Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Emergency Communication
|
Author | Message Text | ||
billconner |
Description Service Period Charges SPOT Annual Network Maintenance 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 14.99 SPOT: 911 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 0.00 SPOT: Check 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 149.99 SPOT: Custom 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 0.00 SPOT: Help 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 0.00 SPOT: Search 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 17.95 SPOT: Tracker 10/01/2017 -- 10/31/2017 0.00 Total Service Charges and Credits 182.93 Plus "Taxes and Surcharges 18.28" Now, I never signed up for the search. I've loaned this a number of times to folks here and I think it got turned on, as did the tracking before that was not an option. I will cancel that starting this October. I don't believe within US there is any need whatsoever for that. Bigger decision is will I keep this at all at around $180/year. AT $100 year, not so bad - but this is getting out of hand. I probably will look into sat phones someday, so its easier to be out longer, use the I 68 program, and maybe do a little data. |
||
ockycamper |
Never saw the point in tracking if you have botton one which shows your location. |
||
poobah |
|
||
Marten |
|
||
Atb |
|
||
nofish |
Lailoken: " I'm not trained wilderness rescue nor do I have any first hand experience in it but I can't imagine an emergency scenario that would warrant using a device like this that can't be improved by having the ability to communicate with rescuers. I'm thinking back to the recent threads regarding rescues that have happened lately and both threads mention rescuers pumping people for as much information as possible. Any info they can get ahead of time can help make rescue quicker and can also help make sure that the rescuers are informed about the nature of the emergency and are able to be prepared for it when they get there. I understand not wanting the ability to communicate in the wilderness but for me that only applies to cell phone and SAT phones being used for non-emergency situations. I don't see any reason to factor in the desire to remain communication free when deciding on what unit to get. The only time you'd use that communication would be in an emergency situation and at that point wilderness ideals go out the window in favor of getting help as fast as possible. If the need to use it arises I'm guessing you'd like to have the ability to get more information to the people that need it. Even if its to tell your family back home that you are ok but are using it for someone else, it could save a lot of stress on their end. |
||
Lailoken |
|
||
nofish |
Lailoken: "Thanks, will leave it off, not download maps, etc, but if need it, can two way communicate then." Exactly, no reason to use it outside of that rare emergency situation. |
||
Minnesotian |
I bought an InReach two years ago. I can sign up for monthly plans, and it does texting. And it can give weather reports for your GPS area. I believe there are places to rent them as well. Garmin InReach |
||
mgraber |
|
||
Marten |
Minnesotian: " +1 for the newer two-way texting. In reality you will probably be more likely to be calling in rescue for others. With the two-way texting everyone will know exactly what happened. In reach and Spot 3 do this. In reach uses Iridium and Spot is Globalstar system. Iridium makes a profit but Globalstar loses big money every year and may be why the Satellite phone packages from them were raised so high |
||
ockycamper |
Many of the "fails" with Spots is the users don't read the manual and understand how they work. They need a clear view of the sky. Also, the message is not "instant". My practice was to set up an "I'm okay, just checking in" message for button one. Second button was "I need to be picked up, non-medical emergency". I would input the outfitter for this message. The last button is the SOS I would put the Spot on a rock in clear view of the sky, push the first button and leave it. Maybe 30 minutes later I would turn it off. Never failed to send the message. when I take groups up to BWCA, I would program in the wive's cell phone numbers and emal addresses for each guy in the group and it would send a message to all. Never replaced a battery. Never failed to send. And my plan is $100 per year. |
||
butthead |
ockycamper: "Never replaced a battery. Never failed to send. And my plan is $100 per year." Since 2008 or earlier, original batteries? Go buy some, AAs are not that expensive. butthead |
||
Blatz |
Minnesotian: " I use one as well. The texting feature is a big comfort for my wife on my solo trips. |
||
billconner |
|
||
Marten |
|
||
ockycamper |
For bike rides. Same thing. First button "I'm fine". SEcond buton "I broke down and need to be picked up at this location". When used year round, Spot is a backup to cell phone. |
||
ockycamper |
For bike rides. Same thing. First button "I'm fine". SEcond buton "I broke down and need to be picked up at this location". When used year round, Spot is a backup to cell phone. |
||
WhiteWolf |
BTW - I love the unit so far and the ease of changing things (personal info) on the web site. Garmin has done wonders with the Inreach per the info I have gotten from BeaV when it was Delorme. The GPS (maps) is not great,-- the actual GPS and navigation is good and will work in a pinch, but not like a dedicated GPS- but a combo. I personally now have a safety device that can be used for navigation in a pinch-- I don't see that anywhere else in the market at this writing. |
||
DeanL |
We decided to start carrying one when the young kids started coming along. Plus, the tracking is nice so our daughter can see where we are when she stays back with grandma. |
||
theokbushman |
|
||
7monthman |
|
||
jdddl8 |
