SPOT Satellite Messenger

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The globalstar network they run on is troublesome in northern BC, might be in the south too. They do not have a concentration of sats above us.

But for the price, it isn't bad.
 
I'm interested too!! It looks like there is some coverage in Central America.

John, any outlets for this in Vancouver? Maybe Ralph's down on Main and 4th?
 
cruiser_guy said:
I'm interested too!! It looks like there is some coverage in Central America.

John, any outlets for this in Vancouver? Maybe Ralph's down on Main and 4th?
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Charles I got it off the Expo forum that you are a member of when I did a GPS key word search there. They sell them online from their web site. Not sure about local retailers.
 
I also saw a report on it in the Overland Journal, apparently it works with google earth's side program called google map, and allows you to send "beacons" whenever you want that your friends/family can check on a website to see where you are. It also has the 2 help buttons, one of which goes directly to the GEOS 911 center. Like Charles said, for the money it is a nice piece of mind toy, as long as they have a decent coverage in our neighbourhood, although they say that after Nov 1st it will pretty much work almost anywhere around the globe. I love the fact that once you buy the unit there are no other fees or anything. It is something worth considering especially to those that travel solo.
 
Fantom said:
I love the fact that once you buy the unit there are no other fees or anything. It is something worth considering especially to those that travel solo.
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WRONG!! Current annual fee is $100 USD according to the website. If there was no further fees I'd order one yesterday!!
 
canucksafari said:
Still, a $100 fee to keep your wife happy, isn't much.
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$100 is cheap insurance!! If my wife had one I could find her when she gets lost here. Her sense of direction is TERRIBLE.
 
This is what BC_fjc is using, you can track him all over the city and I would imagine province maybe the world. Here's a quote from Drew:

have also been playing around with a few other toys APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System)and Winlink (Enhanced Digital Messaging for Amateur Radio). APRS was easy to get setup, you can track me Here and I am still fighting with Winlink to get it to work over the radio, but I think I will start another thread for that.

Looks pretty cool.
GG
 
Granite Grinder said:
This is what BC_fjc is using, you can track him all over the city and I would imagine province maybe the world. Here's a quote from Drew:

have also been playing around with a few other toys APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System)and Winlink (Enhanced Digital Messaging for Amateur Radio). APRS was easy to get setup, you can track me Here and I am still fighting with Winlink to get it to work over the radio, but I think I will start another thread for that.

Looks pretty cool.
GG
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The system I am using is via Ham radio not sat but can do the same things, plus keep track of others without the internet. Here is a link to locate my truck. Just enter your call sign if you have one our your name. Garry B is using APRS as well. The only down fall of the system is that it uses VHF and there will be spots that it do's not always work. There are some HF options but...

So, I too have been looking at the SPOT. :idea:Might make a good raffle prize for cruiser days or next years xmas party...
 
BC_FJC said:
The system I am using is via Ham radio not sat but can do the same things, plus keep track of others without the internet. Here is a link to locate my truck. Just enter your call sign if you have one our your name. Garry B is using APRS as well. The only down fall of the system is that it uses VHF and there will be spots that it do's not always work. There are some HF options but...

So, I too have been looking at the SPOT. :idea:Might make a good raffle prize for cruiser days or next years xmas party...
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Drew, help me out with the VHF and HF options. I'm interested but I don't really have many folks down here who's brain I can pick on these things. I've got the radio installed and fuctional for both VHF/UHF and HF.

I followed your tracking link and it looks real good!

Does the radio need to be on all the time for this to work? I assume so.
 
cruiser_guy said:
Drew, help me out with the VHF and HF options. I'm interested but I don't really have many folks down here who's brain I can pick on these things. I've got the radio installed and fuctional for both VHF/UHF and HF.

I followed your tracking link and it looks real good!

Does the radio need to be on all the time for this to work? I assume so.
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It do's require your radio to be on all the time to do real time traking... I have a tracker that has a radio built in as to not use my main radio. But if you are looking for somthing to send your position when you wont or send a message you can do this throw a TNC(modem) and only use your radio on the data frq when you are sending info and you can return to voice after...

There are way too many options and I am still playing around looking for the best solution.
 
BC_FJC said:
I have a tracker that has a radio built in as to not use my main radio.
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Any info on this? Brand, model, cost? This is probably what I'd be most interested in.
 
cruiser_guy said:
Any info on this? Brand, model, cost? This is probably what I'd be most interested in.
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I have both the TinyTrak 3plus and Micro-Trak 8000. The TinyTrak was $99 with GPS antenna but needs a radio and the Micro-Trak was $150 without the GPS antenna. You can hook both up to most GPS units.

I also have another TNC so I can hook my laptop up and use it as a tracker, but when you have your laptop you can also use it as a recever and track all the stations around you.

Last but not least I just picked up a new Kenwood TM-D710a radio that has APRS and a TNC built in and will be replacing the 8800 in the truck with it. This will give me most of the features of having a PC connected all the time and not use any more space that my other radio did...
 
Drew, am I right in thinking that this would require an APRS station somewhat close by? If there are none, as in Guatemala, could one find you using a handheld tuned to the right frequency and a GPS?
 
Fantom said:
Drew, I get the sense that you might have a phobia of being lost or not being able to talk to someone when you're out on the trail.
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:lol::lol::lol: I guess Drew's back up comm is a solar powered/hand crank sat phone. I wonder if he has a sextan hidden in his box of onboard goodies?
 
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