Re: [Paddlewise] SPOT anxiety

> Bob Carter wrote:
> > In the past couple months the coast guard has had three false
> searches
> > due to the SPOT (Personal satellite tracker) system. In each case
> it has
> > a combination of the limitations of the SPOT unit and human
> anxiety.
> > [snip] Each of the three parties searched for were found to be OK
> and
> > doing fine unaware they were missing. The coast guard is not happy
> about
> > this and I fear may be reluctant to search based on the SPOT
> system.
> 
> This is not good news.  The failure of a few makes a potentially
> very vital 
> link possibly useless.
> 
> Anybody know if the SPOT folks are on this problem?
> 
> -- 
> Dave Kruger
> Astoria, OR

I'm not sure I can think of anything that the SPOT people can do. The 
unit may not be able to get a signal for any number of reasons, 
including being broken. How does one inform the contact people to 
expect no further messages from the SPOT unit unless there is cell 
coverage in the area, so they do not call the calvary unnecessarily? 

One could travel with multiple SPOT units, but who can afford that? 
And, rare though it might be, multiple units can be lost, damaged or 
just fail on their own, leaving us back on square one.

Personally, I find the lack of any confirmation attached to any of 
the messages sent to be somewhat disquieting. I much prefer a VHF 
radio, or a satellite radio, where I can relay more than "I'm fine" 
or "I'm not fine" and I can tell pretty much right away if there's 
anyone receiving them. 

-- 
  Darryl
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