A friend of mine who I suspect thinks I am crazy for paddling solo as much as I do just sent me a note about a new GPS linked device which can be activated in emergencies to notify emergency personnel that you need help. It will also allow friends and family to track your progress over the net. I will research it a little more and consider carrying one if I think it pans out. I am planning a 250 mile three week trip this summer and a device like this may be comforting to my very understanding wife. www.findmespot.com Let me know if anyone has used this device. thanks Bob *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bob Carter wrote: > A friend of mine who I suspect thinks I am crazy for paddling solo as much as > I do just sent me a note about a new GPS linked device which can be activated > in emergencies to notify emergency personnel: > www.findmespot.com This guy: http://paddlingtravelers.blogspot.com/ has one and is testing it. I expect he will post results as soon as he develops them. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> We will look forward to your trip report, as well as your evaluation of > the device. > > Brad Crain In case your are interested I plan to paddle from Petersburg and head Southwest. My goal is Coronation Island which sits south of Kuiu Island here in Southeast Alaksa. Coronation is an isolated and rugged piece of rock featuring towering cliffs and deep bays. I have some options on my return route. I will make that decision when I reach Cape Decision. (no joke) It will be anywhere between 235 and 250 depending on the final route. I plan to take three weeks for the trip giving myself some bad weather days. I will take the trip in either June or July. The roof over my church office turned from Holy to holey (at one point I had a kiddy swimming pool in the middle of my office to catch the rain) and we need to replace it. So roof first then paddle. So anyone else got big plans for 2008? take care Bob *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> A friend of mine who I suspect thinks I am crazy for paddling solo as much as > I do just sent me a note about a new GPS linked device which can be activated > in emergencies to notify emergency personnel that you need help. It will also > allow friends and family to track your progress over the net. > I will research it a little more and consider carrying one if I think it pans > out. I am planning a 250 mile three week trip this summer and a device like > this may be comforting to my very understanding wife. > www.findmespot.com > > Let me know if anyone has used this device. > > thanks > > Bob For the price (including the subscription service), I'd rather carry a VHF radio. One of the downsides to the SPOT is that you get no confirmation that any of your messages are being received. At least with the radio, there's either someone on the other end or there isn't. I'm not so much concerned with my family at home getting periodic notices that I * appear* to be well, as I am at wanting quick, reliable contact with someone if things go pear-shaped while I'm out there. And if I'm out on the barrens where there isn't much in the way of SAR personnel monitoring radios, then I'm going to have a sat. phone. The specs for the SPOT say that coverage in the far north is -- pardon the pun -- spotty at best. No, I think the SPOT is a feel-good gadget for the stay-at-home worry- wart. I'm open to being persuaded otherwise, of course.... -- Darryl *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Darryl said: > For the price (including the subscription service), I'd rather carry > a VHF radio................. > > > ...........And if I'm out on the barrens where there isn't much in the way of > SAR personnel monitoring radios, then I'm going to have a sat. phone. > The specs for the SPOT say that coverage in the far north is -- > pardon the pun -- spotty at best. Darryl, The SPOT doesn't replace my VHF, it supplements it. My VHF is my first line of defense if I need help. But what do you do when you can't reach someone on the radio? Data transmission is much more reliable than voice transmission, so the SPOT is more likely to get through when your radio or SAT phone can't. The unit also is waterproof to the same standards as most VHF radios - are there any waterproof SAT phones? I don't think so. As far as coverage is concerned, almost all of the world that I'll be paddling in is covered and my experience so far is that the messages get sent within a few minutes of my pressing the button. At the current subscription price of $99 (I didn't get the tracking function at the suggestion of Jen Kleck-it makes the maps too cluttered at kayak speeds - but I do have unlimited OK messages which will perform the same function manually) and the price of the unit, it will be 5 years before I will have spent the same amount of money as the ACR unit costs. By then, I'm sure the technology and/or prices will have changed. Again, first