Hi All,
I have been investigating the SPOT units, and am developing some reservations that make me question whether SPOT is the ideal product for my needs.
It sounds wonderful on the face of it, but I have some concerns about their billing and business practices. It isn't as cheap as it appears. There is the fairly modest cost of the unit itself, then there are the subscription fees for the service. Earlier in their development, the subscription for service was available on a monthly and term basis. I see it is now only available on an annual basis (USD$100), with an extra annual fee (~USD$45) for near-realtime position tracking and reporting. Delving deep into the fine print of their contract, it appears the contract will automatically renew unless a subscriber declares their intent to cancel at least 45 days before the end of the contract. I don't know if a refund is available for remaining unused days. Reviews indicate a term (temporary) credit card is not advisable, as declined charges may be referred for collection. Some interesting user reviews of the devices and service are here:
http://www.rei.com/product/784892/spot-ii-satellite-gps-messenger ...and...
http://www.rei.com/product/816133/spot-connect-satellite-communicator It is important to note the basic SPOT is in its second generation, and has been joined by a second model that can be tethered to a cell-phone to send customized messages to a pre-loaded contact list. The first-gen basic model acquired a reputation for unreliability, but the later models look much improved in that regard.
On the other hand, a local rider used one last year as part of a group expedition, riding single-speeds around Lake Baikal and seemed very happy with it. I followed their daily progress, thanks to maps based on SPOT reports. See
http://www.cyclebaikal.com/ The reports on the SPOT seem to range from just awful to very good, with little middle ground. If it results in a rescue, it's great!
I am now looking into a dedicated personal locator beacon (PLB). While the initial cost of the unit is about 3x that of the Spot, there are no fees or subscriptions required, and the same search-and-rescue authorities are called. The downside of a PBL is it's a Nuclear Option -- to be used only as a last resort when
all options for extraction or rescue are exhausted. Using a PBL requires about three deliberate actions, from opening the case to unfurling the antenna -- all by design to prevent accidental operation. Search-and-rescue operations here in the States are increasingly expensive -- a recent report put them at around $22,000 to $24,000, and average air-ambulance (helicopter) costs are the same. I can imagine a needless or accidental search bankrupting me, and the same could happen if needed -- but I'd be alive, so it evens out.
I do subscribe to an annual subscription emergency-services pool (Firemed) good where coverage is available in my state...but vast areas are so unpopulated, that nothing is available. Same for surrounding areas. For example, Nevada's northern Washoe county is posted as having no available emergency services. I really don't know what would happen in that case.
The real appeal of the SPOT for me is the ability to send "I'm okay" or "Doing fine, but slower than expected" messages to my contacts back home so a) they don't worry and b) they don't worry enough to assume I am in trouble and activate a full-scale SAR operation. The trouble is, reports indicate SPOT messages are sent in triplicate with the best of the three going through within a 15-minute window. User reports indicate the unit must remain stationary during that time, and as with a GPS, coverage is affected by tree cover, foliage, and the need for a clear view of the sky. The SPOT does not seem to provide user confirmation of sent/received messages, and many users indicate the pictograms and blinking codes are confusing unless the unit is used frequently.
As it is, I spend a good 3-4 months preparing for my Big Trips, and leave a paper and electronic packet of detailed maps, expected daily mileage, and GPS waypoints with family members back home, along with the emails, websites, and phone numbers of all emergency authorities for the areas I'll be transiting. When I can get cell-phone coverage, I check in once a day with my GPS coordinates and any changes to my route or plans when in truly remote areas, and the folks there plot my position on Google Earth, Delorme Maps, Garmin's MapSource and BaseCamp and Microsoft Streets & Trips. We generally agree on a three-day window of non-communication, after which authorities are contacted, my trip info is emailed or dropped off, and the whole emergency plan goes into operation. The trouble is, I could be perfectly alright and simply have dropped and broken the phone. We haven't figured out what to do in that case, and while I surely don't want to endanger a SAR party, I also don't want to perish alone in the middle of 6,700 square miles of largely unpopulated desert. It is different in populated areas, and I can afford to make some spontaneous route changes there, but alone in the middle of nowhere, I stay with the plan unless I can specifically note otherwise. Rangers have advised it is common to not see a car or another person for 2 or more weeks in some places I go, and if I crank-over an ankle, things could go bad quickly. Going with a partner would help, but that is rarely possible.
Looking forward to hearing others' solutions for keeping in touch where there is no mobile phone coverage.
Best,
Dan.