The reason I purchased Spot was for two reasons: the phone was on a promotion and only cost $250 and you could buy prepaid minutes for a reasonable price. The next year, they dropped the prepaid card and made you buy either a $50 a month for a year commitment or $600 for the year. That was still nearly reasonable when I did 37 days of tripping and some hiking in the mountains. This year they eliminated that plan and now the cheapest plan is over $1,000 per year so I will go back to renting. When I am solo for over three weeks and over 70, I want to have help just in case. When the anologue phone system was up and running, it worked very well. Then they went to digital and it didn’t work so that’s when I went to satellite. |
||
stevedug |
|
||
HangLoose |
In addition to the S.O.S. button, you can pre-program other messages before the trip. When I'm solo, I send a "Hi honey, I'm enjoying my trip" message to my wife everyday. It gives her some peace of mind. In 2015, a deadly and unexpected thunderstorm came through at 2am while I was solo. I was okay but I was pretty sure my wife was worried about me. I sent her the "I'm okay" message because I know she was worried. Even on tandem trips, if something happened to me while deep in the wilderness, it would be very difficult for my traveling partner to exit the wilderness solo to get help. The SPOT allows for friends and family to track your movements on a map if you want to turn on that feature. Kinda fun for those at home. I rent my SPOT. I rent from an online company and they ship the SPOT to my home. There are dozens of places to rent them. Just do a Google search. If you use it more than two weeks per year then it might make more sense to purchase a SPOT and pay for the subscription. In Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, I rent a satellite phone as communication with the floatplane pilot is sometimes required for pick-up coordination if you're deep in the wilderness. |
||
billconner |
|
||
Lailoken |
mgraber: "ACR ResQLink. The most reliable by a mile, absolutely no comparison if all you want is a reliable rescue. They have no monthly or yearly fees but do not text or communicate. All the others have a lot of documented failures. They are around 250.00 and will need battery replacement every 5 years by the factory." I did some internet "research" and did see that ACR ResQ has the best coverage, even more than Garmin, and I personally like the fact that not two way text, or even one way, as I don't really like the idea of having the ability to communicate when in the wild, BUT my question is, in an emergency situation, do wilderness rescue like the ability to communicate back? Is the two way text ability of Garmin superior for that reason? |
||
GraniteCliffs |
I do rent a spot once a year for my solo just so they know to look for me if I fail to return. Only used by others to track me |
||
butthead |
Strictly capable only of summoning rescue, uses the same satelite emergency system used by Governments around the world. ACR ResQLink 10X signal power (4+watt transmitting vs .4 for sat phones, Spot, Inreach), world coverage, min battery lifetime to 50% 5 years. If you need messaging it will not do that. I keep my registration up to date with description of current trip info, where/when/parking/trip description. butthead |
||
andym |
I don’t want to be texting other than emergencies and so just won’t tell people how to reach me. I might use it on some trips to deal with pickups. I might still carry the ACR just because it is so small. Can’t hurt to have a backup. There are good reasons why they are excellent at their one function. |
||
BuckFlicks |
Lailoken: "mgraber: "ACR ResQLink. The most reliable by a mile, absolutely no comparison if all you want is a reliable rescue. They have no monthly or yearly fees but do not text or communicate. All the others have a lot of documented failures. They are around 250.00 and will need battery replacement every 5 years by the factory." Lailoken, I can tell you as an emergency services dispatcher, it's extremely helpful to have communication with people who are lost/injured in out of the way spots. We are in a city that's pretty much 95% urban sprawl, but we have one very large park in the north part of our city that is a spiderweb of hiking and biking trails and people get lost or injured in there all the time. If we have contact with the victims, it makes the rescue 100% easier. I would assume that's dramatically even more vital/useful with wilderness rescues. |
||
Lailoken |
|
||
WhiteWolf |
The portal (web site) that you sync with your inreach all your info is very user friendly. Add a 1:24000 topo maps on the Explorer+ , with ability to add more-.Here’s the lowdown on the maps that come with the InReach Explorer+. Note that the maps are not available on the InReach SE. The Explorer+ sold in North America comes preloaded with USA, Canada, and Mexico topo maps.The USA and Canada maps are 1:24k scale. The Mexico map is 1:125k scale. The GPS function is NOT as great as a dedicated GPS but I was able to tell 10' of horizontal difference between me and the Inreach and my son with the Earthmate app on his phone. (Yes you can track both as long as your in Bluetooth range , I think? ) The Earthmate app lets you control many aspects of the Inreach via a phone,tablet etc-- via Bluetooth - which is helpful reading maps (larger screen) and sending custom texts etc. The GPS with maps (previously no GPS for me- so that might be a game changer for some) is what set me over the edge and I purchased the Explorer+ today. The price is way cheap for the features you get + the option of cancelling/ re-starting service on your terms is very nice. The ACR ResQ just didn't fit my needs. I know some that carry both as "two is one and one is none". Choose what fits your needs the best. One thing, however, is certain. Since I splurged - Garmin will be releasing the upgrade to the Explorer+ very soon.... |
||
andym |
|