I have had a SPOT unit for paddling since last December. I'm also very well acquainted with what can happen when you can't communicate a problem. I lost a very good friend in a kayaking incident. An EPIRB, SPOT, VHF, cell phone, flares, or even smoke might have saved his life (Seakayaker Magazine December '07). The SPOT is a good ADDITION to your other safety devices and serves as an additional layer of defense. It should not be your only one. I have had no problem getting it to lock onto the GPS satellites or the GEOS communication satellites and I have used my device in Southern California, British Columbia, and Tadoussac, Quebec. While hiking in Sequoia National Park, it sometimes took a while to lock onto the satellites. I have also programmed the "HELP" button on my unit to send a message that says "The weather has changed. I'm OK, but will spend the night at this location." My family knows to call the CG when they haven't heard from me by the time my float plan calls for, not because they didn't receive an OK SPOT message. In the type of paddling I do, I can always reach them via cell phone, VHF, and SPOT. My unit is still operating on the original set of Lithium Ion batteries that I bought when I got it. Although I have spares, the originals are still showing good life. Again, the SPOT is a tool - you CAN tell if a message has been sent successfully if you watch the lights, but it can take up to 20 minutes. It DOES NOT replace your VHF or cell phone. Used within the context for which it was designed, the unit is great, but it is not a replacement for everything else you carry and most importantly for good old fashioned common sense. Steve Holtzman Southern California __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 3461 (20080922) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Sep 22 2008 - 20:03:11 PDT
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