The Great Big SPOT Thread

I went ahead and bought a pack of Lithium AAA's since everybody said they last for a long time.

I don't own a GPS yet and am looking forward to using the Spot for flagging the deadend trails I explore to see if I can figure out how to connect some of them together. It will be nice to get an idea of where I've been "on the map".

Glenn, you will likely be disappointed using the Spot in that manner, especially if in the woods. It can take 10+ minutes for an okay signal to get out, and that's after it makes a lock. a GPS sounds like it should be in your future soon, even if it's just a cheap one that doesn't have bells and whistles. Even a cheap hand held that connects to a PC (some old Magellans don't) will record tracks and waypoints and let you see where you've been later.

Well.....darn. :huh

I thought that the "ok" button would tag whenever I press it. I didn't realize I'd have to wait around 10 minutes for it to register. I don't usually stop for that long, unless I'm not "ok". I bought the Spot because I often ride alone.

Guess I'll study up on which GPS will do what I need.

I'm with the others that you'll generally have better luck with a GPS. Even one of the older ones that most people consider obsolete like the GPS III/III+ GPS V, some older extrex hiking ones, etc. They all record track logs you can go back and look at later on a PC.

However, that doesn't mean all is lost with the SPOT. It does take 10-20 mins for it to send a full 3 tries of the OK, but my experience is it does tend to send the OK pretty close to the location you first pressed the button.

although I haven't tried it like you want to, my experience is that where I physically press the OK button, regardless of how long it takes for the ok message to come through, the location that comes through is pretty close to where I pressed the button?

It just might take some playing around to see what you find?

BTW, if you add your own cell number to your OK list and have cell service, you can easily see when the OK comes through which sometimes can be very quickly after you push it.

If the SPOT II has enough GPS satellites in view to know where it is (the status LEDs will tell you that.), it stores its current location when you hit "OK".

It may take up to 10 minutes for the SPOT II to send that location to GlobalStar (SPOT) satellite because they aren't any in view when you hit "OK". The SPOT II stores its last three locations when tracking until it can establish communction with a GS satellite. It will then send the last three locations.

I got the Spot subscribed & activated. It "knows" where my front yard is, but that's all so far. I will ride this weekend and press the bootprint button every so often and come home and see how it does.

I didn't pay for the tracking.

If I buy a tracking GPS will it track my route as I explore, and then I download the route to the computer after I get home to see it on the map? Do they work like that?

I know I will need a GPS, but there's a lot to read before I'm sure of which model to buy. I don't want the 60csx or 76csx because the screens are too small, and the Montana is too expensive to justify for my budget & needs. Maybe the Oregon series will work for me. I'll have to go find the right threads about those next....

Press the OK button to mark your spot/location (one time) if you do not have the tracking feature enabled. THe boot turns on/off the tracking feature.

The SPOT tracking feature works for download but points are only every ten minutes so you miss a lot of detail of your exact trip track. GPS track points much better and more useful.

Check out Spotwalla, it's a great tool to use with your Spot.

Yep, pretty much. Will also let you load routes that you preplan, other peoples tracks, etc, and see them when you ride. Points of Interest, fuel, services, campgrounds, etc, etc, etc.

There are plenty of threads for all of the different GPS models on here. I had a Delorme that I loved, but it's lack of ability to load foreign maps had me trade it for a 60csx shortly after I got it. I've been really happy with the 60csx even with a small screen.

What he said, I will toss my 2 cents in. I still love the older Garmin 276C/376C378/478 units, BIG BRIGHT screen, easy to use with gloves on, waterproof, tough as nails, 8+ hr battery life. They are not cheap, but if you are patient you can find bargains. I have been purchasing these for a business, and have paid as little as $60, bought one a couple weeks ago for $155, and a 478 yesterday for $200. Watch ebay, and use "search tempest" to check craigslist listings across the US.

Many have dead batteries, but they can be easily resurrected and will function fine, some have dead internal batteries that can be changed if you have a soldering iron and are handy. Lots of info on the internet.

