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GPS tracking devices
Anyone used any GPS tracking devices like SPOT or EPIRB? We are travelling from the UK to South Africa down the eastern route starting next april and thinking of getting a GPS/satellite tracker for emergencies. I wondered if anyone had used one, especially the SPOT system as the coverage map seems to get sketchy south of Ethiopia. Also interested if anyone wants to sell one second hand in the UK (same goes for a 12v fridge too!) Thanks! Rachel
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Hey Rachel - I use a SPOT .. and here's a colour-coded coverage map from SPOT's very own website:
http://www.my-mc.com/messages/1/132719.jpg You can see that in Africa, the closest Globalstar 'gateway' is in Nigeria. So the farther away you are from Nigeria, the less chance SPOT will work. If you're in western Kenya or Tanzania, SPOT might still work, though some messages will likely get dropped. If you're in the eastern parts South Africa, SPOT will probably not work at all. just my 2p's worth. Cheers KEITH . |
May be other Emergency locator beacons on the market
Hi Rachel,
We are also very keen to get an emergency locator beacon. My partner's mum has been doing a bit of research into it as they want us to have one too!!! There are some other brands on the market - I'll find out what we know and report back. We are leaving on the same trip in February - might bump into you on the road! Get in touch via our website if you want to swap info or exchange route ideas!! Cheers ness |
use your mobile
Depending on where you are going, you can also use your mobile e.g. iPhone app allows family to see where you are at any time, it works as long as you have mobile service. I did it Peru and it worked great
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Hi
I have a SPOT which is great. Just make sure you have a clear view of sky even in areas that have coverage - otherwise your message might not go...but that might be the same for any type of system. They just need to have a text function and they would be perfect. Adastra |
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How about adding a ISATPhonePro to your kit? IsatPhone Pro $499.00! Call SatPhoneCity +1.866.473.6044 - Home daryl |
why?
Not to be a "nay-sayer" but why do you need an epirb/sat-phone/SPOT?
I mean, if you should get into real trouble, the only thing that will save you is your wits. Spending money on electronic devices will not ensure anything but more expenses and more things to loose. A GPS is a nice-to-have and a map is a need-to-have but talking to locals on the way is what will get you anywhere in the world, with a minimum of hassel. From my experiences, for whatever they count, I would say: Less is more. You can get internet access anywhere in the world today, so keeping a blog updated is not that hard. You will be surprised! GL with your travels! |
Some info on PLBs
Hi everyone,
Right, here is what I've found out about PLBs and SPOT. Firstly, we want to get a PLB as we want to do lots of trekking and climbing in remote areas, so if we hurt ourselves it will be good to have a PLB. We will also use it in the backcountry once we get home to NZ, as we are keen trampers (hikers). So, here we go... PLBs PLBs and EBIRBs are essentially the same, and use the same technology, the difference is an EPIRB is used at sea. There are loads of PLBs on the market – each country has many different brands. They all operate at 406 MHz which is a dedicated frequency that was set up by the international SAR community. Each country has its own agency that monitors this frequency, and acts on any distress signals originating from its residents. PLBs need to be registered, and each country has a unique code, so if you set one off, it will be picked up by your national SAR agency – for this reason it is important to buy your PLB in your country of residence, and its imperative that you register it with the authorities so if you have to set it off in an emergency, they know who you are. When activated, PLBs transmit a distress signal to a network of satellites called the Cospas-Sarsat system and then back down the Search & Rescue organization where your PLB is registered. If your PLB has an in-built GPS unit it can pinpoint your location down to within about 50m (some more accurately) whereas PLBs without GPS solely rely on triangulation from the satellites (I think), and are only accurate to about 5km. So an in built GPS makes the PLB MUCH more accurate, and helps SAR groups locate the signal quicker and find you quicker! The Cospas-Sarsat system of satellites has worldwide coverage, including both poles. There are a number of brands – ACR seem very popular, and have a model that has a similar function to the SPOT in that if you subscribe to the 406Link.com service (for a yearly fee), you can send an “I am OK” message to family/friends etc. I think it is this aspect that has limited coverage and does not include east Africa, but the emergency locator aspect still works in Africa. This PLB is called "SARLink 406 MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon" made by "ACR Electronics". Product No. 2885 Model PLB-350C. There is another one that appears identical called Aqualink. We have just purchased an Aqualink in NZ and have registered it there. So if we set it off, the NZ SAR will be alerted and will organise a search for us. Another one called fastfind PLB looks good too, but we went with the Aqualink as when we get back to NZ we can register it and then we can send "I'm ok" messages. Get found with Fast Find - The 406 MHz Personal Location Beacon (PLB) Australian review Here is an Australian review of 5 brands GPS Australia - EPIRB - 406Mhz Emergency Beacon compare (PLB) The one that comes out on top is still not available, even two years later! So sounds like they recommend the GME one. ACCUSAT™ Pocket Pro+ MT410G, manufactured by GME, Standard Communications Pty Ltd. Skylark Productions � Personal locator beacon—406 Mhz comes to the rescue SPOT SPOT devices are not PLBs. They operate at a different frequency from PLBs, and aren’t based on the international Cospas-Sarsat system but use a different satellite system called Globalstar which doesn’t have global coverage. Unfortunately this coverage doesn’t extend to east Africa. SPOT distress signals are not monitored by each country’s SAR agency, but rather by a private company based in America. With a SPOT you can either send an “OK” message to a predefined email address(es) with your location (i.e. to family and friends), or you can send an emergency alert, which is picked up by the SPOT monitoring company called GEOS , who then pass on the distress signal to the Search and Rescue authorities. It appears that search and rescue (in the States at least) don’t rate SPOT very highly, If a SPOT emergency signal is set off, the SAR regard it more as a “missing person report” and don’t necessarily deploy a rescue team... There is a good write-up at this website: FAQs: SPOT vs EPIRBs / PLBS There is a good comparison of SPOT and Fastfind PLB here: Review of the SPOT Satellite Messenger vs. PLB's Looks like thePLB comes out on top. So it depends what you want it for really. Some friends of mine have SPOT and they rave by them. The fact they don't work in East Africa kinda makes it a no brainer for us to go with a PLB. SUMMARY
Cheers |
What about taking all three?
