SPoT Satellite Messenger

[Alex]

Wanted to post up in case folks hadn't heard of this gadget yet. It's a phenomenal tool that is perfect for motorcyclists. I've had one since the month they were released last year, and could not be happier with it. Basically, it's a small gadget that has two components in it. First is a GPS receiver, so when it's on it knows where it is. Second component is a satellite phone modem, so it can communicate short messages, including its position, to the satellite phone network. If you leave it in your tankbag and enable the tracking mode, it will send up a location update every 10 minutes, so your family / friends can see where you and your bike are right on a google maps interface. There's plenty of security on it so you can only allow who you want (or even nobody) to see this data. There are also other buttons on the device that allow you to call for help, including 911-level help. My wife loves it because now she can check in real-time if I'm running late from a ride and she then knows not to worry.

More info is on the SPoT main site right here.

SPOT_Photoshoot006.jpg

The reason I'm posting this now, is that there is a screaming deal available until the end of the year. For about $100, you can get a new SPoT unit as well as 1 year of full service, including tracking. This is 1/3 the standard cost. ($150ish for the unit, $100 for year of basic service, $50 for tracking service). Here's the info about how to get this deal:

Remember, buying the unit and signing up for service are two separate transactions. First, buy it anywhere. Don't activate it right away (until you get your promo code below).

Here's info on the $50 rebate from buying the gadget itself (normal price around $150):

Link to rebate



And here's info to get free service, including tracking, for 1 year:

Go to FireEagle.com, log in with your Yahoo account. If you don't have one, create one right there. Once logged in, in the Fire Eagle news, 3rd paragraph down is "SPOTS SPOTS Everywhere". After clicking on that link, In the middle of that page you'll see another link, "GO Get your SPOT Promo Now". Click on that and get your unique Promo Code. With that Promo code you can activate the SPoT you just purchased and get free service + tracking for a year. Normal price for that is $100 basic + $50 tracking. Offer is good through Dec. 31st.

End result is you get the SPoT gadget + full service for a year for around $100.

[Sailariel]

That is very slick. I know a few boaters that have them and use them instead of a 406 ELT which has no GPS and costs about $750. I can see where this would be great on a motorcycle, bicycling, and camping. It is in effect, a portable OnStar unit.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Alex Allmayer Beck

It is in effect, a portable OnStar unit.

And it has even better coverage. OnStar relies on the cellular phone network, while the SPoT works with the satellite phone network, check out SPoT's coverage area:

coveragemap_nolegend.jpg

But unlike OnStar, the device is only unidirectional. It can only send messages out, there is no confirmation that the network has received them, so it sends them multiple times to increase the likelihood that they got through. Also, there are only a limited numbers of types of messages you can send, it's not a full substitute for a cellular phone. (OK message, Help Message, 911 message, trackpoint message sent automatically).

[TrueFaith]

I have one of those SPOT doohickies, given to me by concerned friends after a motorcycle accident I had in June. They were worried I'd crash off the road and not be found for days, which is something that actually happened to a rider here last year. He crashed late at night and his body was not found for 2 days! Things might have been different if he'd had a SPOT with him that night. I also do a lot of solo kayaking and having the SPOT with me when I'm alone miles from shore is a real comfort.

[Alex]

only because time is running out on this promotion. Can't say enough good things about this gadget, truly...

[brian997]

Here is what I use :P
Its similar, except free.
http://www.instamapper.com/

To use it you need a smartphone (or blackberry/iphone), and an unlimited dataplan. Someone can log in using your credentials and view your location and direction using the online software.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by brian997

Its similar, except free.

It's similar, just like:

252-jalopy.jpg and veyron.jpg

are similar.

Free is good, and there's no reason not to try those services out if you have a compatible smartphone; but instamapper, mologogo, and other similar services are completely dependent on cell service. Just about any interesting motorcycle road here in the US can be counted on to have iffy cell service at best, and more commonly no cell service. The SPoT doesn't rely at all on any cellular network, and communicates directly with the globalstar satellite phone network. It works most places on the planet, not only most places near a city or an interstate.

[brian997]

Originally Posted by Alex

It's similar, just like:

Attachment 205 and Attachment 206

are similar.

Free is good, and there's no reason not to try those services out if you have a compatible smartphone; but instamapper, mologogo, and other similar services are completely dependent on cell service. Just about any interesting motorcycle road here in the US can be counted on to have iffy cell service at best, and more commonly no cell service. The SPoT doesn't rely at all on any cellular network, and communicates directly with the globalstar satellite phone network. It works most places on the planet, not only most places near a city or an interstate.

haha this is true, sorta :P The service actually uses the data towers (EVDO and 1X), which are typically border to border coverage. I know that in Canada I can use it from border to border, so I'd have a hard time thinking the US wouldn't have it too.

