I've been researching the spot for a couple of days now. I mostly just want to be able to check in with the wife. I have been reading nothing but BAD reviews on it. Seems the number one complaint is the satellite reception. I read pretty much everthing I could find on here and saw mixed reviews also. It kind of sounds like it's more of a toy that may or may not work than something you can depend on. Sorry to beat a dead horse but figured you guys that had experience with it while flying would have a better review than some of the gadget geek reviews I read online. Amazon sells them for $98 now...worth it or pass?

Said to heck with it and ordered a Spot 1. For $100 I'll give it a try I guess.

J- This is the direction I've decided to go: http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2885

I've always felt that the 406 mHz PLB's are the way to go in a real emergency, but this year ACR has added a service for "checking in" to send your friends/family the OK message.

I've had an original SPOT for a couple of years now and have had 100% reliability with messages and tracking signals getting through all over the Utah and Idaho backcountry. This ACR model does sound very interesting though. How much for the unit and how much for the service?

Lawleraero wrote:I've had an original SPOT for a couple of years now and have had 100% reliability with messages and tracking signals getting through all over the Utah and Idaho backcountry. This ACR model does sound very interesting though. How much for the unit and how much for the service?

I looked around and the unit runs around $500. If your alone alot flying and serious about getting your butt saved it would be worth every penny. Not sure about the service... PLB service is free but not sure about the Okay messages...Zane?

I've had the spot 1 for a couple years and also 100% reliable. The OK's sometimes take a bit to get out, but they do. Clear view of the sky is needed.

The limitation I see for both devices is that neither has an automatic activation during an accident (like an ELT). Not sure the ELT gives you much guarantee of being recieved if remote either now, but keep in mind that if you are incapacitated in the "landing", no distress/911 signal will go out. I keep my spot right above my head in a RAM quick release, so if I do have to set down in a really rough environment, I'b grabbing it and putting it down my shirt.

Conceivably it will conintue to function in track mode (how I operate it while x-country), so the wife might figure out you haven't moved for a while, and haven't got an "OK" (my wife and I have an understood procedure), but if you have time-critical injuries, that's not the best option.

Nothings perfect. For 95%, the SPOT 1 has performed excellent and I do not fly (far) without it.

The public website for tracking is fun too (as you see on some folks signatures).

Some example tracks form flights - 1st is from the spot shared page coming back from Johnson Creek


Downloaded to Google Earth coming back from Douglas WY

Like the others have mentioned I have had the SPOT#1 for a few years and the tracking mode works great! The OK signal can be sent email as well as text message. The only issue I have had is once in tracking mode I have to power off & on to send an OK message. Once I learned how to use it properly it has performed 100%. I also got the Fast find PLB for 406MHZ emergency signal.