http://www.bestbuy.com/site/SPOT---Connect-GPS-Messenger/1934484.p?id=1218301984617&skuId=1934484

Seems like a good price. I was going to get one tonight for my Idaho trip, but I snoozed too long and the local joints are sold out of them. I'll prob just order it from Best Buy now. That price is better that full price minus the $50 rebate deal that's currently on.

What is the difference between the spot-2 and the spot messenger, they are just about the same price at bestbuy

Spot Connect interfaces with your smart phone. Spot 1 and 2 are standalone appliances. I'm thinking they are discounting the older stuff to make way for the Spot Gen3 which will be out any day now.

New SPOT3 Messenger will be announced soon
A couple of new features that are helpful for aviation.
It will have ability to configure a faster tracking interval (the old one was fixed at a 10 minute interval). It will stay in tracking mode until you turn it off but not repeat locations reports from the same spot (the old one only tracked for 24 hours and repeated messages while stationary).

I thought about the Connect, but after reading the reviews for the iPhone app I went with the 2. If I NEED it to work, simpler is better. I'm ok or I need help! KISS philosophy.

which I phone app, is there on specifically for the connect?

I think spot has their own special app to work w the connect and you have to send msgs through it rather than regular txt messages.

L-19 wrote:I thought about the Connect, but after reading the reviews for the iPhone app I went with the 2. If I NEED it to work, simpler is better. I'm ok or I need help! KISS philosophy.

That's exactly why I didn't like the connect... you HAD to have your smart phone. In an emergency who knows what shape the phone would be in, screen could be cracked, battery dead, etc. In my opinion they should have put buttons on the device that could make it operate solo and give the user a choice. Spot Gen3 looks like a good upgrade though, I still have the first spot but will be upgrading when the new one comes out mainly for the enhanced tracking frequency.

If we're talking about emergency use (rather than fun "where's waldo" kinds of activities), the recent threads convinced me that it's got to be a PLB and/or ELT. I'm not betting my life on the sketchy SPOT network.

http://www.rei.com/product/849914/mcmur ... n-with-gps

Also thanks to the recent thread, I discovered that my PLB was still in the map pocket of my winter coat instead of my flight bag. That's been rectified, but since I became a plane owner in January I'm going to velcro it someplace accessible.

scottf wrote:

L-19 wrote:I thought about the Connect, but after reading the reviews for the iPhone app I went with the 2. If I NEED it to work, simpler is better. I'm ok or I need help! KISS philosophy.

That's exactly why I didn't like the connect... you HAD to have your smart phone. In an emergency who knows what shape the phone would be in, screen could be cracked, battery dead, etc. In my opinion they should have put buttons on the device that could make it operate solo and give the user a choice. Spot Gen3 looks like a good upgrade though, I still have the first spot but will be upgrading when the new one comes out mainly for the enhanced tracking frequency.

Just looked at the Best Buy page linked above and saw:

This GPS messenger allows you to send messages from virtually anywhere in the world via satellite and features an on-device SOS button for emergency assistance.

You would lose the ability to send a custom message, but you could let other know you were down(if the Spot survives...). Reading the reviews in the Google Play store tho' gives me other reason to avoid. Seems the BT connection can be tempermental.

I've flown with an ACR PLB for years to handle the emergency part. I only recently decided I wanted to share my track progress with friends/family, hence my interest in SPOT. To me, that's pretty much all it is.

Of course, it lets you target your messages, so it's handy for the times when your aircraft is disabled in the backcountry but you are unhurt and there's no real emergency. No cell service? Call in your personal cavalry with parts and tools.

Zzz wrote:I've flown with an ACR PLB for years to handle the emergency part. I only recently decided I wanted to share my track progress with friends/family, hence my interest in SPOT. To me, that's pretty much all it is.

Of course, it lets you target your messages, so it's handy for the times when your aircraft is disabled in the backcountry but you are unhurt and there's no real emergency. No cell service? Call in your personal cavalry with parts and tools.

Yeah, my cheapness interferes with that, but the use-case seems pretty legit!

If I ever end up getting one, this will be why. If my wife ever finds out this is an option, I'm sure I'll have to get one.

I was just looking at this yesterday. I've been carrying around an ACR PLB for 5 years, so it's time to get something with a new battery. I was about to pull the trigger on a Delorme InReach SE, 'cause it has its own screen and buttons, and it uses the Iridium network. But the pricing is pretty painful and it's out of stock locally. If I buy the "safety" minimum subscription for 10 buck/month, you pay $.25 per track point broadcast. So, it's either pony up more for the subscription on the Inreach, or not use the track feature at all. The price is right on the SPOT Connect. Probably just go with that. It's nice to have such choices compared to where we were 20 years ago.

CAVU

CAVU wrote:I was about to pull the trigger on a Delorme InReach SE, 'cause it has its own screen and buttons, and it uses the Iridium network.

$24.95 for unlimited tracking + 40 text messages per month. I wasn't aware of this device. Thanks for the pointer, that's looks like the winner if I ever decide to get a tracking system.

Good to know about the SPOT3 coming out, thanks for the heads up guys.

Spot Gen3 is finally out and becoming available at retailers. Main improvements are decreased tracking interval (down to 5 minutes, or 2.5 minutes if you want to pay for it), and motion sensor to only send tracking packets when moving which will help battery life.

I would like to buy someone's original SPOT. My SPOT died in an aircraft fire and I'm not interested in the SPOT CONNECT.

If you have an unused SPOT laying around please let me know.

Thanks

Tim
602 228 5885

Spent the extra money on an InReach. Your butt is worth it. Far more reliable than Spot, provides more info (altitude, speed, bearing) on the tracking points, and unlike Spot, is two-way. You can send/receive text to an email or cell phone from anywhere in the world. If an SOS situation occurs, you can communicate with responders etc.

Mine cost $250 (a lot more than Spot) and I have a $27 a month plan (there are cheaper plans). Worth every penny IMO.

bumper

I just purchased the Delorme InReachSE on Friday and took it on a trip on Saturday to test it out. It is what it says it is. It took about an hour to do the set up at home on the computer with 5 pre-set contacts and Facebook contact.

I sent e-mail and text messages to 2 different contacts and received messages back from both of them. I sent and received messages from Big Creek and Moose Creek, both areas I had zero cell service. And I sent a location update to Facebook from Big Creek. The link to the map is very detail and very accurate. It shows exactly where I was at on the strip.

This thing could help save your life. Worth the $$$.





Alan

One of my friends and another operator talked me out of the InReach, he has had it for a season now and said he went through batteries like crazy. I mentioned this to the rep at the aviation show in ANC, he said that they had that problem but was fixed with a software upgrade.

I still went with the SPOT, but am looking at upgrading to the connect or changing to InReach next season. If you guys have any input after you have used the InReach for a while please come back to the thread.