A SPOT for your friends and family to track your adventure. An EPIRB for emergency use, and a Sat phone for someone to contact you once you press that button. The real question is whether an rescue infrastructure is in place to quickly come to your aid. When you press that button, will a squad of Marines start dropping out of a helicopter 30 seconds or 30 days later. I'm sure the pressing of the button is detected somewhere within milli-seconds, but it could be hours before your help arrives. daryl |
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We have travel insurance that covers search and rescue, I'm confident that that NZ SAR would organise someone to come and find us, the cost will be covered by insurance. There have been rescues in some pretty remote parts of the world over the years, including remote parts of the Himalayas and at the Poles. |
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Spot Connect is out now which allows texting (upto 41 character) http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116 |
I've researched them in the past and just ordered a SPOT, mostly to reassure a group I'm taking on a trip that their possibly anxious people back home can track them easily - but also to try the system out.
The real question is whether an rescue infrastructure is in place to quickly come to your aid. That is indeed the crux, IMO. What will pressing SOS in Nepal or Rwanda deliver? Doubt it will be a dozen abseiling nurses any time soon. And say in UK inshore waters (a place I may use it personally)? Again, better to know who exactly is being alerted. I contacted GEOS in Texas about who are the 'SAR services' they would contact in my upcoming area if I pressed SOS on the SPOT. It got forwarded to the Head of the Geos International Emergency Response Coordination Center. Yet to get a reply, but if it's the Illinois National Guard, it wont be much help. To me then, the 'Help' button which can be set up to contact specified individuals by email is much more useful (as is the nightly position marker linked to an embedded Google map, or some such). My meltdown scenario is an attempted abduction (actually highly unlikely) rather than an RTA. I won't have time to fire up the sat phone - and may not even have time to hit the SPOT, but the speed and ease of jabbing one button is the issue. My only concern is I hear they dont send off signals so well on the move. Anyone know about that? Seems a bit unlikely - they track and upload onto a Google Map after all, dont they? For full-on 24/7 satellite tracking I have heard Yellowbrick Tracking - truly global satellite tracking beacons for yacht racing, adventures, treks, expeditions and challenges is good. It uses Iridium network but who knows what it all costs. Chris S forgot to say, thanks for good summary G'bean |
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Rental: 2 days £75.00 4 days £125.00 8 days £150.00 15 days £200.00 30 days £300.00 A bit pricy if you ask me. |
Its the best money you'll ever spend....
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I'm all up for adventure and using my wits... but when there's a real emergency where time of the essence... anything that saves minutes bringing help can save your life or a lot of pain. And its hard to be clever when you're lying under a motorcycle badly injured. That sat phone rental was unquestionably the best money I've ever spent on anything in my life. I can see the value in a spot. Fortunately I was fit enough to pull the phone out of my pocket and call the RCMP. I was able to read off the coordinates from my Garmin GPS. If I was in worse shape, being able to press a button that relayed my location and the need for help might have made a big difference. |
That sat phone rental was unquestionably the best money I've ever spent on anything in my life
I agree. In the context of the original question regarding what I presume are emergency comms (not the same as tracking), a sat phone is far and away better than any SPOT, EPIRB etc. Quite simply talking to an actual person can speed things up as I have found. Many days were saved. Doesnt even have to be an emergency to save time having spares sent on and so on. Knowing your location - tracking - is only the first stage in an emergency but a GPS can do that very well and so can a sat phone. AFAICT a SPOT is more of a handy, easy to use gadget by comparison, while an EPRIB calls International Rescue. I know a guy who set his EPRIB off either by mistake (testing a signal?) or possibly not in a full-on emergency. Very soon the local army was on him and quite annoyed. He was banned from returning to that country. Only 200 quid for a used old model Hughes/Ascom Thuraya off ebay (good for everywhere except Americas). The only problem is the battery will go flat when it's off for days. Get a cig lighter charger. (New models may have better batteries). Cheaper calls than the other networks too. Of course in most places a mobile will do and a GPS can keep track 24/7. The good thing with a SPOT as I see is that on a long remote trip letting others know where you are on an online map is easily done - a text or call from a sat phone could achieve a similar result but is more of a hassle. It's more reassuring for others than you on a trip. Chris S Regarding SPOT Southern Africa coverage: We used it successfully from Durban and further up north through Botswana to Zambia then back to Botswana and in Namibia. We started to have trouble getting a signal out as we went further south on the west coast of South Africa and stopped sending from about Langebaan southwards until we got further round the east coast from Matatiele (South Lesotho) we were able to send again all along the east coast back up to Durban and northwards. Which looking at the coverage map shouldn't have happened but did. Gap Year 4x4 in 2010 |
I'm travelling with my eight year old son this year and SPOT seems like a very good idea.
