re: SPOT messengers

my mate sells (and imports)these, and swears by them. i haven't had a play yet, but he posted them to friends around Australia and he said that every time the postal truck opened its rear door, he could tell you where it was!
yes you can eave messages, it can send a message pr programed message) whenever you push the button i believe, also pre set times.
people can actually open up google earth and it shows where you are!

but as i said, i havent had a go yet. will probably get my hands on a demo one soon.

and yes i can get them a little cheaper, i think the recommended retail is around $299 (will have to check) the shops will probably sell them for around $270, i can "PROBABLY" get them for "AROUND" $240. but would have to check!

my mate sells (and imports)these, and swears by them. i haven't had a play yet, but he posted them to friends around Australia and he said that every time the postal truck opened its rear door, he could tell you where it was!
yes you can eave messages, it can send a message pr programed message) whenever you push the button i believe, also pre set times.
people can actually open up google earth and it shows where you are!

but as i said, i havent had a go yet. will probably get my hands on a demo one soon.

and yes i can get them a little cheaper

Just in case people do not understand what you are talking about like me initially


Spot


Cheers

KiwiAngler bought one to take up the Canning.

KA where are you???

I have had a unit for a few months now - in fact I leave for CSR on July 12th and will be posting the URL for my SPOT webspage so everyone/anyone can log in to see where I am

To anwer your questions:

1) Do these work 100% in Australia - I cannot speak for the 911 part as that would entail involving the Emergency service - but all other aspects, as advertised do EXCEPT for the ability to send SMS txt messages FOR FREE. Australian telcos do not allow free use of their SMS txt messaging service to 3rd parties. I am told that you can sign up to a teco and pay for the access but I chose not to.

2) Can you leave messages to people so they know where you are - sort of - when you set up your profile you can create a list of contacts that you want to recove your 'I am ok' type message.
When you activate this function an e-mail message is sent to those people on your list. The message is not one that you can change each time you press the send button (unless you acess your profile and changed it each time - which you wouldn't) It basically sends what ever message you set up in your profile. My "I am ok' message basically just says "I am all ok" at the same time it sends this e-mail it attches a shortcut to Google maps togther with your current lat/lomg. So when one of the people on your pre set list receives the message it appears in their e-mail and says "I am all OK" and a link to google. They click on the link and it takes them to a google map and shows a marker where you were when the message was sent.

The "Help" message operates in exactley the same way. But in my case I have created a different list of people to receive the message (the I am ok message basically goes to friends and family) the 'Help' message goes to my mechanic, an auto elctricain friend and a couple of people who I now react camlmly and logically and who I trust to help get me back on the road. You may chose to have both messages going to the same groups. Over to the individual

The tracking works well. Again you set upa profile (I have set one up for my CSR trip) and when I go I will post the URL here. It is open to anyone to access and track where you are. It works ona 24 hour 'rolling' breadcrumb - this means that the website only shows the track for the previous 24 hours. If the unit doesnt send a message within a 24 hourt period the website is blank, if you are on a long trip (like my CSR - 1 month) then it will show the breadcrumbs received over a rolling 24 hour period - dropping off old points as new ones come on.

3) Also can you update them? - I have no idea what you mean by this

Can I suggest that you go to the website SPOT Messenger Home Page and take the time to read each section - and the information videos (including clicking on all the linked pages) what you see on this webapge is what you get.

This webpage gives an unbiased review of the unit (note it was written a while ago when the units had first come onto the market) Independent review of SPOT Messenger

Hope this helps

We have had a couple of extensive threads regarding these devices over the past two months or so, a search should find them.

Mike Harding

Have a read of this Link
I.H.N.A.W.T.P.