SPOT Tracker Poll

You can select multiple boxes

I am interested in the SPOT Tracker and have read a number of posts on this forum about it's functionality. I have also been online and read a number of reviews from buyers/users.

After looking at about 60 reviews of the product from pilots, hikers, boaters, travelers, etc. the reviews are all over the map . Many love their units and many say that it's best used as a paper weight.

I thought I would try to get the real story from the real experts -- RVers.

MODERATOR: If a similar poll has been done on this product, just delete this one and maybe bump the old one up.

It works great and is a valuable tool. Not sure why it's even being debated anymore.

I answered for emergency service on behalf of a friend. Saved his and his sons life.

Phil

Not many yes-no issues with the Spot, IMHO

I continue to use the Spot and it serves our current needs well. But, I would never say I am 100% satisfied as it has a relatively poor design for aircraft use. The e-mail feature seems robust and I use it several times during most weeks. The tracking does an okay job, but the reports are pretty delayed and the ~10 minute interval makes a joke of "it takes the search out of search-and-rescue" when it comes to RV speeds. Of course, if it remained on after landing/crashing, it would provide a tight location.

I wrote a more detailed assessment of the Spot (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=34572&highlight=spot) and strongly recommend that a potential buyer/subscriber look at their own potential uses and see if the Spot adequately addresses them. I don't think a simplistic survey is very useful for this product.

Hi Jack..

We had an EMT helicopter pilot speak at our EAA meeting and again, the "golden" hour thing was discussed...the first hour after a serious wreck being the one that medics really need to get to you to best save your life.

Shortly thereafter, we saw on here, an RV-8 that crashed very near a town, yet it took 3 hours to find him! A SPOT button could simply have been pressed and within minutes SAR could have been there. Yep, Jenny and I now use one.

Regards,

For true emergencies, in the air or on the ground, I still swear by a PLB.

We had a response within minutes of an accidental 911 push of the button. My wife placed her headphones on top of the unit, that wasn't yet shut off.

I'm going for 100% satisfied, because this unit wasn't designed for aircraft in the first place. With it sitting on the glare shield, it's sent coordinates about every 10 minutes consistently. Although there may be a missed position report in the last year, we went through a number of the last cross country flights; and there are no misses.

Since we fly in rugged mountain country of the western U.S., I find this product as extremely valuable. I don't question it's validity at all.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

I don't have SPOT...........

YET. but with the personal history I have searching & finding my brother's crash in 95 in the Olympic Mountains of Washington after a search of two weeks. I think SPOT is the very least you could do for your family members. A long protracted search during a tragic event is certainly more than family & friends deserve. I currently use an APRS system which pings at any change in course. You can bet when I start flying cross country, I will be a subscriber to SPOT, not to do so is just pure selfish.

Had high expectations, was severely dissapointed. I did not renew after the first year. Didn't use after the first 6 months.

Simplistic survey

Louise Hose said:

I wrote a more detailed assessment of the Spot (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=34572&highlight=spot) and strongly recommend that a potential buyer/subscriber look at their own potential uses and see if the Spot adequately addresses them. I don't think a simplistic survey is very useful for this product.

Click to expand...

Every poll on this forum is simplistic. Like you, everyone has the opportunity to type a message to help clarify their position related to this or any other poll. It may not be rocket science, but it has provided me with useful information. Two of the items in the poll were important to me, the check in OK emails and position reports maps online. I submitted the poll and included the other options because I thought it would be interesting. And thankfully for those who want a more thorough evaluation of the product, there is your more detailed assessment.

I use my SPot on every flight. Only once did it fail on a long cross country and that was my fault. I knew the battery was getting low and forgot to replace it before the trip. The trip was 8 hours flight time total and 6 hrs into the trip the battery gave up. The batteries last a long time, I would guess 25-30 hrs flying with flight tracking turned ON. My wife likes to check on my progress on the internet. I think it is a great tool and recommend it to anyone flying.

One Alternative: iPhone GPS Tracker App

For those of you with iPhones, there is a free option for GPS tracking. Not quite as elaborate as the SPOT, but no contract and no fees. Simply download the app from the itunes app store, follow instructions for logging into the website and voila', tracked! I have tried it im my Rocket and it works well, although the altitude readout isn't accurate. Definitely an economical method of being "watched"

Smokey
HR2

It's good. Could be better

Perhaps I expect too much. I've used SPOT in all sorts of places on the ground and in the air. As one would expect, it works just fine when there is an unrestricted view of the sky. However, when I'm are hiking in the woods or I've got it hooked to the shoulder straps of a backpack, or I've got it sitting on the dashboard of the car, I'm not too confident that the position data is being sent. However, I do know this and if I needed to send a signal, I just need to move to a clearing or give the unit a better sky view and it will have a better chance of sending a message.
The new SPOT is supposed to be better. Stronger transmitter and better antenna. I'm going to want a new model when it comes out. All in all, I have a great deal of confidence that someone would come looking for me if I needed help and I was way outside of cell phone range.

SPOT's role

I have to say; my expectations are that in a crash,
the ELT might send a signal 'automatically', if you've spent the $$$ to upgrade.
If the spot is still on the dash, it will likely be broken or lost in the impact.
which leaves the PLB in the pocket of your vest, which would do both jobs, if you're conscious to activate.
unfortunately, no one item does everything, pick your priority and the most likely scenario for your type of flying.