[pct-l] Navigation InReach

[RMarquis]

I also had several preset messages set up but I was mainly texting to my 
husband, my support team, and he needed to know what time and mile I was at 
when I sent a message.  Since texts only show, as far as we know, the time 
the text comes into the recipient’s phone we made it a practice to always 
include time sent and from what mile.  While packing I sent him a message 
each night & next morning...'camping at mile such-n-such' or 'on the trail' 
when I rode out in the morning.
My InReach also connects via Bluetooth to a smart phone.  I use a Samsung 3, 
with US Cellular that works quite good in the woods by the way, and had no 
trouble getting the two to connect.  But having the better keyboard must 
have enticed me to send a message that was too long because the InReach was 
quickly sucking the life out of the phone.  So I disconnected the Bluetooth 
and managed just fine with the antiquated keyboard on the InReach.  We 
learned about abbreviations pretty quickly.
A full charge on the InReach lasted several days with it being turned on all 
day.  If one kept it off during the day it would last a lot longer.  I think 
keeping your electronic devices wrapped and warm at night will improve 
battery life, but I could be wrong.
The few times I packed for more than 3 or 4 days in a row I carried a solar 
panel and/or auxiliary battery and put it ‘on charge’ while breaking camp 
and packing up the horses.

Rhonda


Message: 5
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 20:46:11 -0700
From: "Gregory Farris" <gfarris44 at gmail.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Subject: [pct-l] Navagation  InReach
Message-ID: <000c01d196c9$5ac41d90$104c58b0$@com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I have a Inreach and it works real nice for sending and receiving short
emails. It has a qwerty key board so typing a outgoing message is a pain. To
make it quick and easy, three preset messages can be set up, so I usually
send one in the evening that says "all ok" and it will go to whoever I set
up to receive the message.  I set  up my  outgoing messages to have a  map
link from DeLorme imbedded in the email, click on that and a "pin" will show
where I sent the message from on a map, that way they know exactly where I
am.   It will Bluetooth to smart devices, shows elevation, longitude and
latitude.

Greg