions 4.4"H x 2.8"W x 1.5"D
__________________
Save 10% On Daiwa Reels Now!
www.anglersystems.com
jeff@anglersystems.com

Last edited by Angler Systems; 04-14-2008 at 07:38 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 02:21 AM
CanCanCase's Avatar
Bait Boy
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Juneau, AK
Posts: 35
See CanCanCase's Photo Albums
Default

I had a friend pick one up the other day... he was raving about it, and of course I was giving him flack for letting his wife strap a LoJack to his butt...

As I walked by them in the local toystore, my wife asked me about getting me a SatPhone for when I'm out on extended trips guiding in the backcountry (all of May, part of June, and all of August this year)... we decided that the cost of Sat airtime didn't justify the peace of mind she would get when I checked in....

We settled on the SPOT as a great compromise. So far I've set it up and am carrying it all over town hitting OK and continually tracking myself. SE Alaska has semi-spotty GPS coverage, with frequent outages (short duration) depending on mountains and other topography. The thing takes a bit to acquire signal, but once it's locked, I get every OK signal and about every other tracking message sent.

My only real gripe is with the website... seems to me, there should be a separate login for my "users" to log in and see progress and messages on the map WITHOUT having access to all of my account and configuration details... just a "sub login" that isn't the master account...

I'm toying with the idea of getting a few more and programming messages that come to me for when I transport hunters into the boonies... we do a lot of remote drop-off hunting in the spring and fall, and it would be nice to have an alternative to a Sat Phone for letting me know they need to be picked up early, or that all is okay and on schedule and plan.

Here in Alaska, without our VHF Marine Operator service, there is little means of communicating with home anymore. SPOT is a great compromise between not knowing, and carrying a phone at $250+ per week. It's also nice to have it set up where I can call in an "intermediate" level of help instead of declaring a full on emergency and scrambling the Coast Guard. I've got my "help" button set to send SMS and eMail to my 4 friends with large boats...

-Case
__________________
Alaskan Marine Adventures, LLC
Voted Juneau's Favorite Charter Service!
(907) 789-FISH
www.Charter-Alaska.com
www.CanCanCase.com
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 06:04 AM
Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Quinton,Va/Nags Head,NC
Posts: 252
See dawiggs's Photo Albums
Default

Angler, What are the monthly fees? Looks like a good option. Be interesting to see if the EPIRB people come up with something new ....
Regards,
__________________

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 07:43 AM
Angler Systems's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 718
See Angler Systems's Photo Albums
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dawiggs View Post
Angler, What are the monthly fees?
Our cost for the unit is presently $139.99
Retail is $169.99
Many other retailers are selling it for $149.99 & $159.99.

Details on annual fees below:

With SPOT you buy the hardware at a low initial cost and then pay an annual subscription fee for monitoring and tracking as follows:

$99 annual fee for unlimited basic service (North American Alert 9-1-1, Ask for Help, and Check-In) .
$50 additional annual fee for SPOTcasting real-time tracking service.
__________________
Save 10% On Daiwa Reels Now!
www.anglersystems.com
jeff@anglersystems.com
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 06:21 PM
Blue Magic's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, Fl / Bay St Louis, Ms.
Posts: 476
See Blue Magic's Photo Albums
Default

If you were a nice guy....you would buy me this for my birthday so that your sister would know where I'm at all the time.
__________________


2005 Grady White 306 Bimini
2006 243 Everglades
www.southernautorecycling.com
http://www.DomesticSale.com/Classifieds/211717.html
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 06:27 PM
CanCanCase's Avatar
Bait Boy
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Juneau, AK
Posts: 35
See CanCanCase's Photo Albums
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Angler Systems View Post
Our cost for the unit is presently $139.99
Retail is $169.99
Many other retailers are selling it for $149.99 & $159.99.
...
Not bad. Here in AK, it's retailing at $169.99, and was on sale at the local sporting goods show for $149.99. 3 of us used my 10% off single purchase (for being a charter) to bring final price down to $135.00

-Case
__________________
Alaskan Marine Adventures, LLC
Voted Juneau's Favorite Charter Service!
(907) 789-FISH
www.Charter-Alaska.com
www.CanCanCase.com
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 04-14-2008, 08:03 PM
Angler Systems's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 718
See Angler Systems's Photo Albums
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Magic View Post
If you were a nice guy....you would buy me this for my birthday so that your sister would know where I'm at all the time.
Is that a good thing ???!!!???
__________________
Save 10% On Daiwa Reels Now!
www.anglersystems.com
jeff@anglersystems.com
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 04-19-2008, 06:56 PM
Greenhorn
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: N. Hills area N.C.
Posts: 101
See CAP1's Photo Albums
Default

Interesting device, but I'm not looking for another monthly or yearly subscription fee to have to keep up with.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 04-21-2008, 12:41 PM
Angler Systems's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 718
See Angler Systems's Photo Albums
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CAP1 View Post
Interesting device, but I'm not looking for another monthly or yearly subscription fee to have to keep up with.
I understand but for many this is a great option.
__________________
Save 10% On Daiwa Reels Now!
www.anglersystems.com
jeff@anglersystems.com
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 04-29-2008, 08:59 AM
Angler Systems's Avatar
First Mate
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 718
See Angler Systems's Photo Albums
Default

SPOT sale ends today.
__________________
Save 10% On Daiwa Reels Now!
www.anglersystems.com
jeff@anglersystems.com
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:35 AM.


TBR's Proud
Sponsers