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chatolj
Nomad
Posts: 111
Registered: 3-17-2014
Member Is Offline
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SPOT
Just got notice that "SPOT" is upping the basic service fee 50% . If you are not using "TRACKING" they are forcing it on the plan. I let them know a
50% rise in cost is a bit much for a loyal customer. Am i a b-tch? If not, let them know. I would think a lot of you out there use their product.
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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 chatolj  | | Just got notice that "SPOT" is upping the basic service fee 50% . If you are not using "TRACKING" they are forcing it on the plan. I let them know a
50% rise in cost is a bit much for a loyal customer. Am i a b-tch? If not, let them know. I would think a lot of you out there use their product.
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I got the same notice, my service is up for renewal this month. I also am going to protest being forced to pay $50 for tracking, a service that I
don't want or need. I am going to point out that they are no longer the only game in town. I have been a customer since the device first came out
and am happy with it but have gotten really frustrated at seeing ads from them that give better deals to new customers than they will give a loyal
user. I may stay with Spot but am cerainly going to check out other options.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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Get em Curt and Kurt!
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3294
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tranquilo
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I have the DeLorme InReach, You can send and receive messages, you get a reply from search and rescue with an estimated ETA, you can tell them what's
wrong etc. The Spot is ok but you have to hope someone got your sos and they are coming, to me it's worth a few more bucks to be able to talk to
someone.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Temp rising.
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I second the inReach. No annual contract. Pay only for the months I use it. $35/mo for unlimited tracking, 40 send/receive text messages, and all the
general "I'm ok" messages I can send. Plus, my experience with the tech/customer service people has been great.
Personally, I love the tracking. My friends can keep track of me from home.
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2358
Registered: 10-17-2013
Member Is Offline
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I haven't heard from them yet. If I already pay for tracking, will my rate change?
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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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Do you have a link for this??
| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj | | Just got notice that "SPOT" is upping the basic service fee 50% . If you are not using "TRACKING" they are forcing it on the plan. I let them know a
50% rise in cost is a bit much for a loyal customer. Am i a b-tch? If not, let them know. I would think a lot of you out there use their product.
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Mark_BC
Nomad
Posts: 137
Registered: 12-1-2013
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by dtbushpilot | | I have the DeLorme InReach, You can send and receive messages, you get a reply from search and rescue with an estimated ETA, you can tell them what's
wrong etc. The Spot is ok but you have to hope someone got your sos and they are coming, to me it's worth a few more bucks to be able to talk to
someone. |
Does it have the same coverage as Spot? This is ridiculous, prices should be going down with technology advancing and new players in the market.
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LaTijereta
Super Nomad
Posts: 1192
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy | Do you have a link for this??
| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj | | Just got notice that "SPOT" is upping the basic service fee 50% . If you are not using "TRACKING" they are forcing it on the plan. I let them know a
50% rise in cost is a bit much for a loyal customer. Am i a b-tch? If not, let them know. I would think a lot of you out there use their product.
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Check their website to see the cost "now" for the "basic plan" has gone up to $150.... There are other options to start looking at for basic emergency
location services..
Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin (1759)
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5915
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
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Hard to believe they would raise their plan pricing! Wow.
I may need to check out this InReach thing........
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65257
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by Mark_BC | | Quote: Originally posted by dtbushpilot | | I have the DeLorme InReach, You can send and receive messages, you get a reply from search and rescue with an estimated ETA, you can tell them what's
wrong etc. The Spot is ok but you have to hope someone got your sos and they are coming, to me it's worth a few more bucks to be able to talk to
someone. |
Does it have the same coverage as Spot? This is ridiculous, prices should be going down with technology advancing and new players in the market.
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As one who has looked at the signals from many Nomads who use both Spot and InReach devices, I seriously like the InReach better. Great topo maps with
your track or location plus the ability to send short messages back and forth, rather than an SOS out alert only.
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DavidT
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 4-9-2005
Member Is Offline
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http://www.inreachdelorme.com
http://www.delorme.com/about/pressreleases/garmin.htm
David
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
Member Is Offline
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I think a good idea would be to send SPOT the adds for InReach and say you are ready to switch. They usually have some emergency plan to save the
business.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3113
Registered: 5-21-2013
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon | I second the inReach. No annual contract. Pay only for the months I use it. $35/mo for unlimited tracking, 40 send/receive text messages, and all the
general "I'm ok" messages I can send. Plus, my experience with the tech/customer service people has been great.
Personally, I love the tracking. My friends can keep track of me from home. |
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Pappy, can you turn off and on tracking to save $ or does one have to buy by the year/month etc
And now that Garmin owns the company I guess it will all change??
