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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Using SPOT finder to track people and lost/stolen items
A nomad posted an update regarding recovery of his motorcycle that had been stolen from San Felipe, and made me wonder about a device that could be
used to help with recovery of lost/stolen items in Baja or elsewhere.
Turns out there is a system for this, and it's related to the Spot devices that some solo travellers use to keep in touch with people concerned about
their safety/progress.
Any nomad using this one?
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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I don't think the Mexicans are fully on board with tracking technology but I defer to the more knowledgeable guys out there that know more.
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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
I use the trip tracker/assist functions of SPOT while in Baja and it has worked like a champ
The new property tracking device should also work well in Baja for aircraft, vehicles and boats
Nobody needs to be "on board" with the technology. All you need is a computer, the device feeds you it's location at specified intervals which you can
track with a computer
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Baja Bucko
Nomad
Posts: 288
Registered: 9-23-2003
Member Is Offline
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The la mula mil adventure started off with a SPOT device but we had problems with the batteries that would not quit so the SPOT was given up on as a
way to track us. It just did NOT work ........
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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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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Please explain about the batteries???
It doesn't sound like a problem with the device, but with the batteries you are using.
I have used alkaline and lithium batteries in the original and the generation 3 SPOT for about 7 years with no problems. I also carry extra batteries,
just in case.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Baja Bucko
The la mula mil adventure started off with a SPOT device but we had problems with the batteries that would not quit so the SPOT was given up on as a
way to track us. It just did NOT work ........ |
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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SPOT recommends lithium batteries and you need spares for sure.
As for this tracking unit they have.....only would work as long as batteries are good and the unit is in a location that can send signal...and I don't
know how strong their transponding is...but I am looking into the notion, SPOT being one of them.
I have had very mixed results with my SPOT.
Two years ago when leading a ride of 20 guys on an outback 3-day ride in BC, a guy crashed and was revived from as close to death as possible....5
SPOT units sent SOS....the authorities received the message but not the co-ordinates that were accurate.
4.5 hours later the helicopter arrived and the guy survived....the chopper got the correct co-ords from a phone call sent by a guy who rode
out.....still a mystery as that situation.
Don't believe everything you think....
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
Member Is Offline
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...maybe a pre-calibration of the spot-units is required?
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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I was following the thread on Rachel and Mike where David K was following them pretty regularly. I don't remember exactly what the problem was with
the What is West guys and what happened with their SPOT equipment, I can go back to the thread and check it out.
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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 Track Link
Here is a link for a SPOT track from PaulW:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=71912&pag...
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basautter
Senior Nomad
Posts: 862
Registered: 7-1-2013
Member Is Offline
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I don't go SOB without my SPOT. I use lithium batteries, and have not had a problem. It has a track feature, but I mostly use it to send a
pre-written message to a pre-determined e-mail list. Let's everyone know where I am, and that I am safe. I have not had to use the SOS feature yet,
but have heard mostly good things about it. Lots of reviewes can be found on websutes that sell SPOTs. A SPOT satellite ohine is on my christmas
list!
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Excellent idea in case the Mexican mafia holds you hostage and they can go in there and rescue you!! Hopefully you are still in one piece. | Quote: | Originally posted by basautter
I don't go SOB without my SPOT. I use lithium batteries, and have not had a problem. It has a track feature, but I mostly use it to send a
pre-written message to a pre-determined e-mail list. Let's everyone know where I am, and that I am safe. I have not had to use the SOS feature yet,
but have heard mostly good things about it. Lots of reviewes can be found on websutes that sell SPOTs. A SPOT satellite ohine is on my christmas
list! |
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19324
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Online
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
SPOT recommends lithium batteries and you need spares for sure.
As for this tracking unit they have.....only would work as long as batteries are good and the unit is in a location that can send signal...and I don't
know how strong their transponding is...but I am looking into the notion, SPOT being one of them.
I have had very mixed results with my SPOT.
Two years ago when leading a ride of 20 guys on an outback 3-day ride in BC, a guy crashed and was revived from as close to death as possible....5
SPOT units sent SOS....the authorities received the message but not the co-ordinates that were accurate.
4.5 hours later the helicopter arrived and the guy survived....the chopper got the correct co-ords from a phone call sent by a guy who rode
out.....still a mystery as that situation. |
i think spot is part of globalstar. from what i know about sat phones,... their satellites have degraded (and maybe are being replaced, if they still
have cash flow to do so), and there are periodic coverage problems in certain areas, such that sat phone signals may come/go depending on location,
time, angle to satelite, etc.
given the potential variability of signals, if in emergency, probably best to hit the SOS button multiple times over several hours, as signal quality
may come and go
last time i used a sat phone in baja, it was infuriating how a new/good phone could never hold a call for more than a few minutes. an expensive phone
for such bad service.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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You sound just like a University professor!! | Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
SPOT recommends lithium batteries and you need spares for sure.