My biggest fear is that if something happens to me, with SPOT he can press the SOS button and stay with the car and hopefully someone will come along. Ok it's only Morocco but my fear would be who would SPOT contact and would they respond? Yes my wife would also get the distress message but what could she do from the UK? What do you guys think, is it worth me having a SPOT for Morocco? (Cost = £200 for year one) Thanks. |
My biggest fear is that if something happens to me, with SPOT he can press the SOS button and stay with the car and hopefully someone will come along.
I would say that is a bad way to proceed unless you know exactly who will be contacted in Morocco (as I am trying to find out from GEOS). Better to get him to call your wife on a mobile, or program SPOT to contact the wife and a few others ('HELP') and tell him how to do it. Or rent a sat phone. It is so much better to have a co-ordinated rescue plan in place than pressing a button on a gadget and hoping for the best. I suspect this is what has given SPOT a bad reputation with SAR services. You wife needs simply to contact the Brit embassy in Morocco with your details including position. They have all the local contacts and will know exactly what to do. Better still, register with the embassy before you go if you are concerned - they like that. Anyway, in Morocco you will unlikely be alone for long and if you're driving on what few remote routes there are alone (like MW1 or MW6), then renting a sat phone is much a better idea. Chris S Later: I just got mine today and set it up. All very easy - dont know what all these online complaints are about the terrible manual and website (maybe it's changed). Test of Check in/OK message + location arrived by email and text in seconds (from southern England). Online FAQ did not help so I checked with a SPOT helpline about using HELP/SPOT Assist and (asking several times) I was told there are no 'SPOT Assist service partners' in Europe/Africa. Only in North America. So you can program the HELP/SPOT Assist as an SOS to your specified individuals out of North America without risking also calling out Crazy Bob's Haulage & Recovery in Hooterville, ID. The Custom button is an alternative for this but only fires off once - HELP keeps on transmitting until the battery is flat - or something like that. |
Thanks Chris, good advise as always.
I would not do any of the remote routes as a single vehicle with my son. I did MW6 last year btw, fantastic IMO. |
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I also bought the tracking add on and so far it has not failed to transmit all the tracking info to their website. Early days but I'm impressed so far, ignoring the 911 / SOS button which maybe of little value, at first I thought it was expensive but really its cheap for what it does and the way it does it :thumbup1: |
We recently did a 2 week tour of Tunisa spending sevral days driving and wild camping in the Chott El Jerid and in the area around Ksar Ghilane.
I used the Spot II throughout the trip as folllows: Each morning I would activate the tracking feature. The reports from friends and relatives was very positive. The map was updated every 10 minutes with out position and was extremely accurate. This tracked us at 50-60 mph the whole way through France as well as in the remoter parts of the desert at crawling speed. Each evening once we arrived at our camping spot I would activate the 'OK' button. This sent the message and location to the nominated contacts as well as updating our facebook page and website blog with the brief message and a link to a location map. Most nights it was impossible to get a mobile phone signal or internet access. We had programmed the 'Help' button with specific contacts and had agreed a sequence of action. Sending the 'help' message meant that our contacts should standby to help as we MAY be in a spot of bother. If they received no further messages within 12 hours they would contact the British Embassy with all the details. If they received the help signal twice then they would contact the embassy straight away. You can tell from the lights displayed on the unit when the first message has finished sending. If they received an 'OK' message this would cancel the 'standby'. We realised that any help wouldn't be immediate and could take days, but we were in a fullt prepared land rover with enough water and supplies to last. We didn't really consider the 'Emergency SOS' button as a point of total reliance. Spot themselves only guarentee SAR support in certain countries (Tunisia isn't one of them) if you check the small print. Although if the situation was really dire I would have pushed the button as it couldn't hurt to alert them. As a 'keep the folks informed of your progress tool' it is very good. As a 'press this button and we will get help tool' it is okay in countries where you have coverage and where you have established a plan with your contacts. As a 'total reliance that this will save us piece of kit' I would go for a sat phone and a reliable contact number for where you are. We were on a 2 week 'guided' overland tour of Tunisia. The guide carried a sat phone but I wanted to have some independant piece of mind just in case we became separated from the group. For a trip like this, buying a sat phone was over the top (and expensive). The Spot was ideal. We will be doing a similar trip to Morocco next year and will use the same principle then. If I was planning a Uk - Cape Town type trip I would definitly carry a sat phone but, for the cost, I would also use the spot to update the family when it had coverage. One other small advantage to consider with the Spot II is the fact that you can programme in an additional message. The unit is so small that you can carry it when you move away from the vehicle, such as wandering through souks etc. If you became seperated you could press this button and alert your partner or guide, via their mobile (assuming there is mobile coverage) where you are. We mounted the spot in a Halfords adjustable mobile phone holder stuck on the dashboard and had no signal issues at any time. I hope this helps. Ralph |
SPOT-on
Hi all, and a great forum thread !.