I got out and marked each side of the ridgeline trail that I'm trying to connect. I can see the markers on the google map, and the terrain view seems to be the most useful view, but I don't know how to measure the distance between the two points. I don't see a scale on the map.

Also, can I print the map, or is that a google map no-no ?

I feel like the Spot might just be all I need for the limited distances that I am working with. I'm guessing the one I did today is probably between 1-2 miles.

I mainly got it to let my family know that I'm ok, or not. It seems great for that.

The little markers on the map that I get to study after riding are a great bonus.

Glenn, if you are logged into Google, there is a Maps Lab addon that will let you measure distance on a map in a straight line.

https://maps.google.com/maps?showlabs=1&ftr=misc.distance

It may work when not logged in, but would likely need to be added again each time you use maps.

I have no problems printing, there is a printer icon in the left pane, right next to the get directions and my places button. Again, this is while logged into google, that may make a difference.

I am logged onto Google, and the "measure distances" feature is on, but thatand the print tab don't appear on the Spot version with my tagged points. I must be doing something wrong.

No, I think you are right, I should have tested it in the spot interface. Neither of those features appear within the interface for me either, only over at maps.google.com natively. Sorry, I'm not sure. Jason @ SpotWalla may be able to add these features, he's incredibly responsive within his mailing list.

Looks like I will be joining the Spot community this week. Traveled with my son to Cheaha State Park for the weekend. Cell coverage was spotty at best in quite a few areas around the mountain. This looks like the ticket. Been looking into it for awhile. Guess its time to pull the trigger.
Looked into the Spot Connect but the reviews are horrible. The app seems to be really buggy. Guess its the Spot 2 for me.

Spot 2 is a good choice. I wouldn't bother with tracking if I was you. It's not worth it, imho. Much better to just hit OK often.

I opened Google Maps and the Spot Map and marked the approximate locations on the Google Map (I couldn't see how to type in the cordinates) and used the measure tool. It told me that the distance is 2757 ft, as a crow flies.

Btw, I zoomed in for maximum accuracy. And used the Terrain map.

That's probably the easiest way to do it without getting a tool update. You can enter the coordinates in the search line, but I'm not sure that you can display more than 1 at a time on the map this way.

Its certainly everyone's own choice, but I definitely wouldn't say the tracking isn't worth it. I look at the tracking as another essential part of my "safety" when using the SPOT and a feature that's well worth having.

For one its pretty much set it and forget it. I turn it on and don't have to worry about it until I turn it off and it just keeps tracking where I'm at. In the best conditions, I'm getting track logs every 10mins. The main reason I think tracking is invaluable is if I ever left the road in a crash and was knocked unconscious, my spot will continue to assist me without me doing anything. Because of the track log, my family and friends have a good idea of where I'm at and while I'm laying there unconscious and unable to push help/911, there's even a better chance that eventually my tracks will get out and my exact location will be noted with several track points noting my location. Yes, someone will have to know I'm missing, but once they do, I'd much rather have a tracking spot close to me instead of just a few OK messages and they only have my last OK to judge where I might be. Plus with tracking if I start getting several track locations in the same spot, that can be another signal that something is wrong.

The other thing about the way I have OK's setup is my wife and family get e-mails and text messages when I send OK's and I don't want to be sending those that many times a day. I use the OK's when I'm stopped for period of time's and they know that. When I'm tracking, it means I'm moving so if I stop for an hour or more and still tracking, they might take notice.

Yeah, I use my SPOT exactly as BlueLghtning does, especially when out of the country where I don't have a phone or internet access, and I use the OK message to let family know I'm stopped for the night and all is well. I personally would find the SPOT nearly useless without the tracking function.

+1 Exactly!

I use the OK message to signal stopping for the night, the tracks allowed my "family" to follow my progress more real time.....saved me from having to reply to multiple text messages/phone calls/voice mails when I am within cell coverage.