10 Spot Satellite Messenger (Read 6888 times)
ProRecreator
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Spot Satellite Messenger
Feb 13th, 2009 at 4:30pm
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Has anyone tried this device in the BWCA or Quetico?  I used it on a solo trip last fall with mixed results.  Apparently, there was a satellite outage, so my spouse became concerned when the email messages suddenly stopped mid-trip.

I have never used any other communication devices on previous trips (nor will I be likely to in the future), but the SPOT appealed to me because it let my family know I was OK while out there by myself.
  
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Akula
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #1 - Feb 13th, 2009 at 5:10pm
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Some folks here have used them, you can hear what they had to say here:

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Magicpaddler
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #2 - Feb 13th, 2009 at 7:02pm
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ProRecreator
I wore the SPOT on top of my shoulder facing up.  I put a couple of pins in my life jacket that it clipped to. The instructions say to use it with it facing up but if you clip it to your belt it would not be facing up.  Where did you ware the one you had?
Magicpaddler
  
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ProRecreator
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #3 - Feb 13th, 2009 at 7:13pm
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Thanks to Akula for pointing out the Spot Messenger reviews posted last fall.

Magic Paddler:  I never wore the device, but only turned it on to send a signal once a day.
  
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Kingfisher
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #4 - Feb 13th, 2009 at 9:59pm
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Here are a couple of photos of Magic Paddler with the Spot Messenger on his shoulder. I must say the info we gathered after the fact from this device was outstanding and overall was well worth the money spent.

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Magicpaddler
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #5 - Feb 14th, 2009 at 12:25am
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Every trip I wore one I caught fish like in KF’S second picture.
Magicpaddler
  
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Jimbo
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #6 - Feb 14th, 2009 at 3:17am
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...and it was frustrating as hell to sit on the receiving side of those SPOT Messenger signals & watch those bast__ds sit on my favorite fishing holes, day after day after day!

Jimbo   Cool Cool
  
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Old Salt
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #7 - Feb 14th, 2009 at 3:55am
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Cheaper to not buy one. I don't want anyone to know where I'm fishin...

Actually, Jimbo conned 'em into using one so he could learn where to fish.
  
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db
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #8 - Feb 14th, 2009 at 8:39am
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ProRecreator wrote on Feb 13th, 2009 at 4:30pm:
Apparently, there was a satellite outage, so my spouse became concerned when the email messages suddenly stopped mid-trip.

Hi ProRecreator. Yeah that would be a problem way worse than not knowing!

Just to fill you in a bit. Three of us, KF Magic and myself shared the ride to Canada. KF and MP took a bizarre-o overland route into the park. I entered on my own separate, normal permit. Jimbo and the outfitter who dropped MP & KF off on some logging road were their main SPOT go to guys I think.

A few days into our trips, I half expected to meet up with KF and Magic at a tentatively and very loosely agreed upon lake. I expected them to be early if they showed at all. They were late and I got tired of waiting but was eventually relieved to hear them coming later that day. I worried a little, off and on but only a little because they had that SPOT thingy.

As I recall I worried less than at least one of those who were getting the e-mails. One had not all that unusual e-mail difficulties, another had location problems but I believe he got the e-mails, etc., and the other, oh wait, she just got bored and didn't check it daily.

That's my recollection. Feel free to correct as necessary. Point is, there are always weak links with something new and IMO Magic had it right renting it for the month or whatever so at least he was comfortable using it. Personally, I'd be afraid I'd accidentally hit the wrong button at some point.
  
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Jimbo
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Re: Spot Satellite Messenger
Reply #9 - Feb 14th, 2009 at 12:22pm
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Old Salt wrote on Feb 14th, 2009 at 3:55am:
Actually, Jimbo conned 'em into using one so he could learn where to fish.


OS,

Now you've done it... you've spoiled my slickest fishing secret of recent years!

Personally, I think those guys PURPOSEFULLY sat on some of my favorite fishing holes JUST to drive me nuts sitting here, hundreds of miles away!

Just a word from the "receiving end" here.  Watching those guys fall short of reaching water on their Day One bushwhack would have had me real worried IF it wasn't plain they were reasonably close to McKenzie Lake on the morning of Day Two.  I was definitely thinking about the amount of drinking water they were carrying with them & how rough the terrain was in that general area.  I had found myself in a very similar predicament years before over on Cache River, north of Cache Lake... with no SPOT Messenger, either.  If WE had screwed up, we'd have been in there for a couple weeks.  Trust me, if Magic had hit the "HELP" button, the cavalry would have appeared a lot sooner than that.

The tough choice would have been: a) do I call the Park & have them send in helicopters, etc., OR b) does Jimbo use this episode as an excuse with his boss & wife to "rush to the rescue" of his buddies... & enjoy some more vacation time in the park?

Wow, what an ethical dilemma!

Hmmm... Magic & KF, you guys might have gotten a little thirsty but I'd have found you sooner or later!

Jimbo   Cool
  
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