As I was on my own for last-year's RTW trip I'd decided to carry both a SPOT and a new 9555 Satellite phone along with the usual IT gear. To keep the post short I'd now ALWAYS carry a SPOT. Just knowing the family was getting a "I'm OK" sms and email each day and were able to locate me on Google Earth was worth the hassle. It worked right accross from Oz to Europe ( even the non-signal areas of India / Himmalayas etc ). The Satellite phone on the other had was unrelaible !...worked only 3 out of 5 times and won't be with me next trip. The service provider could not answer why I had problems, but it was always at higher altitudes ( like calling home from the Highest motorable pass in the world etc ). It boils down to what you want it to do for you, and for me the SPOT 1 did a great job for me. Hope this helps, n safe riding ! Frank. |
Spotty consistency
I agree with much of what Ralph says and the way he went about setting up and using his SPOT. Good to confirm there is no SPOT-alerted S&R in Tuni; I take it's safe to say there's none in Alg either. SPOT never answered me on that one.
My experiences just back from Algeria are quite the opposite of Bergrider: sat phone (Thuraya) dependable as always; SPOT hit an miss. The fact that there was a tourist kidnapping soon after my group arrived in Algeria made it all the more important the SPOTs got through. I suppose I could have been less tight and gone for the tracking option which I might do next time, but on this first occasion I settled on a 'Custom' message sent at lunchtime and an 'OK' each night, with emails and SMS of the nightly 'OK' sent to a short list including my mobile (but not sat). None of the SMS messages for our 18 nightly locations got through to one mobile (though they had when tested in the UK in seconds) and about a quarter got through to my 'test' mobile (same provider, worked in Alg but not always in range, of course). At first I thought SMS only made it out if the SPOT was transmitting in an area with GSM (even though it's a GPS device) but on 3-4 days of the tour in the Sahara, northern Alg and finally in Spain most emails of locations didnt make it and they didn't make it onto the map either. Just as well most in the group were in mobile contact by then with home. On many of these occasions I can distinctly recall sending the SPOT. And then, sometimes the map locations would be delayed by several hours (< 24) and all arrived at once in people's inboxes and on the map. Due to these inconsistencies a couple of times worried people back home would try and call the sat phone to check all was OK. As Ralph mentioned a 12 hour delay before taking action might be a good idea, but within 2 hours of being grabbed the Italian woman who was kidnapped (miles from us) was in another country. So, if it really matters perhaps SPOT tracking is better (so would be nice if the unit could be run off a 12v PTO like a GPS), or just telephone in every night with a position (and send a back-up SMS with long/lat off the sat phone). The best thing with SPOT is its small, easy to use and automatically reaches whoever wants to know. People back home reported it was fun to track our progress, too. The bad thing is it didnt always work for me and because of that can cause unnecessary alarm. Chris S Later... Now I have RTFM I see one should leave it transmitting for 20 mins after the 'flying envelope' flashes. I never left mine on for more than a minute (assuming it had gone off) which might explain why some did not register. But those that did register were also on for only a minute. Could explain lack of SMS I am told, though off the Algerian coast (on ferry) the SMS was on my phone in seconds, as it was back in UK. |
But Chris,
Cousin Bob is always willing to help when needed!!!!!!!!! Ha Allen N. |
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Chris This is a direct lift from the GEOS SAR service terms and conditions: Entitlement will be extended to other geographic locations subject to acceptance by the GEOS Underwriters in writing, which will be provided after the application has been made, and if refused all premiums paid will be refunded. The following geographic locations are excluded: - - North, Central or West Africa - Middle East, Iraq Iran and Afghanistan - Russia So you're right to assume that Algeria is out. This refers to the 'additional' service that they will provide if the local SAR service isn't up to the job. Full details here : GEOS SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) As there is no 'official' SAR service I guess that means your on your own or in the hands of the embassy. I note your point regarding kidnapping and would fully support that Spot is not ideal for this. We were in Tunisia and will be going to Morocco. Both countries where tourists are pretty safe (current political situation excepted). If we were travelling to a slightly riskier country I would look for something else such as a sat phone. On your last point; yes you do need to leave the Spot on until the relevant lights have done their thing. Once we had finally stopped for the night I would turn off the tracking and press the 'OK' button. By the time we had the rooftent out and the kettle boiled (or beer poured) the messages had been sent and I could turn the Spot off. I found that one set of batteries (3 AAAs) lasted 21 days of tracking and 'OKs'. I would guess that a 12v input could affect the portability and waterproofing of the unit but, I agree that it would give you piece of mind. Ralph |
Spot on the learning curve
I found that one set of batteries (3 AAAs) lasted 21 days of tracking and 'OKs'.