As for this tracking unit they have.....only would work as long as batteries are good and the unit is in a location that can send signal...and I don't
know how strong their transponding is...but I am looking into the notion, SPOT being one of them.
I have had very mixed results with my SPOT.
Two years ago when leading a ride of 20 guys on an outback 3-day ride in BC, a guy crashed and was revived from as close to death as possible....5
SPOT units sent SOS....the authorities received the message but not the co-ordinates that were accurate.
4.5 hours later the helicopter arrived and the guy survived....the chopper got the correct co-ords from a phone call sent by a guy who rode
out.....still a mystery as that situation. |
i think spot is part of globalstar. from what i know about sat phones,... their satellites have degraded (and maybe are being replaced, if they still
have cash flow to do so), and there are periodic coverage problems in certain areas, such that sat phone signals may come/go depending on location,
time, angle to satelite, etc.
given the potential variability of signals, if in emergency, probably best to hit the SOS button multiple times over several hours, as signal quality
may come and go
last time i used a sat phone in baja, it was infuriating how a new/good phone could never hold a call for more than a few minutes. an expensive phone
for such bad service. |
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 5001
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: INTP-A
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| Quote: | Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
I don't remember exactly what the problem was with the What is West guys and what happened with their SPOT equipment... |
They lost their SPOT device in the desert:
"Just had a gnarly trip through the mtns. No route. Cactus ripping up our legs. Socks soaking up sweat and blood. Our packs were snagging on all
these desert plants. Lost the SPOT (the tracking device) when a cactus ripped it off and we didn't notice. It's gone. Late in the day yesterday we
stumbled upon our first oasis. Some dude was grilling up a 50lb yellowtail. Like some sort of dream after walking through lifeless cactus filled
gorges..."
https://www.facebook.com/WHATISWEST/posts/481170851936971
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
https://www.regionalinternet.com
Affordable Domain Name Registration/Management & cPanel Web Hosting - since 1999 |
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KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1211
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
Member Is Offline
Mood: Press On Regardless!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by basautter
I don't go SOB without my SPOT. I use lithium batteries, and have not had a problem. It has a track feature, but I mostly use it to send a
pre-written message to a pre-determined e-mail list. Let's everyone know where I am, and that I am safe. I have not had to use the SOS feature yet,
but have heard mostly good things about it. Lots of reviewes can be found on websutes that sell SPOTs. A SPOT satellite ohine is on my christmas
list! |
That mirrors my experience. I have carried the original model Spot for 3-4 years now and use it as described above to let family and friends know
where I am and that all is well. It goes to a pre-determined email list which can be changed anytime I have internet access. I have never used the
"need help" function which also goes to a separate pre-determined email list or the "911" which goes to the emergency responders but I know of a
couple instances where it was used successfully.
I send Spot messages regularly and in case I go missing the recipients will know where I was in the days before.
I don't use the tracking feature which uses up batteries faster. I carry spare batteries but find the lithiums last a couple of years since I only
turn on the Spot when I am sending a message. I have sent hundreds of Spot messages and have only had a couple of times when it did not go through.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
SPOT recommends lithium batteries and you need spares for sure.
As for this tracking unit they have.....only would work as long as batteries are good and the unit is in a location that can send signal...and I don't
know how strong their transponding is...but I am looking into the notion, SPOT being one of them.
I have had very mixed results with my SPOT.
Two years ago when leading a ride of 20 guys on an outback 3-day ride in BC, a guy crashed and was revived from as close to death as possible....5
SPOT units sent SOS....the authorities received the message but not the co-ordinates that were accurate.
4.5 hours later the helicopter arrived and the guy survived....the chopper got the correct co-ords from a phone call sent by a guy who rode
out.....still a mystery as that situation. |
they're certainly not infallible, think back to that awful day
in november.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2339
Registered: 10-17-2013
Member Is Offline
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I've been using the first generation SPOT since the beginning, and it travels with me to remote spots (eg Baja), dirt biking in the desert, etc. Along
with tracking, I like the "I'm OK" feature, where I can send my wife or others, an "I'm OK email."
re: sat phones. I use a late-model Iridium, and I agree, it has the audio quality/connectivity of a 1985 Motorola flip phone.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5912
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
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I've been using the newest generation SPOT for the last few trips. It's awesome to be able to check in. I send signals out to family, and always
copy my one Baja friend who can alert others in case I need help. A mention to contact this forum is always included. I've used it while down for
the Baja 1000 in remote areas and surf spots off the map and I always get a signal out.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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How much do they run Ateo?
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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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http://www.findmespot.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_i...
| Quote: | Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
How much do they run Ateo? |
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