line of defense is to call a mayday on the VHF. Then if that doesn't work - hit the 911 button on the SPOT. It will keep tracking me and updating my position every 5 minutes. No benefit accrues to me from SPOT, other than the peace of mind my family gets knowing where I am and knowing I have another way of calling for help if needed. Steve Holtzman *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Darryl said: > > For the price (including the subscription service), I'd rather carry > > a VHF radio................. > > > > > > ...........And if I'm out on the barrens where there isn't much in the way > of > > SAR personnel monitoring radios, then I'm going to have a sat. phone. > > The specs for the SPOT say that coverage in the far north is -- > > pardon the pun -- spotty at best. > > Darryl, > > The SPOT doesn't replace my VHF, it supplements it. My VHF is my first line > of defense if I need help. But what do you do when you can't reach someone > on the radio? > <snip> Of course, for those with larger budgets than I, the SPOT is very likely a good thing. Unfortunately, I have not only a limited budget, but limited space as well, so carrying emergency gear, along with food, clothing, cooking gear, first aid supplies, tent, etc. makes for trade-offs. I'm not knocking the SPOT. I'm just saying that I'd rather have the VHF if I had to carry only one communication device. If you can afford the monetary and space "cost" of both, then, by all means, do take both. Three devices would be even better, and so on. Just as an aside, I tend to both alienate my family and to carry excessive life insurance. My family is, therefore, both happy to see me leave on trips and even happier when I don't come back. (Of course, the latter has yet to happen, but hope springs eternal, as they say. <grin>) -- Darryl *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Darryl said: > Just as an aside, I tend to both alienate my family and to carry > excessive life insurance. My family is, therefore, both happy to see > me leave on trips and even happier when I don't come back. (Of > course, the latter has yet to happen, but hope springs eternal, as > they say. <grin>) My wife used to tell all of my paddling friends that if anything were to happen to me, to make sure they brought back some DNA so she wouldn't have to wait 7 years for the life insurance. Steve *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
One issue to recognize when you have a device that appears to make it very easy to send a quick message home, the people at home come to expect the quick "OK" message. If anything should happen to the device, those at home would become more worried than if you didn't have the device at all. If you say that you will be gone for two weeks and people don't expect to hear from you during that time, they may have a low level of concern for 14 days, but won't really worry unless they don't hear from you by day 15. If you promise to check in 5 times a day and the device dies on day 7, they may be relaxed for those 7 days, but the next 7 will be extremely difficult. A SAR operation may be launched because of one dead battery. Nick On Jan 30, 2008, at 11:38 PM, Darryl wrote: >> > > No, I think the SPOT is a feel-good gadget for the stay-at-home worry- > wart. I'm open to being persuaded otherwise, of course.... > Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 824 Thompson St Glastonbury, CT 06033 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dear paddlewisers, Interesting gadget. We are locally planning to establish a pool of the ACR Aquafix PLB with GPS for use in coastal waters around the Baltic Sea. We already use VHF but miss something that always has a battery with power and that will take us out of the water reasonably fast if something really goes wrong. In Denmark a PLB must be registered as a regular epirb with a one-time registration fee of about $150. As far as our spouses are concerned the ordinary telephones have a satisfying coverage. Good luck with the SPOT. I look forward to hear about the experiences. Jens Viggo Moesmand --- "A friend of mine who I suspect thinks I am crazy for paddling solo as much as I do just sent me a note about a new GPS linked device which can be activated in emergencies to notify emergency personnel that you need help..." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bob, If you are referring to the SPOT, I got one as a gift from my wife. Jen Kleck took one to the UK with her for her Level 5 Coach Assessment. After I saw her results with it I decided it would be good for me too. So far it works perfectly. I keep it in a pocket of my PFD and when I push the OK button, it sends my location and an OK message to up to 5 email addresses. The location is VERY accurate-think single digit feet. Fortunately, I haven't has to test the 911 function. Steve Holtzman Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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