That was my next question. I got it in my head/read somewhere it was 2 days (like your average Garmin running on bats) so thought it was not worth the bother. Tracking would be the way to go then. Never did track down the GEOS SAR T&Cs - but it seems clear now. No 'Help' either, I gathered that much from a Helpline, but I had my own 'Help' organised, if need be. Chris |
Many thanks!
Hi folks,
One of my wife's patients told her all about Spot, so now it has become "required" equipment for my ride from the States down to Ushuaia and back in a few months. All things considered, the device seems to satisfy the peace-of-mind needs for those back home, is small enough not to be a nuisance, allows tracking for those following along from home, and finally, it does all this at quite a reasonable price. I appreciate the input from you who have investigated and/or used the Spot and other options. Many, many thanks! Now, I can leave the laptop at home and not bother with a sat phone. bier I'll file a AAR when I get home. Cheers and many miles! John B. 1150 GS :thumbup1: |
well said there is too much dependece on tech and internet now and its all armchair travel if you dont like risks dont travel kids learn to cross roads by crossing them learn not to fall by banging there heads , you dont stick a crash hat on a kid walking! problems are adventure and its times like these real human spirit comes alive . my advice is forget gps, trackers at the most take a phone but dont turn it on too much otherwise you may as well stay at home rather than ticking boxs
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my advice is forget gps...
Depends how you use it and where you go. Me, I have been able to be MUCH more adventurous in my desert travels since the advent of GPS as a back up to nav, and a sat phone has enabled a rescue in just a couple of days when those adventures have gone wrong, as they can do no matter what gadgets you carry. Chris |
Just found this thread so I may be able to get some info FYI
We've beel looking at the Spot Messenger from a SAR perpective withing Mountain Rescue for a few months. There have been a couple of Spot "activations" (ie the red button) and the outcome had been good. The GEOS centre now pass any activations in the UK to the ARCC (Air Rescue Co-ordination Centre) in RAF Kinloss who will either deal with it or pass it to the Police in the area of activation, who then call Mountain Rescue if requried. I'll speak with my contact in the ARCC tomorrow and find out if they know the procedure in other countries and report back. On a personal view, I've used a Spot on a few bike trips and its excellent. As in other posts, 3 x AAA Lithium batteries lasts a phenominal time. Tracking is very good, and there's other web sites sych as Spotwalla who can track the devices as well. Its key to ensure the devices are powered on and running for some time. Messaging is slow as its up to the sat, but seems to work OK when moving on the bike, as long as you have a clear sky. Iain |
I will agree with iainnic. The tracking was 'spot on' (excuse the pun:innocent:) for us. The spot was mounted, face-up, almost touching the windscreen, on the dashboard.
