Spot Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger

Hi anybody used one of these and any good.Thanks
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Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 16:40

Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 16:40
Depends on what you are actually asking.
I have a Spot II which works very well as a tracking device.The tracking and reporting was easy to set up, as is payment for the service. As far as I can see the Gen 3 has extra features over the II and unfortunately wasn't available when I got mine
AnswerID: 596205

Reply By: The Explorer - Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 16:54

Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 16:54
Hello

Used one for a couple of days late last year out in GVD - just to send "Ok" message a couple of times a day - worked fine. Mining/Exploration companies use them so they must be reliable.

Cheers
Greg

I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

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AnswerID: 596206

Reply By: Sigmund - Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 20:57

Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 20:57
Any good for what?

There is a variety of sat comms now so it pays to be clear about your needs. In particular, do you expect to need 2 way comms? If so you'd look at eg. Spot Connect, inReach or a satphone.

The Gen3 Spot is getting exxy cos of their plan changes and the value of our peso. So $200 for the unit and about $233 for the basic plan annually. That starts to make a 2-way communicator of some sort look better value.
AnswerID: 596208

Follow Up By: Stephen F2 - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 10:00

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 10:00
Thanks Freud just need safety as traveling with wife and young son ..responsibility doesn't come cheap...ha ha ha
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 10:26

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 10:26
Indeed.

If all you expect to need is to call in the cavalry then a PLB is the cheaper option and better at connecting in northern parts of the country.

Of course Spot and the like allow you to do more.
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Follow Up By: Stephen F2 - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 14:07

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 14:07
Hey Sigmund I assume Personal Location Beacon is PLB ? I will look them up thanks...
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Follow Up By: Member - Rich - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 05:39

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 05:39
Hi
I don't believe Spot connectprovides 2 way communications unless things have changed.
It allows you send a msg you type in on your iPhone etc at the time as opposed to pre-prepared messages.

Could be wrong there as I have not looked for awhile, but check that out if you are going that way and want that feature.

Rich
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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 21:33

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 21:33
G'day Stephen F2,

we've used the Spot Gen 2 for a few years.
They are a great little item. We've been as far north as you can go in Australia and it has always worked.
Heaps better than a PLB because we can send out an OK message every night when we set up camp and it gives a Google Earth link to our location to our nominated receivers.
It's got to the point now that our people worry when they don't get an OK and our location.
You can use them for constant tracking, which is what a motorbike riders like, but we just OK at the end of the day and have it just in case things turn bad.
It has the SOS button and Help. SOS is emergency and Help is not great but we're not dying, for example, I have a heart attack half way along the Tanami Road - SOS, or the motor falls out of the Cruiser and we have food, water, grog - Help.
It's simple and the cost hasn't been an issue for us - we paid about $150 about 4 years ago and it's about $115.00 a year to register with Spot. That changes with currency fluctuations but whatever it costs it's piece of mind if nothing else.
The Wife feels a lot more at ease travelling to remote spots knowing we have this. She doesn't like me asking where she reckons help is going to come from but I've learnt to shut up and drive....

I hope this helps,
Steve
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Reply By: Teraa - Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 21:33

Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 at 21:33
i use one everyday they work well better than gen ii battery wise this one can also use rechargeable batteries. Someone can track you at all times its on and you have two levels of emergency response. My gran kids have the link and follow me about all the time. There location abilities are spot on.
AnswerID: 596210

Reply By: Geoff N (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 17:28

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 17:28
The Gen3 can be powered from a USB port so I've set up a permanently powered USB connection otherwise when you turn the vehicle off, the unit stops and needs to be restarted when you're going again - PITA. You can install batteries to take over from the USB when you stop but the unit cannot recharge rechargeable batteries itself - you need an external charger. The recommended AAA batteries are expensive.
I take the unit when I bushwalk alone and have noticed that its location fixes can be off by as much as 200 metres. Not a problem in a vehicle but I've seen this sort of thing before when low-spec GPS chipsets have been used.
AnswerID: 596242

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