Spot personal locater

[Robb]

Hi Kids,
For Christmas, RaeLynn got me the Spot messenger http://www.findmespot.com/en/. I got a chance to try it out today, and here’s what it does.

The Spot is a gps and satellite communication device. It uses the gps to figure out your exact location, and it uses the satellite communication to send your location and one of three pre-set messages when you push the button.

The three messages are:
911: Search and rescue, US Marines, French Foreign Legion, US Embassy, what ever local authority is appropriate will be notified of your location and asked to go save your sorry butt. Around here this would be like calling Ventura County SAR or dialing 911 in SB, and will have the same repercussions, so don’t push if you don’t mean it.

OK: Push this button, and what ever pre-set message you write, along with your latitude and longitude will be sent to any number of e-mail addresses and cell phone text messaging accounts you specify. I set this up with my cell phone for text and the e-mail I get on my cell so I can use it as a “self-test”; stand on launch, push “OK” and moments later get a message on my cell that I’m ok; Now I know the system is working. I also include RaeLynn on this list of addresses, so she knows the first message is that I’m launching. When I land I push it again and she knows I’m safe on the ground. The message looks like this when launching Skyport:

This is an OK check of Robb's spot tracker. Typically this is the start or end of a flight. I am OK!
ESN:0-7470175
Latitude:34.4811
Longitude:-119.6844
Nearest Location: Gibraltar Rd, , CA, US
Distance: 0 km(s)
Time:12/27/2008 18:44:59 (GMT)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.4811,-119.6844&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

When landing at Parma it looks like this:

This is an OK check of Robb's spot tracker. Typically this is the start or end of a flight. I am OK!
ESN:0-7470175
Latitude:34.4475
Longitude:-119.6877
Nearest Location: el Cielito Rd, Santa Barbara, CA, US
Distance: 0 km(s)
Time:12/27/2008 20:53:44 (GMT)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.4475,-119.6877&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Clicking on the link opens up Google maps with a marker of your location.

Help: This button sends another pre-programmed message to all your buds (not SAR or the French Foreign Legion) that you need help getting out of a tree, all four tires are flat on the truck, or you’ve landed in Scheideck and the locals look really, really hungry. Mine looks like this:

This is a HELP message from Robb Milley. I DON'T need 911 but I need assistance getting out of some situation.
ESN:0-7470175
Latitude:34.2638
Longitude:-118.8758
Nearest Location: Trailcrest Dr, Moorpark, CA, US
Distance: 0 km(s)
Time:12/27/2008 23:19:09 (GMT)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.2638,-118.8758&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Again, the link will show you where I am, and I would expect the list of people who get the message to talk to each other and figure out what to do. Beers will, of course, be on me just as soon as I no longer need to push the button...

Which brings up one of the shortcomings of the Spot: you have to be able to push the button. If you can’t push the button the one time you need it, the only benefit is the sense of comfort your spouse gets from knowing you have a personal locator device (and I would argue a spouse that doesn’t wig out about your flying is worth five times the cost of the spot)

The other issue is the Spot is asynchronous, that is it transmits but does not get a message back that the transmission was received. To overcome this limitation, the Spot will transmit the Help message every five minutes for one hour, and will transmit the 911 message every five minutes until shut off. I’ve given this some thought, and in a true emergency having your location directly communicated to SAR at the push of a button is simpler and faster than any other means of communication. Trying to use your satallite phone and gps (did you set the datum correctly? Degrees, minutes and seconds, or degrees and decimal degrees?) or radio (I was over the caldera when I went down, I can see dirt, and some rocks, and a cactus...) And if the Spot doesn’t get through, it’s unlikely anything else would either.

So let’s hope you don’t ever need the 911 or Help buttons. Another feature is the ability to track you and plot your location on Google maps for every one to see in real time. When configured, the Spot will transmit your location every 10 minutes and plot it on Google maps. Imaging sitting at your desk, pretending to work, and watching Diablo, or Hammer, or Dean heading east from Pine and then north east at Tehachapi and on to the Owens Valley. My flight today was not quite as impressive, but the technology is:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0LXjiGOnk5sDIaf0j9RrmEvXA2WR5MM2uI was headed to the beach when I hit monster sink over the riveria and turned back to Parma. Note data points are every 10 minutes. This uses Google maps, so move it around and zoom in the same way. On the left side are all the data messages recieved since I powered up and pushed all the buttons (except the 911 button)

Cost: right now, the hardware is 100 bucks with rebate, and the basic service is another 100 bucks a year. The tracking is another $50 a year if you want it.

So, are you an XC pilot? Do you have aspirations of being an XC pilot? Do you have a spouse or family members who worry? If so, I’d encourage you to give this some thought.

Robb

[Chris G]

Looks like they have a $100,000 S&R "insurance" deal too. ~$8 if you do it at the time you buy the unit.