It picked up satelites quickly each morning and tracked our every move over the 3 week period. You must check the T&Cs (GEOS SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)) for coverage. I partially agree with robhoward that much of the risk is being taken out of normal life (and I'm a Health & Safety Manager:oops2:) but you can use technology to rule your life or use it enhance it. Having a gps tracker made no difference to where we went but for those people at home, that couldn't join us in person, they could be part of our adventure as it happened. GPS has always been sold as a 'navigation aid' it is only the way people use it that has turned it into 'the only way to navigate'. There is a disctinct pleasure in interpreting a paper map, plotting a course and navigating by compass (or even the stars). But there's also a great sense of relief, if (when) you get it wrong, to have a gps to help you get back on the right track (or avoid straying into a minefield or military training area, or cross a border you didn't reaaly want to:helpsmilie:). So, for me, a gps will always be mounted in the front of my discovery:thumbup1: |
After reading all the posts here, it seems to me that participants in this discussion are seeking one of two different results:
1) The ability to leave a breadcrumb trail so that others can determine where you are, or; 2) The ability to send a distress message to others. I think that there are much less expensive options available to fulfill either of the two objectives than dedicated systems such as SPOT and EPIRBs. In my 'day job', I deliver new aircraft from the factory to the customer. The factory is on Vancouver Island in Canada, the customer is almost always on the other side of the world (Maldives, Seychelles, South America, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, etc. - you get the idea). The aircraft are always equipped with an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), which functions the same way that the EPIRBs do, so objective number 2 is looked after - if the aircraft crashes, the ELT activates automatically. But this functionality is reserved for only the most serious of emergencies - a crash, or perhaps a forced landing in a hostile environment. This notwithstanding, all sorts of people I work with (my employer, the customer, friends along my route, etc.) want to be able to find out where I am at any time during my trip. It can sometimes take 10 days to get the aircraft to the other side of the world. I have quite deliberately dodged requests to "carry a SPOT", etc., simply because it would then become "one more thing" that I have to be concerned about - for example, making sure that the battery is charged, making sure that the thing has a view of the satellite constellation, and so forth. On a recent moto tour through Eastern Europe (see Notes from a September 2011 ride through Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece), I used my motorcycle as a proxy for the aircraft, to enable me to try out different tracking solutions to satisfy goal 1) above. After a lot of experimenting, I came to the conclusion that Google Latitude is the least expensive and least complicated way of leaving a breadcrumb trail behind. It works like this: You set up a Google mail (gmail) account, then tie that account to the Google Latitude functionality. Both are free. Once you have done that, whenever you log into the Latitude home page using a computer that has a Wi-Fi connection to the internet, a breadcrumb is dropped from your log-in location. Anyone else that you authorize to view your location in Google Latitude will then be able to see where you are. For reasons unknown, connecting your computer to the internet via Ethernet (a cable connection) won't drop a breadcrumb - but connecting by Wi-Fi will. You can increase the frequency of the breadcrumbs that are dropped by Google Latitude by installing the Latitude application on your mobile phone, and leaving the application running on your mobile phone. The application is available (free) for numerous different types of mobile phones, including Android, Blackberry, and others. If you leave the application running on your phone, and your phone has a GPS receiver and a view of the satellite constellation (fairly easy to facilitate, just leave the phone in your jacket pocket), then the phone will log into Google and drop a breadcrumb as long as it has both GPS reception and a connection to the local mobile phone system. I presume in this case that some data connection charges (from the mobile phone provider) will apply. I don't know how much data this application uses, I have not yet seen the bill from my September trip. In any case, you can easily limit the number of breadcrumbs dropped by simply exiting the Google Latitude application on your phone. If the application is not running, it won't pass any data. All I really need to do to keep the people following me happy is drop a 'daily breadcrumb' so that they know where I am on any given day. I can do that easily enough by logging into the internet via a Wi-Fi connection once a day. That's not a burden on me because I do that anyway just to fetch my mail and read the news. You can use a public computer (doesn't have to be your own) - just visit the Google Latitude web-page and log into your account to drop the breadcrumb. Below is an image showing how the Google Latitude application tracked me riding across Greece about a month ago. I had my phone (Blackberry 9780) in my jacket pocket, and I guess that the GPS satellite signals managed to permeate my riding jacket and get to the phone... so, the phone made a data connection to Google each time I went by a cell tower, and the result is what you see on the map. The breadcrumbs that get dropped are generally pretty accurate - within about 10 meters. Occasionally, one will be slightly in error (see the one in the middle of the water in the picture), but generally, they are pretty accurate. The only 'disadvantage' to this system is that only you (the Google Latitude account holder) can see the historical map. Everyone else that you authorize to view your location (they can view it on a computer, or on their own mobile device) will only see your most recent location. I don't think that is a problem if the objective is number 1, above... Anyone who goes looking for you will see your most recent location. As for making contact in an emergency (objective number 2, above) - provided you are in range of a mobile phone network, I think that just dialling someone on your mobile phone and saying "I'm in trouble, and this is where I am" is sufficient. If you have Latitude installed and running on your phone and you are in range of a mobile telephone network, then whomever you call can go to the Latitude website and see where it is that you are calling from, even if you don't know where it is. I hope this provides some food for thought, and perhaps provides an inexpensive and simple solution for fellow travelers. A key point that must be kept in mind - and that I think might be underestimated by some participants in this discussion - is this: If it is not super-simple and super-easy for you to ensure that your "tracking device" is always broadcasting, then it's not a tracking device, it's just excess weight that you are carrying around. Michael Google Latitude Tracking History one afternoon (riding towards the Peloponnese) http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...deTracking.jpg |
Great tip Micheal - seems OK for regular touring but surely in the world of adventure motorcycling - as least as I see it in deepest Africa, Asia and Latin America - a daily wi-fi signal is a luxury. Or am I out of touch with how widespread wi-fi has become?
