I hope this isn't considered "double posting" .....

I got one of these gizmos and THEY ARE GREAT!

SPOT

Forget the old (and over priced) PLBs!

Anybody else out there in AR land have one of these?!!!

I wonder if this utilizes the old Iridium satellite network. I knew someone bought it up just months before it was to be deorbited after the parent company went Tango Uniform. It was/is a global network of cell repeater sats. If so, it's not so much a matter of acquiring a satilite as it is of the sat acquiring you.

quote:

Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
How is it's reception (so to speak)?

I have a hard time getting a GPS to accuire sometimes, even if you can see blue skies.

Todd, I've been putting my SPOT through reception tests. Rule of thumb.... if you're in a location where a good handheld GPS unit can't aquire an accurate position......the SPOT won't get an accurate position either.

But the SPOT only needs to hit one satellite to send it's distress signal.

quote:

Originally posted by just-a-hunter:
Thanks for your input.

I'm also in Colorado, Todd. There are few places I've found it hard to get a GPS location when there's a clear sky view.

quote:

Originally posted by Vibe:
I wonder if this utilizes the old Iridium satellite network.

Vibe, I checked. The SPOT uses the Globalstar simplex. I think they are actually adding satellites (they have 48 now).

Here's the coverage map.

I stopped by the nearest dealer located on the SPOT website and the store manager has not heard of it and wasn't aware of any plans to stock the units.

quote:

Originally posted by west2721:
I stopped by the nearest dealer located on the SPOT website and the store manager has not heard of it and wasn't aware of any plans to stock the units.

I bought mine at the local REI store. I had to point it out to the store salesperson in the GPS show case.

It just came out the first part of November.

SPOT from REI