But I will say the integrated unit with 911 button etc. could be helpful (except here, where about half the counties don't have 911 haha!)

[Alex]

Originally Posted by brian997

haha this is true, sorta :P The service actually uses the data towers (EVDO and 1X), which are typically border to border coverage. I know that in Canada I can use it from border to border, so I'd have a hard time thinking the US wouldn't have it too.

What do you mean the data towers are border to border? There needs to be one of those every 8 miles (max) for there to be service. The entire landmass of Canada has a data-capable tower every 8 miles? What cell provider do you use, Rogers?

Here are the Rogers coverage maps for Northern Ontario, as well as Alberta. I don't see what you mean by border-to-border. It sounds like a marketing pitch ("Free to use from border to border! as long as you are within range of a cell tower") All of those white areas on those maps, that's where a cell phone, data-capable or not, will be useful only as a calculator or game console. I think you're wildly overestimating your cellphone coverage area. If you don't use Rogers, go to your own company's website and look for yourself.

[brian997]

Originally Posted by Alex

What do you mean the data towers are border to border? There needs to be one of those every 8 miles (max) for there to be service. The entire landmass of Canada has a data-capable tower every 8 miles? What cell provider do you use, Rogers?

Here are the Rogers coverage maps for Northern Ontario, as well as Alberta. I don't see what you mean by border-to-border. It sounds like a marketing pitch ("Free to use from border to border! as long as you are within range of a cell tower") All of those white areas on those maps, that's where a cell phone, data-capable or not, will be useful only as a calculator or game console. I think you're wildly overestimating your cellphone coverage area. If you don't use Rogers, go to your own company's website and look for yourself.

haha yes, I realize that it doesn't give the perfect blanket of coverage like GPS does or Galileo will. But look again at the data coverage maps. Specifically this one, for my carrier Telus (which have a slightly larger network coverage area than the evil Rogers :P)

pcs_on_lg.gif

There is almost no roads that the carrier doesn't cover. The only ones it doesn't cover are up north (and trust me, I've lived there, they are not motorcycle friendly)... By that I mean, no where to stop for longer than an hour's drive, no gas, and the crappiest roads ever. They make America's worst roads (from the ABC? news reel) look fantastic :P
Given that 90% of our population lives within 160km of the US border, it doesn't take much to provide nearly perfect coverage :P

[Alex]

If you never ride out of cell coverage, no worries, you're all set. I'm out of cell coverage 5 minutes east out of my front door, and many of the roads I enjoy have no coverage. California, the land of wide open spaces, wonderful motorcycling roads, and crappy cell coverage.

Here's a map of TMobile's coverage (our carrier) near me. Alot of that white space sure has some great roads in it...

tmobile.png

Annie and I did a motorcycling tour of Europe a few years back, and one of the things that amazed us both is that no matter where we were, even on top of a mountain out in the middle of nowhere, we'd still get great cell service. Pretty much the entire trip! May be like that in other parts of the world, but it's not like that here in the US in general, or in California specifically, unfortunately.

(I just loaded the pic into your post. There's no need to resize on this board, just load it as an attachment and the board will automatically resize it if needed).

[brian997]

Originally Posted by Alex

California, the land of wide open spaces, wonderful motorcycling roads, and crappy cell coverage.

Wow that sucks... I can't believe your coverage could be so bad haha...

[Sailariel]

Check out coverage in Maine---Yikes! When we ride to New Brunswick, no problem. Motorcycling in Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia is great--albeit a very short season.

[Cochese]

Originally Posted by brian997

Here is what I use :P
Its similar, except free.
http://www.instamapper.com/

To use it you need a smartphone (or blackberry/iphone), and an unlimited dataplan. Someone can log in using your credentials and view your location and direction using the online software.

Brian,

Thanks for the link. I've opened an account for my wife and I. Instamapper says they will support my Blackberry 9530 in a week!

Can't wait.

The GPS unit Alex posted is also quite cool, although I have cell covereage anywhere I would ride my bike around here. I get 1XEV even in the hills and canyons. Even the national parks have coverage!

[Alex]

If you're an AMA member, you're entitled to a $20 discount and 12 months of free tracking when purchasing a SPoT.

More info here.

If you're a BARF member (free!), you're entitled to the same $20 discount and 6 months of free tracking.

More info here.

[Alex]

For those using a SPoT, take a peek at this site.

Jason Jonas has set up a page that does some pretty neat things with past SPoT tracking points. Basically, you set up an account on his page, and you set up a FireEagle account (if you don't have one already). Then when your SPoT updates FireEagle, his site also gets a record of the update. Then, at any time in the future, you set up "Trips" on his site just by defining a start/end time. And when you (or anyone you allow) clicks on one of those trips, they see it on a google maps interface, and in addition they can download a .kml file of that trip that includes the trackpoints (if you permit it).