I also think there is something to be said for separating one's comms and tracking and nav gadgets - what they call 'redundancy' which I'm sure as a pilot you appreciate. I also wonder if running a phone on GPS 24/7 eats batteries? I have no use for a smart phone and only turn on my dumb phone to use it, but in my adv travels (not all on bikes) I depend frequently on a sat phone for reliable anywhere/emergency comms, and the SPOT has become useful on remote tours to reassure the group's people back home who may have a different view of 'adventure'. And it seems is fairly dependable at constant tracking too, though that is TMI most of the time. IMO a Spot is a handy, inexpensive, robust, work-anywhere gadget to back up other devices. A quick jab of the button each night drops a daily breadcrumb and puts people's mind at ease without the need to seek out mobile or wi-fi signals. As an automatic SAR device I believe it has its limits out in the AM world - but then that's why it's an adventure. Chris |
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Using the SPOT tracking function and setting up a SPOT shared page, others can follow your progress in near real time. Every 10 minutes a flag will be dropped as you travel your route. I was following a rider on his trip across Canada, at one point flags kept dropping at one location. Thinking something was amiss, I called his cell. Sure enough, his engine had seized. While he had the situation under control, he was kinda shocked when I called and asked; Whats up! During a group ride to Red River, New Mexico a good friend had recently had a stroke and couldn't ride along. Using a laptop he could follow us from his hospital bed. His wife said he was glued to that laptop the whole time we were on the road. On my SPOT contacts page I added my own cell phone number. When I press the OK button, my cell phone rings with a text message to myself. This confirms that my OK message was sent out. The cell phone has rung in as little as 20 seconds after pressing the OK button. daryl |
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I think that Wi-Fi is now more widespread and more easily available on the road than mobile phone services are. Just about everyone on the planet has some form of internet connection now - even in the most remote places - and if they have hooked it up within the last 3 or 4 years, it's almost a sure bet that they have used Wi-Fi to hook it up, not Ethernet cable. I get to some pretty far out of the way places when I am delivering the aircraft - certainly more remote and more isolated than when I am riding my motorcycle - and I have yet to visit a place that doesn't have some form of Wi-Fi coverage. I will admit I am reluctant to use the SPOT simply because it is "yet another gadget to have to worry about". Perhaps I'll try using one on my next ferry flight - maybe that will change my mind. Michael |
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But then last time I checked spot had no coverage there and in Xinjiang. Smart phones have to be charged every day and they aren't the most robust device. |
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Now we are waiting in Sinai, Egypt to see if we can get Syrian visas. On the subject of GPS we heard they were not allowed in Syria... anyone know if this is true. ?? Our trip and diary is at www.bigbiketrip.net Safe and fun travels Rupert & F:thumbup1:anny |
We used SPOT for West Africa - our experience
Hi Folks,
We used a SPOT 2 on our trip down West Africa from Morocco. You can read about it at Latest news / About us - Langebaan Sunset - Stonehenge UK to Cape Town SA - 2010/11 and specifically on our prep page Preparations - Langebaan Sunset - Stonehenge UK to Cape Town SA - 2010/11 Here is our experience:
Positives: convenient, robust, compact and a good way to stay in touch, much cheaper than a Sat Phone, allows your trip to be more interactive, way cheaper than EPERB Negatives: Possible expensive add on if you are on a budget trip, coverage is not 100% for Africa, smart phones can serve as a means to send geo-location based info / comms HTH Safe travels Nick |
Delorme InReach experience??
This has been a good discussion of the Spot and other tracking options but I'm curious if anyone has used the InReach and what their experience has been. I have read some not so complimentary reviews about how complex the Delorme software is but they have a version that mates with my Android phone that looks interesting. And because they use the Iridium satellite network they have theoretically better covereage than the Spot.
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Hi All
Firstly a great thread and makes very useful reading. We are about to drive from Scotland to Eastern Russia through Mongolia and a lot of exploring in Eastern Russia by Landrover. We will be carrying a Sat Ph as we always do. We looked at the Spot but although the tracking is great for Family and Friends there is no back up in Russia and communication is one way only. We are going to use a Solara Field Tracker 2100. It works via the Iridium Sat System and guaranteed transmission no matter where you are. You can set your own breadcrumb trail to allow others to track you at an interval that you can define. It will act as a GPS EPIRB. and you can send and receive texts where-ever you are. so in an emergency you can allow others to know the nature of your emergency and you can also be sure your SOS has been received and communicate with your would be rescuers. It is ruggedised waterproof shock resistant etc Worth a look I think. Try google. Lots of info Hope this is useful. Regards Callum |
personal GPS tracker
i dont know the brands that u mentioned, but im using something else as a personal gps tracker, and its owsome.
