[pct-l] About my first generation SPOT

[Diarmaid Harmon]

I am not going to wade into the argument of whether to carry a spot or not that is a personal decision. Hell carry a 72" plasma tv if you feel like it. With that being said I do carry a spot, my choice, I have the second generation spot. What I have found is that the satellite system that spot has their contract with is not a reliable system and does not always send the message through, even when you have done everything right. You get no indication that your message has not gone through. After some research I discovered that by sending the message out twice, back to back usually at least one message got through. I found out that the new spot that works with smart phones actually transmits the message 3 times to the spot system and spot then forwards on 1 copy. I so far have never had to push the 911 button but on 3 occasions had to push the custom message button and get picked up at a different location
that has saved me from hiking extra miles on an injury. With all the means to connect and stay in touch the best and proven method for starting a SAR is to fail to check in at a predetermined time. Leaving a detailed itinerary with someone is the safest way to ensure you are found. I always tell my wife you will see or hear from me by such and such a time. She then starts the clock if I fail to connect and after 6 hours she is instructed to raise the alarm. So far she hasn't had to do that. I plan plenty of fudge factor into my schedule. Get out and enjoy your hike take along whatever increases your enjoyment or sense of safety if that means an ipod and a howitzer then rock on.

Diarmaid "Irish" Harmon
irishharmon at comcast.net

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, Guinness in one hand, steak in the other, yell 'Holy Sh**, What a Ride!"


On Oct 18, 2012, at 10:48 AM, Dan Jacobs wrote:

> On Thu, Oct 18, 2012 at 10:09 AM, Ned Tibbits <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:
>> Hey, Ed!
>> 
>> Good to hear from you and your success with a first-gen SPOT.
>> 
>> The system certainly sounds good and fool-proof, yet we still hear of real failure-to-transmit stories from the trail. Perhaps these were due to improper placement of the device beneath “open sky.”
>> 
>> 
>> Ned Tibbits, Director
>> Mountain Education
>> www.mountaineducation.org
> 
> Another group I participate with, long distance endurance motorcycle
> riders, have had a few problems with the SPOT units getting messages
> through, both routine or emergency messages. I know a few people that
> have never had any trouble with the SPOT service, and I know a few
> people that have said it failed when they wanted to use it or needed
> it most. Of course not everyone uses a SPOT device in perfect
> adherence to the instructions, and in an emergency may be less likely
> to do so. The recent rash of problems I have been hearing about are
> the unit simply failing to operate, even with fresh batteries and open
> sky, just blinking lights or no lights at all, but no messages going
> out. One person traced his problems down to using alkaline instead of
> lithium batteries against the instructions in the owners manual. The
> others either were replaced by SPOT or negotiations are in progress,
> last I heard.
> 
> Depend on one of these things at your own peril. They are
> conveniences, not life saving devices. Cell phones, PLBs, and SPOTS
> are technical conveniences designed to try to do the things they were
> designed to do. AEDs, life saving skills, helicopters, etc. can be
> life saving devices, and they can fail at any time, too. Get some
> skills to survive, stay away from danger or minimize it, kiss your
> loved ones, and go do what you gotta do.
> 
> Don't get me wrong. I would like to use a SPOT device when I do any
> serious hiking. I think the ability to try to send OK/Look Where I Am!
> and HELP messages from somewhere that doesn't have any other
> communication options is a wonderful thing. I just won't bet my life
> on one. My advice, worth less than anyone will ever pay for it, is
> that you shouldn't, either. These things fail. Be prepared.
> 
> I'm a licensed amateur radio operator and volunteer in my local
> Amateur Radio Emergency Service organization. I know how important
> good communications can be, and how easily good comms can turn into
> poor comms, and then be brought down to no comms, and the feeling it
> produces. It sucks.
> 
> Dan Jacobs
> Washougal
> -- 
> "Loud motorcycle stereos save lives"
> Motorcycle to hike, hike to motorcycle
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