Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Philcott
I don't know if you know it or not but the SPOT can be used by anyone. You can use your husbands when you are out and set up a set of messages for yourself. Of course, if you're both out you will need two.
Yeah I know I can use his, but sometimes it is just easier to have your own. I would really have to get lessons on how to use it though, but I would like to do it soon as now my 6 year old son has become my new hunting partner:) I just always relied on my dad to get me out of the bush.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Glad these guys came back safe. Bought an inReach today and reading this story justifies it even more for me.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Good to hear all worked out well and both guys are ok.
Thought it a bit strange that after they recieved a distress call they only sent rcmp staff to the trailhead/boat launch, then next day started an air search from the trailhead along the route they had left with family. If they had multiple gps coordinates sent with the distress signal, why not start the search there?
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
I'll add my voice to the salute for this "new" technology. In our company we have a lot of guys crawling around in the bush and these have become standard equipment. It adds a lot of security and helps up bring every one home safe at the end of the day. We used to run entirely with SPOT but we're starting to move over to inReach. A little pricier but these are great rigs, they let you send and receive text and email through your smart phone. That way, when you have a problem you can describe it and not call in the army when all you really need a part for your truck or a buddy to come help you lift something heavy. Receiving a message back lets you know that someone got your request on the other end (SPOT Connect does this also through flashing LEDs) and what they're doing about it. I think we can even set them up to allow for a "push" location request from a computer. In some ways these are even better than a sat phone because if you are in a difficult coverage you can send your message and it seems to be held in a buffer on the unit or in the phone until it gets out rather than not completing or dropping your call like the phone will.
Side by side we seem to get better coverage in difficult locations on the inReach than the SPOT. I think inReach is on the Iridium sat network and SPOT uses Globalstar.
My only complaint would be that mine links to my Android phone and the phone sometimes seems buggy. The guys who carry an iPhone don't seem to complain as much as me (or maybe I just complain more).
There is that issue and the fact that people can now get at me when I'm in the field...that's just the cost of safety and I'm willing to pay it.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
I was in the mountains in Toad River a day before this happenned.....was way too much snow up high...its great that the spot worked....this is also a great chance to point out something else that works great when you are suddennly up high and it snows 2 ft like it did there....crampons..the kind that strap onto almost any boot...less than $150 and worth their weight in gold under these conditions...maybe they had them, but I haven't seen too many with them...will not leave home without them myself.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Call of the Wild
I like Garmin gps so I can't wait for them to make a gps with a SPOT concept and something with two way short text message. That would be awesome!!!!
How bout a Garmin Rino with spot n GPS? (With a headlamp of course.)
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Philcott
Last time I was out and used my spot to send OK messages I checked in with my two kids and wife and none had checked their email when the phone said I had sent a message. To say I was a little choked is an understatement. I said what if I had sent the help message? I would still be sitting in the bush expecting someone to come get me.
The system only works if those you are sending a message to actually pay attention. At least if I hit the 911 button someone is monitoring it.
Unfortunately, with people who obsess on Facebook and Twitter, they think you are texting them to brag about how much fun you are having. :shock:
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drillbit
One more peice of equipment.
Would be nice if the SPOT was built into a garmin gps, frs radio, and 8mp camera all in one. Hell, make it a headlamp too!:)
I wouldn't want all those gadgets draining the batteries on my only piece of equipment capable of calling for help. It would open up the possibility of forgetting to turn the flashlight off, or having someone unfamiliar with the unit using it as a flashlight or using the camera and draining the batteries, or activating the SOS or other messages while playing with the toys. Also, the spot beacon takes the most expensive AAA batteries available: Energizer Ultimate Lithium 8x. Better to have an LED flashlight that uses alkalines.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
As a matter of curiosity why not use sat phones instead of spot or in reach? Just asking.
Re: Hunters rescued near Toad River
Because sat phones are heavy, bulky and the average joe can't afford one. They also don't work as well as one would think in some spots.