im tracking my alzhiemer dad, and my little girl (9yrs old) on her way fromo school. i have access from my laptop or my phone. |
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Recently started playing up - hard to get turned on and turned itself off whenever it felt like - and while the SPOT service was excellent in that they offered to send a replacement in Santiago, we couldn't hang around for the 2+ weeks that the mail might have taken, so we will do the swap when we get to the US. In the meantime we bought a Delorm InReach SE and while it is certainly more expensive to buy, the tracking performance is way ahead of that of the SPOT. For example, in Iceland our tracking map is missing heaps of points among the fiords (on the northern sides) because of the topography and the same in Chile along the coast especially when we were heading south with the SPOT on the dash facing south and I expected it would get much worse once we got further south. With the InReach there is not one tracking point missing from the Spotwalla map since we left Santiago simply because of the two-way communication that verifies reception of each point and each message. If a message doesn't get through, it just stores it until it does get through. Occasionally when under thick forest canopy the display will say "sent 45 out of 48" say, but when checking the map they are all there and in the correct place and for a change, the speed info for each point makes sense. https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php...fillFactor=100 you can see the difference south of Santiago compared with north Re the software - easy enough to use and probably easier than SPOT. The delorm tracking map retains points indefinitely unlike Spot where they go after a week or so. I use Spotwalla which also stores all data indefinitely plus you can have several trips covering different periods and insert photos on the map. When teamed with a smart phone, the SE has world maps that can be downloaded on to your smart phone or tablet |
I also have a Delorme Inreach and am happy with it. I used it for a five-week trip around Europe this year as a test for my 2014 trip.
I like the option of having pre-set messages that can be sent via SMS at no cost. I send one at the beginning of each day that says we are setting off for the day and another once that says we've reached our destination for the day. Custom text messages can be created and sent at any time, via satellite, so communication is still possible when there is no cellphone cover. I have it set on 'track' constantly, so that family members can see where we are at any time. The tracks show up on a web-map that can be restricted by a password. Very happy with my Delorme. It will be coming on the six-month trip in 2014. |
Bounce of an old thread as I was looking at a fairly recent utility www.polarsteps.com which looks like quite a nice way of reporting progress on a long trip. Of course, like all smartphone apps they depend on getting data connection, potentially expensive if you haven't got wifi and impossible if no signal.
So to my mind a GPS/satcom device of some sort is a smart idea to keep with you for those "oh s***" moments. The technology has moved on since the last post on this thread but personally I favour the SPOT for its small size and lower price despite the holes in coverage, which don't affect the parts of the world I expect to be heading to. Part of my reasoning is the possibility to leave it charging in a discreet location on the bike overnight as an anti-theft tracker then take it out and carry it as a PLB type device during the day. Obviously you can get dedicated anti theft trackers but they tend to work on mobile networks which may not be available where you park up. Anyone else tried this approach? |
Sounds like a clever idea - 2 uses from one gadget.
Not sure SPOT has 'holes in coverage' does it? GPS signal is worldwide. Just massive regional holes in deploying a timely response to an emergency call (last time I checked). For that, a sat phone is always best. True what you say about mobile-based anti-theft / tracking. Patchy tracking outside of Europe I was told by one user. |
GPS is very widespread as you say, this is more the satcom transmission facility. This is the map they give, orange areas are 96% probability of sending a message in 20 minutes. Yellow is less. So it does depend where you expect to be going.
https://www.findmespot.com/images/sp...t_coverage.jpg |
Oh yes, I forget the latest SPOTS have a message facility. Very handy.
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Delorme Inreach... it's a two-way spot
I used to have a spot, but the problem is that it is a one-way communication, so not very usefull except in an emergency..... and then you hope the message went out.
Now I use a Inreach from DeLorme (now Garmin). It is a spot that can send AND receive txt-messages. So, if you have an emergency and press that big red button (well, you actually have to slide it) you do not have to wonder if help is comming... The response center will reply and ask you what kind of assistance you need. It costs about the same as spot (I pay 12 U$ per month) and it has more flexible plans that you can stop and start when you want. Check it out.:D |
I agree with the DeLorme/Garmin InReach. I have used one for the last four years and it is a great little item. Always have message comms and my family enjoy the online map where they can follow my progress in real time. I haven't had to use the emergency button yet but if I do need, glad to know it is there.
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As this thread has come alive again, I'm wondering if I could use your knowledge to assist our organisation.
We're looking for a cheap tracking device for our motorbike(s) to know where employees have been on it. They have to note the kilometres but we know they're often not on the route they should be on, if you get my drift. When I say cheap, I really do mean cheap, it's for a NGO and it has to work in Cote d'Ivoire (via a telecoms provider perhaps??) Searched all over google without much success! Thanks |
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Someone I’m travelling with right now has a little blue box called a Holux tracker.
It may be what you’re looking for. |
Ah yes, I have to look into this again. I still have the very first Spot (without the messaging) device, which I guess we could still use. Just taking a new service for one year.
I have to check how it is with the "live tracking" options of that one, versus just pressing the button a few times. When carrying a satellite phone I think the other (messaging) features are not really relevant? |
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Hey Des, and others :-) Maybe interesting for you guys to know that Polarsteps works completely offline. Content will be synced once you hit a wifi spot or when you wish to push it through 3G/4G. Also, on Android it uses a combination of GPS and triangulation (cell signal) which means that you'll be able to get a lock on your location 99.9% of the times :-). I have tracked all my travels with it from crossing the Atlantic to riding to Cape town, etc. Hope this helps! |
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