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Cardon Man
Super Nomad
Posts: 1319
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Thetis Bank
Member Is Offline
Mood: !Al Chingaso!
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SPOT satellite messenger users?
I'd be interested to hear from SPOT users how well the device works, particularly in Baja California Sur. Specifically, are there any issues with
signal strength? On the coverage area map I've seen on line it shows all of Baja to be well covered. Can users confirm?
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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No problem with signal strength in Baja, and if you want to subscribe to the GPS tracking, it can provide a google-maps for your travels.
My first annual subscription cost me $175.00 U.S.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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udo
ouch,,175.00........why would you need/want that ??? K&T
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goldhuntress
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 1-28-2010
Member Is Offline
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We use ours all the time and so far no problems to speak of with one exception. When it's windy it can be hard to get it to send the text/email out
and may take a couple of tries. One windy night in Baja I didn't get two messages sent the same night. When I found out I hadn't gotten them I went to
our account on the website and one of the the two showed up on the list of sent messages but it wasn't highlighted like all the other messages that
you can click on and read. So I guess it only sort of sent. We've never, knock on wood, have had to use it in an emergency so I can not speak about
that part of it.
edit to say my BF was in Baja sending to me in the US and to say we have the Spot Connect.
[Edited on 2-18-2012 by goldhuntress]
[Edited on 2-18-2012 by goldhuntress]
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john68
Nomad
Posts: 207
Registered: 7-9-2006
Member Is Offline
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ours works fine in Los Barriles.
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A.&M.
Newbie
Posts: 13
Registered: 11-24-2007
Location: Hope B.C. CDN
Member Is Offline
Mood: Needing our Baja fix
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We just returned from 8 weeks in Baja ours worked flawlessly from one end to the other. Our family followed us constantly. Thankful we did not
have to use it for anything else except tracking.
My only complaint would be battery life, After we learned to turn it off at night it was better. 3 lithium AAA size batteries are almost $10. in
B.C. Of course Walmart in the states has them for almost half price. By turning it off at night we got 2 weeks out of set.
We also bought the evacuation service with it so cost about $200. more than the base price. Anne has some fairly serious health problems and we would
not be without it. Cheers, Anne & Mike
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Either way, it was $99.00 per year for the SPOT service...I just purchased some of their extras, which I will not do next year.
| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
ouch,,175.00........why would you need/want that ??? K&T |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Cardon Man
Super Nomad
Posts: 1319
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Thetis Bank
Member Is Offline
Mood: !Al Chingaso!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by A.&M.
We also bought the evacuation service with it so cost about $200. more than the base price. Anne has some fairly serious health problems and we would
not be without it. Cheers, Anne & Mike
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Evacuation service for $200 a year? I think I missed that option on their site. What type of evacuation services do they provide to a traveler in
deepest Baja?
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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Emergency recovery service is about 10-12 dollars a year plus the $99 regular service charge, at least for the older units. I've used mine just to
show where I've been for 3-4 years now with no problems. Just on 2nd set of batteries as I don't use it for tracking.
Several fiends also have the units and are happy with them. Some have used the "Help" button and it worked as advertised. None have used the "SOS"
which gets a lot of others involved with the rescue.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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A.&M.
Newbie
Posts: 13
Registered: 11-24-2007
Location: Hope B.C. CDN
Member Is Offline
Mood: Needing our Baja fix
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| Quote: |
Evacuation service for $200 a year? I think I missed that option on their site. What type of evacuation services do they provide to a traveler in
deepest Baja? |
Hi, Google "spot geos" it should give you all the information.
I have no idea if it a good deal or not as I didn't look around for others this was offered and we thought it look good so took it.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Mike Younghusband walked from the border to Cabo San Lucas last year, and we followed him here on Nomad thanks to his SPOT device!
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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SPOT
Works great in Baja and elswhere.
If you buy the SAR package when you activate your SPOT it really saves you money. It's only $12.95 a year.
Also, you can get the optional Evacuation insurance for really low rates......
https://www.geosalliance.net/geoslogin/medivacorder.aspx?ref...
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Desertbull
Senior Nomad
Posts: 558
Registered: 8-27-2003
Member Is Offline
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I just upgraded to SPOT Connect after using Spot since the beginning and used the new unit for a 9 day trip up and down the Peninsula and worked
flawlessly. I was able to send personalized text messages direct to family and friends from El Datil and while on the Comodu road in the mountains
with no TelCel service etc.
You use the Spot Connect in conjunction with your smartphone via Bluetooth and that allows you to send personal text messages, update photos to social
media sites and of course still have the same standard functions as the normal Spot units to send SOS messages.
Family and friends tracked me all along both coasts no problem.
Tim
DREAM IT! PLAN IT! LIVE IT!
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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I've use SPOT since the beginning. It makes it easier on the home crowd as they can see I'm still alive by tracking me on a website.
Next trip down I'm going to upgrade to the Connect package. This thing works!
Oh, and I've never used the SAR option - though I DO have it. There was a well-publicized case of it's use where Cameron Steele activated it in an
emergency situation while pre-running. Yep, it worked.
[Edited on 2-19-2012 by Roberto]
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bigzaggin
Nomad
Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: way too ites
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Echo the sentiments above...used the SPOT for my last 4 long excursions down and never had a real reception issue. But a few notes...
Someone above mentioned battery life/turning the unit OFF. We used to do that, until one of our messages didn't relay one night (leading to a fairly
severe wife panic back home). We later realized we had turned the unit off before the message had relayed. In especially remote locales - even when
the unit indicates the signal has been sent - it can take as long as 30 mins for it to bounce off satellites and get to recipients and, in the
(unlikely) event of some service interruption, your message can sit in limbo for a bit. It's just safer to leave it on. The SPOT people will tell you
as such.
Re: Evac insurance. Double check this, but I believe it only covers the person who PURCHASED the unit. But you can extend policy I believe. Well
worth it in my opinion, especially since AMEX has newly discontinued evac insurance as part of certain card plans.
And finally, if you happen to be a surfer (or fisherman), be careful who gets onto your distribution list. You are broadcasting your location to the
world, and on the odd chance you stumble on some empty right point/A+ fishing hole, you might want them coordinates on the hush-hush. Just
sayin...
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Roberto
There was a well-publicized case of it's use where Cameron Steele activated it in an emergency situation while pre-running. Yep, it worked.
[Edited on 2-19-2012 by Roberto] |
That's a good thing it did work, as Spot is one of his sponsors!
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sling time!
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one flying buddy used Spot on his 1st flight to baja coming from CO.
we tracked him all the way over the 2 days he made the trip.
then his sender quit over the SOC about 20 miles short of land at Mulege and we thot oh crap he ditched!
was not the case.
i still don't know why it stopped. It wroked again on his way home which took 3 days due to WX.
BPI sells SPOT at discount to members, forget the $$.
i use a std EPERB with built in GPS if i need it.
But Spot is a good thing.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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captmike
Hola,,I assume you have 406mghz, they a phaseing out the 165,124 126 mghz units..BTW...K&T
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sling time!
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yes, i think so - same freq the FAA is making everyone change to for the plane's req'd emerg beacon device. they used to use 121.5 mhz as emerg freq.
Something about better sat monitoring and military is phasing out all the 121.5 stations.
what fun....more to spend to have a frickin plane... ;^(
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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