The InReach Mini allows various settings on Send interval, which has to do with how often it sends its position to the satellite network, and Log interval, which has to do with how often the device notes its location and keeps it in its memory.

Are all of the Log data sent to the satellite eventually? That is, if I’m logging every 2 minutes and sending every 10, does that mean that 5 packets of data are sent every 10 minutes? I’m trying to extend battery life, and wonder if there’s a reason to log more often than it gets sent. It doesn’t seem like GEOS is any better off with 8-minute-old data preceded by data every 2 minutes than they would be if the old data accumulated every 10.

I’m not willing to pay for the 2-minute send interval. Even if I were, that would be awfully spendy on the battery budget.

It is as you described. How long is your battery lasting? Mine is well over a week - I run it everyday all day (12 hours
) flying for work.

It wore out in a day recently.

StuBob wrote:It wore out in a day recently.

Wow that's too bad. Would be unacceptable to me too. Keep us updated on how you end up extending battery. I know this isn't a real fix, but an external battery pack may be a nice thing to keep handy if you don't already.

Holy cats! I charge my Mini every third or fourth flight.

I’d be talking to Garmin.

MTV

When I think about it, I think the time it ran out in a day, it spent all day on the car dash in a parking garage. It may be that it used up the whole battery looking for satellites it would never find. Does that happen? I know phone batteries run down quickly when they look for towers.

Wire up an accessory socket in your cockpit (I've got four in my 185 which means 8 usb connections using adapters plugged into the sockets). I then set my inReach to auto-on with power and start tracking, and auto-off when the master is switched off.

To answer your original question if you are only paying for 10 minute pings to the Satellites that's how often your position will be sent.

As far as not being willing to pay for two-minute pings think on this: 9 minutes after your last ping you go down and the inReach is destroyed. How far can your plane fly in 9 minutes. Now take a compass (the pencil and arm type and draw a circle that has a radius of how far your plane can fly in 9 minutes. The is the search area rescuers have to look for you in. Something to consider.

Barnstormer wrote:Wire up an accessory socket in your cockpit (I've got four in my 185 which means 8 usb connections using adapters plugged into the sockets). I then set my inReach to auto-on with power and start tracking, and auto-off when the master is switched off.

To answer your original question if you are only paying for 10 minute pings to the Satellites that's how often your position will be sent.

As far as not being willing to pay for two-minute pings think on this: 9 minutes after your last ping you go down and the inReach is destroyed. How far can your plane fly in 9 minutes. Now take a compass (the pencil and arm type and draw a circle that has a radius of how far your plane can fly in 9 minutes. The is the search area rescuers have to look for you in. Something to consider.

I agree 100%. 2 minute vs 10 minute tracking makes a significant difference in search area.

I understand. We have to stop spending at some point, though. I figure, while it’s possible that my cell phone, a passenger’s cell phone, and the ELT could all fail to ping in the same accident that leaves me unable to activate the PLB or the inReach SOS button, I’m willing to take that risk in return for the cost savings, at least when I'm in the Midwest. Garmin allows temporary plan changes mid-subscription if I change my mind.