It's more flexible than the guest tracking pages on the main SPoT page because the points never expire, and people can download that kml file. And once it's in kml, it's trivial for somebody to get it into GPX or any other needed format. The trips can overlap; an individual trip is just a definition of a start and end time period on the full list of trackpoints stored, so you can set up individual days as well as multiple days linked together depending on your needs.

[Alex]

For SPoT users, or actually any other FireEagle users as well, looking to share their trips with others in a standard GPX route format, here's how to do it quickly (and for free!). Sign up for that Jason Jonas site in the post right above, and get it working. Define a trip. View trip to make sure it has the points in it that you want. Then here's all you need to do to turn it into a route that anybody else can load directly into their GPS:

- Download KML file from that Jason Jonas site
- Run GPSBabel to convert the KML file to a Garmin GDB file
- Run WinGDB3 to convert the track to a route (using either waypoints or via points, it's just a preference), and it is saved as a new GDB file

If you're a Garmin owner, the file is done right then, and you can load it into Mapsource. If you're not, or if you want to turn it into a GPX file to make it more universally compatible for folks, the final step is just:

- Run GPSBabel once again to convert that GDB file to a GPX file

The attached files are examples of the start & end of this process for a Coalinga loop from this past week.

(If you just want the SPoT points in a GPX file as waypoints and don't need them in "Route" format, you can download a GPX file directly from the SPoT website)

[darkknight49]

Originally Posted by Alex

And it has even better coverage. OnStar relies on the cellular phone network, while the SPoT works with the satellite phone network, check out SPoT's coverage area:

Attachment 56

But unlike OnStar, the device is only unidirectional. It can only send messages out, there is no confirmation that the network has received them, so it sends them multiple times to increase the likelihood that they got through. Also, there are only a limited numbers of types of messages you can send, it's not a full substitute for a cellular phone. (OK message, Help Message, 911 message, trackpoint message sent automatically).

but, but...what if I wanna go to southern africa?

[Alex]

Originally Posted by darkknight49

but, but...what if I wanna go to southern africa?

Wait until they put a bird up that can cover that area, or rough it, I guess.

[Techno250]

Also, if you're a ham radio operator, there's APRS. There's stuff going on in the amateur radio frequencies constantly.

It can show you on a map, has radio-to-internet gateways, and has two-way communication. All you need is an APRS-enabled radio and an FCC license.

This probably isn't all that useful for non-hams, but if you already have your ticket, maybe this would be an interesting way to combine your two hobbies.

Now, I gotta go renew my license, which I just realized expires this year.

[Alex]

There's a great rebate offer on this gadget now, you can basically get a free SPoT if you sign up for two years basic service + tracking; it's a savings of $150. Here's a link to the deal on BARF, but it's not unique to BARF.

[lockie]

Alex...

The use the spot up here in the winter for Cain's Quest, more than 2300 kms of back country racing through Labrador’s remote wilderness in the course of 4-5 days. It's madness but the SPoT gear keeps track of all the racer via the organizing committee's web site and they are also the main emergency/panic button for the racers. There's no cell coverage, only the satellites.

More and more people are using them just for driving the gravel roads here as there is no cell coverage outside of the two main towns. Also lots of satellite radios for all those kms through the woods.

[demp]

Must be some phone to get cell service all over Canada... Just riding up to the farm I end up out of service, I will be picking one of these up ASAP Alex, I remember seeing them at bestbuy once upon a time. Thanks for sharing these with us. (Yeah I realize this is an ancient thread, but better late than never)

Edit: lookie here o.O http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=219

[M]

Jason Jonas' SPoT website migrated earlier this year to: http://www.spotwalla.com/

Jason also have a Google Group for SPoT:
http://groups.google.com/group/spot-trip-manager


I used the SPoT 911 feature last summer for a MC accident directly in front of me:
http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?t=75961

[Alex]

That Spotwalla page is great! We've used it to track a bunch of riders at the same time for the Cal24 rally, and recently set up a club page so those of us with SPOT's in my riding group all show up on one page there as well.

I've had two occasions to use the 911 feature, both bike accidents, and fortunately neither of them my own. Most recent one was this past weekend, link to thread.

[Dmitriy]

Recently as CES 2011 Spot made the announcement of their bluetooth enabled messenger. If anyone gets their hand on one I'd love to hear about it. I think Alex needs to get a quick review unit from them ASAP (free review type deal), as he has been one of their big supporters.

Here is what I am talking about:
http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116

[rickyny]

Alex do you still use the Spot?
I'm planning on buying one in April, right before I start riding.
Thanks for letting us know about this great little device.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by rickyny

Alex do you still use the Spot?

