Article by Pat Schrawder
IT’S ALL ABOUT SAFETY – ON LAND OR SEA
Now that the fishing season is winding down for some Mid-Atlantic anglers, many thoughts are turning to other forms of recreation like hunting, hiking and snowboarding. Yes, there is still some great fall fishing ahead of us and there is no doubt that the fish are “plentiful”, but the main objective with all this fun activity is to be safe at all times.
I recently ran across an item that caught my attention, mostly because of its inexpensive price tag. It is normally discounted, but even at its list price of $169.95, this is a useful tool. It is called the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger.
According to the manufacturer, “SPOT is the world's first satellite messenger. In the event of a minor mishap, SPOT lets you request non-emergency help from friends or family, or if things get truly out of hand, you can call in the cavalry via 9-1-1. In addition, SPOT lets you send a message to friends and family so they know you're okay, allows them to track your progress and even saves your waypoints for later, all with virtual views provided by Google Maps. SPOT gives you a vital line of communication with friends and family when you want it and emergency help when you need it. SPOT is compact, rugged and easy to use. And since SPOT uses 100% satellite technology, it works virtually anywhere, even where cell phones don't.”
Powered by two AA Lithium batteries that will transmit SOS/help signal for 14 days and track progress for 7 days, it will also send up to 1,900 messages. The unit is about 3 1/2 inches high, 2 1/2-inches wide and 1-inch thick. It is waterproof and even floats. It is simple to operate, containing just four key functions.
Functional Specifications:
•Alert 9-1-1 – Notify emergency services to your exact location. SPOT sends one message every 5 minutes until power is depleted or 911 is cancelled.
•Ask for Help – Notify your personal contacts that you need assistance. Additional SPOT Assist services can be purchased and programmed to your Help button as well. When activated with SPOT Assist, the Help button will notify professional services either on the land or water. SPOT has partnered with national service providers to offer non-life threatening assistance. SPOT sends one message every 5 minutes for one hour or until Help is cancelled
•Check In – Let your friends and family know that all is OK with a pre-programmed message along with your GPS location. With a push of a button a message is sent via email or SMS to up to 10 pre-determined contacts and your waypoint is stored in your SPOT account for later reference. Your stored waypoints can be easily integrated into a SPOT Shared Page or SPOT Adventure account. SPOT sends three identical messages to the SPOT service for redundancy. The first of those three messages is delivered.
•Track Progress – Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress in near real time using Google Maps. With your SPOT account you have the ability to set up a SPOT Shared Page which allows you to show your SPOT GPS locations to others on a Google Map. SPOT sends one message every 10 minutes for 24 hours or until SPOT is powered off.
The one disadvantage is the service change of $99.99/year or about 28 cents a day for full functionality, but this unit is still worth looking into and could be a real life saver in many situations. You can see several video examples of the use of SPOT at their website www.findmespot.com.
The one question that is valid is why not just use your cell phone and call in these cases but the answer is simple. The SPOT unit used GPS and can reach signals in areas where a cell phone may not work.
Pat and her husband, Larry are owners of L&L Marine Electronics in West Ocean City, MD.