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Mark_BC
Nomad
Posts: 137
Registered: 12-1-2013
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by Mark_BC | | Quote: Originally posted by dtbushpilot | | I have the DeLorme InReach, You can send and receive messages, you get a reply from search and rescue with an estimated ETA, you can tell them what's
wrong etc. The Spot is ok but you have to hope someone got your sos and they are coming, to me it's worth a few more bucks to be able to talk to
someone. |
Does it have the same coverage as Spot? This is ridiculous, prices should be going down with technology advancing and new players in the market.
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As one who has looked at the signals from many Nomads who use both Spot and InReach devices, I seriously like the InReach better. Great topo maps with
your track or location plus the ability to send short messages back and forth, rather than an SOS out alert only. |
I really like the ability to talk back and forth, even short messages. I don't like being isolated for weeks without knowing what's going on in the
rest of the world, it drives me nuts. I like being out there, I just don't like being out of touch.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3873
Registered: 2-9-2004
Member Is Offline
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"...InReach better. Great topo maps with your track or location "
Stray question. I tried getting into GPS for Baja, understood downloading topo maps, inserting waypoints, etc. - gave up. So with the InReach
capabilities, can you use it like a GPS to track your hike to a particular destination? Or find a mine with its lat/long coordinates? And use it like
a cell phone for messages?
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DirkEXC
Junior Nomad
Posts: 64
Registered: 12-14-2006
Location: Sherman Oaks, Ca.
Member Is Offline
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My contract with Spot came up recently and I looked into the Delorme.
I choose the month to month plan for $12.00 a month and you can start and stop at any time. You get some pre set texts free and if you texd a special
message its about .15c per text.
Delorme sent me a notice yesterday that Google has purchased them. I think this will be a good thing..
I think being able to texd back and forth could be priceless in getting the correct help to you which obviously you can not do with a Spot.
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Mark_BC
Nomad
Posts: 137
Registered: 12-1-2013
Location: Vancouver, BC
Member Is Offline
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Delorme looks interesting but I don't like the internal battery. If it goes dead and you can't charge it you're SOL. You can charge it with a solar
panel but that is extra bulk and may not work if weather not favourable. It only has 100 hours of battery life but that is with it on continuously.
You could turn it on only when you want to send / receive messages, I wonder how long it would last then. But then people would't be able to find out
where you are exactly at that moment, but I guess that's not a super important feture.
I really like the two-way communication this offers. My Spot bills don't seem to have gone up, it might be worth it to keep both when I go deep out
there, then you can rely on both since I was reading a review of multiple failed Delorme units.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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I just received a message over on facebook about this thread and thought I would respond:
Recently, I was contacted by Globalstar asking for us to serve as a SPOT Ambassador. With that they gave me the equipment, service included to test
and report my experiences using it while working down here in Baja. To be clear, I receive absolutely no compensation for any Globalstar equipment or
service sales.
Globalstar asks TalkBaja to become a SPOT Ambassador
Some folks are making some comments about the cost of service plans between SPOT and Delorme (Garmin). I am actually more familiar with the Delorme
units before now as this was my first experience with SPOT. I guess it really all comes down to what you want to use the unit for and how often.
1) The SPOT Gen3 unit is smaller in size compared to the Delorme.
2) The Delorme unit offers 2 way text messaging.
3) The purchase cost of the SPOT device is less than half that of the Delorme.
4) The service costs however, are something you need to take a close look at.
The SPOT service costs a flat $149.99 annually for all the basic messaging and tracking services provided by the Gen3 device. The SPOT package offers
motion activated tracking included in the basic package and advanced tracking options are available for an additional $49.99 per year, if needed.
The reported cost increase for the service plan will only affect the older technology units, not the SPOT Gen3 device.
I do remember when we used the Delorme device it was always dinging us with extra fees, taxes and charges and usually with no explanation. As I
recall, Delorme used something like 30 of the allowable text characters to add an ad to your message. And then there were the firmware updates.
(Grrrr)
In the end, the last year we used the Delorme device the annual charges added up to nearly $400, above and beyond the cost of the unit. Granted, at
that time I was spending a lot of time south of El Rosario and used the unit quite a bit. One of the reasons I abandoned Delorme was that I realized
that I was using it as more of a messaging device than a tracking device, not the reason for which I had originally purchased the unit and why it is
hard to make an apples-apples comparison between the two units.
We have a thread on this over on TalkBaja as well...
[Edited on 3-4-2016 by BajaGringo]
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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FWIW - Sounds like some of you would be better off with a satellite phone in lieu of a tracking device. Prices on Sat phones and service have been
coming down and Globalstar offers a SPOT Sat phone as well...
http://findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=123
[Edited on 3-4-2016 by BajaGringo]
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