On every single ride! Here's one from a few months back where it was quite useful.

I added some new functionality to my SPOT a few weeks ago. I've been using www.email2phone.net for awhile to convert emails to phone calls. I use it while on BART, to have our home phone and Annie's cell phone ring with a short message about when I'll be home, if I need to pick anything up from the store, etc. Can't call from BART easily, and if I text or email Annie doesn't know a message has come in; while a ringing phone happens right away. Neat service, though if anyone knows a cheaper way to do this rather than $10/month, I'm all ears.

Anyway, I upgraded that service to now call first the home phone, then go to her cell phone if the home phone doesn't pick up and acknowledge the call. It will call both phones a number of times until someone picks up and OK's the message, over an hour or so. And, I just added that email address as one of the contact points from the SPOT device, I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

So now, if I send a check-in or help message from anywhere, it will not only send out a bunch of emails and texts, but it will actually call some phones with the contents of the message.

[rickyny]

That is great man, helping a fellow rider I hope I can do that someday.
I'll show my wife what the Spot does and I bet she'll buy it for me!!!

Now, which one should I get, the Personal Tracker or the Satellite GPS Messenger? I know the GPS Messenger is $70 more, but I think they do the same thing, right?

[Alex]

The GPS Messenger is just the next version of the Personal Tracker. There are still Personal Trackers in stock, so they sell it at a discount.

The newer one (GPS Messenger) has an updated GPS chip, and the ability to send one additional custom message. It has significantly less battery life than the first generation (about half). It is smaller, thinner, and lighter.

I'm perfectly happy with the 1st gen, but would be happy with the 2nd gen as well. Can't go wrong either way.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Dmitriy

Recently as CES 2011 Spot made the announcement of their bluetooth enabled messenger. If anyone gets their hand on one I'd love to hear about it. I think Alex needs to get a quick review unit from them ASAP (free review type deal), as he has been one of their big supporters.

Here is what I am talking about:
http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116

I'm underwhelmed by that gadget. It requires a cell phone to do anything interesting, and if your cell phone battery is gone, all it can do on its own is send a 911 message. If it had all the capability of the existing SPOT units, + bluetooth connectivity for messaging, I'd be all over it. But tethering a device that has 10-day battery life to something that has 1 or 2 day battery life at best case, seems like a step backwards from a practicality standpoint.

[Alex]

Free Spot offer through tomorrow:

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/2...57/c6973fabe1/

[Jono]

^
Nice!!

This little gadget is definitely cool. My dad has one on his cruising trawler and uses it when he is underway. Just recently he used it on an 800 mile trip. It was very cool seeing his updates as he cruised Florida's big bend.


I never though about using one on a motorcycle but it seems like a great idea if you take many trips.

[dfox]

hmmm..

i do a lot of back country snowboarding all around the country, this could be pretty useful for my wife to know where I am.

[NevadaWolf]

I have one paired with the DeLorme GPS. Allows it to send out custom messages along with the premade messages. Been handy for some back country trips that I've been on. And it's fun sending out the I'm OK messages that appear on the Spot Adventures website.

[alex.s]

hey @Alex, have you ever had to use your spot in an emergency?

[Alex]

Yup - I've had to use the 911 button twice. Once here, and a few years back at another motorcycle accident in Death Valley. Both times the authorities got there quicker than they would have if I hadn't been carrying the gadget.

[alex.s]

so i'm thinking i'm going to buy one of these. seems like a smart idea. have you ever had any kind of issues with it? how long does the battery usually last?

[Alex]

I've had zero issues. I always grumble when I read reviews slamming it online, as 98% of the problems people have with them are clearly due to user error, or a misunderstanding of how the device is supposed to work.

I still have a Gen 1 device (the current ones are smaller and have some improvements). I have it enabled in tracking mode every time I get on the bike (any bike), and the batteries last for months. The first gen ones run on 2 AA lithium batteries, the second gen ones run on 3 AAA batteries. Supposedly the battery life is somewhat shorter on the new one, but it is still pretty incredible.

The tricks to making sure that it works correctly is having it oriented properly (top needs to face upwards; the antenna is directional), and to understand what the buttons do on the unit. Getting it into tracking mode is a little kludgy on the 1st gen units (press one button, then hold another button down until a light goes off). I believe the 2nd gen units have a discrete button to turn on tracking directly.

I find the gadget incredibly useful, not just for emergencies, but also for peace of mind back home. If I'm running late, my better half can just pull up a web page and see where I am and if I'm still moving in the right direction. It saves having to pull over or find someplace with cell service to make that call.

[dfox]

do they need to be in the open, or would it work if I had it in an outside pocket on a backpack, or in a tank bag or something?...