SPOT, GEOS and Medivac anybody had to call the G.I.Joe?
 

It's now 2 years that we have a SPOT Connect device for which we pay the Search And Rescue membership and the Medivac and we luckily never needed to use the insurance (touch wood..). So before renewing again, I was wondering...

did you ever needed to press the SOS button? And what happened then? Were they responsive? Did they send the G.I.Joe to rescue you? :)

Thanks
Agata

A pushbiker got recently robbed I Nigeria. They used a gun and hit him with a bottle. They took everything except his passport. Thanks to the spothis friends back in France contacted the embassy in Lagos and they took care of him.

It's typical a device just in case, preferably not to use in a lifetime but worth this one time you have to push the button.

Moto Spot
 

maybe another use for it is to contact those nearby. I've set up mine with this new service Moto Spot. Riders helping riders around the world on motorbike
It is fairly scarce at moment but could be a lot more popular and provide use to travellers in future. My custom button says something like- "Im here fancy a beer" it then alerts thise in 50m radius.

I have been using Spot now around 3 years, paying also this rescue service, but never needed it yet. Main use is for friends and family to see where I am at any time.

No, i dont had to call them jet. But I suggest that you consider a two way satellite messenger, if you thinking about to buy one.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cRnm2Y6k83...munikation.jpg

The new devices allow Bidirectional communication over satellite (comparison of severalll brands)

This way you are reachable for friends and family (if you want). Much more important is to be able to chat to the GEOS/Response center and to tell them what problem do you have.

If your bike breaks down and they flight in an Doc - it could be the wrong help ;-) Or if they flight in a doc without the right equipment for that what you had.

Surfy

Thank you for your replies

In Reach seems much more cool than the SPOT devices, too bad I discovered about it only when I had already bought the SPOT Connect....

I'm signing up on MOto Spot. Thanks for the hint ;)

A

I would suggest the delorm inreach SE, which doen't need a smartphone aside. This way you don't rely on your smartphone battery, and also, you're smartphone is the kind of thing you will probably loose first if you get robbed..
I have the SE, I hope I will never use it, but it's also a great thing to keep your friends/family informed about where you are. You can send like sms to phone, email, or social network (usefull if you have a good community following your trip, and need assistance!).

Just buy a satellite phone and some minutes. It does Email, Texts both in and out and you can speak to people ! All of £420 for the phone with minutes and that's it. We used our loads. It saved our friends life on a GS when he got stranded on Moyale in the middle of the night when his swing arm came off the gearbox housing when it sheared in two. Just check out our mapping on www.overlandbirds.com and you will see what you can do with maps just via emails sent from the phone. I worked in Deadhorse in the Arctic Circe and everywhere we went. IT works where it shouldn't if you are careful with positioning it.


Be careful with SPOT the coverage isn't good !!!! (really its not) and they don't come out unless you are in North America as far as I know. Read the small print.

In the UK there have been a good number of SPOT activations which have resulted in rescue, many life saving.

GEOS who receive the SPot alter pass it ti ARCC Kinloss, (UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre) (RAF Search and Rescue (SARF) - ARCC if you're interested) who the pass it to the correct body, resulting in rescue.

All seems to work fine from what I've seen, and I believe GEOS work in the same way with other countries.

As for the insurance, it does state "global cover" to the value you get.

I've not had an issue with Spot coverage within their coverage area. Just bear in mind that its the same as any satellite device, and you need to be able to see the sats's to get communication. Under cliffs and deep valleys may not be the best places :(

Iain

Iain

yes it does seem like they have increased there worldwide offerings for search and rescue. Limited to 72 hours though.

If you look at the satellite cover you'll still find cover lacking in southern and east africa for SPOT. Depends on your needs but i'd rather have the ability to call someone and/or send my location.

Yellow Brick do a nice unit especially for bikes as it has a G meter inside so if you take a bad fall it starts alarming automatically. We've seen them all on various peoples rides. Pays your money and takes your choice.

Before you sign up for Spot etc I see companies are developing Sat phone 'Jackets' to use with your iPhone or Android device:

Thuraya SatSleeve turns Apple's iPhone into a satellite phone

Unless you are heading off on a trip soon, Id be tempted to wait and see how these develop, if they can get these to work as well as a regular sat phone it might be the way to go in the future, hopefully they will get them on the Iridium satellite network for a truly global phone as Thuraya has limited coverage.


I just looked at the Yellowbrick, it does look like the best system out there at the moment, higher initial price than Spot, but much better quality, quite reasonable rates for 2 way comms - and it uses Iridium.