[pct-l] SPOT Locator beacon

[Philippa Nye]

I tried it on a hike again today and had better luck
-- this time I was sending out individual "I'm OK"
messages rather than having it track me continously. 
I was getting messages out in light tree cover.  It
does seem to work best when you stay in one place for
a while to send a signal.  So I am happier with it
today.  

--- Bill Batchelor <billbatch at cox.net> wrote:

> I read somewhere that the SPOT has a 95% "worked"
> when it is turned on and
> "I am here" or "I need Help" button is pused and
> then it is left on at that
> location for 20 minutes.  This, I believe, is the
> original intent of the
> product.  The idea is that if you are stuck or
> fallen or otherwise in need,
> you'd turn it on, press the help button, and lay it
> at your side.    The
> signal will keep retrying and within 20 minutes it
> will be successful.
> 
> That being said, I am not sure the "tracking"
> function would work well
> (where it reports a position periodically) accept
> say on those occasions
> when you are on a break (lunch) or at camp and the
> unit is sitting in one
> place exposed for the said 20 minutes.   Another
> user also said that in
> their pocket, it never got a signal.  They have made
> a small sleeve on the
> top of the shoder strap to put it in for better
> exposer.   
> 
> I really like the idea since I often hike alone.  It
> is far less expensive
> and lighter than the alternatives.  I would like to
> test it though at some
> less than ideal position - say at the bottom of a
> canyon with modest tree
> coverage - and give it the full 20 minutes to see if
> the signal goes out.
> The function of "I am here" is the same as the
> "help" from a technology
> standpoint.  So, testing the "I am here" function
> would tell you how "help"
> would work too.
> 
> Gumby.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net
> [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of Philippa Nye
> Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 5:38 PM
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] SPOT Locator beacon
> 
> Someone asked about the SPOT locator beacon.  I
> bought one a week ago and
> have been testing the tracking function while hiking
> and driving, and I have
> to say I'm not too happy with it.  I spent about 3
> hours out walking today,
> alot of it on a beach that was WIDE open to the sky,
> and the thing did not
> track me once.  It is not very clear why it doesn't
> work in certain really
> open areas (in this case it was hooked to my belt,
> so maybe it doesn't work
> well in that position), but it definitely doesn't
> seem to work when there
> are trees within a hundred feet or so.  My
> assessment so far is, better than
> nothing but I hope if I have an emergency that I'm
> mobile enough to get out
> in a really open area, otherwise I'm SOL.
>    
>    I'll report more as I test it more.  
> 
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