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Thread: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hope & Tulameen
    Posts
    8,621

    GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Have spent the last couple of days hunting around the cabin with our Son.
    Nice time just to talk about life, Xmas present want list and such.
    He said he'd like some sort of an "SOS" locater, GPS that he could use when he's beating around in the bushes hunting, fishing, exploring, whatever. He spends hundreds and hundreds of hours in the bush every year, most of it where there is zero cell service, most of the time alone.
    Any suggestions, pros and cons, whatever - it's all new to me.
    I understand they they generally mean buying the unit then "subscribing" to the service after that don't know much.
    Thanks.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    6-8
    Posts
    1,307

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Honestly, best bang for the buck with as many features as you can imagine other than call is a inreach. Use mine for all sorts of things even just for driving north with no cell service.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    3,912

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    I got a Garmin Inreach Explorer + last year. The GPS functions on it are pretty basic but the communication package works for me and keeps my wife happy.

    I have three presets I can send for free any time.

    Mine are:

    1. Got here fine

    2. Everything is okay

    3. Staying one more day.

    With the cheapest package which I subscribe to I can send 10 short email messages home too. Additional messages are only 75 cents so that is no big deal. I was up in your area last year and was alone, but then my buddy who was trying elsewhere for a day showed up at my camp. I sent a message home informing my wife of this news and she was happy to hear that I wasn't hunting alone. She can look up the details of my messages and pinpoint me on a map plus get the Long/Lat position.

    It has an SOs system too, push that button and Search and Rescue authorities are notified.

    The Garmin 66i has more sophisticated features including the option to download maps, but is more expensive at $829. I paid around $600 for the Explorer +.

    That's my two bits.
    Last edited by MichelD; 10-29-2021 at 10:26 PM.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    1,676

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Inreach Mini has been great. I will echo what is said above ^
    WSSBC
    CCFR

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    B.C CANADA
    Posts
    4,804

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Quote Originally Posted by MichelD View Post
    I got a Garmin Inreach Explorer + last year. The GPS functions on it are pretty basic but the communication package works for me and keeps my wife happy.

    I have three presets I can send for free any time.

    Mine are:

    1. Got here fine

    2. Everything is okay

    3. Staying one more day.

    With the cheapest package which I subscribe to I can send 10 short email messages home too. Additional messages are only 75 cents so that is no big deal. I was up in your area last year and was alone, but then my buddy who was trying elsewhere for a day showed up at my camp. I sent a message home informing my wife of this news and she was happy to hear that I wasn't hunting alone. She can look up the details of my messages and pinpoint me on a map plus get the Long/Lat position.

    It has an SOs system too, push that button and Search and Rescue authorities are notified.

    The Garmin 66i has more sophisticated features including the option to download maps, but is more expensive at $829. I paid around $600 for the Explorer +.

    That's my two bits.
    I also have the inreach explorer ... works great , the three preset messages can be changed and any messages can be sent to any text to cell phone or email

  7. #6
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Standing in a storm
    Posts
    750

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    I also have an InReach but there is another option out there .. Zoleo… no experience with that one though.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    7A
    Posts
    20,732

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Zoleo is probably the best option for a satellite communication device. They'll be on sale for $199 from Nov12-30 , and monthly plans start at $25

    The nicest feature of the Zoleo is you have a # that anybody can be given to contact you. That is not the case with an inReach, which requires the inReach to first send a message to a recipient, then the line of communication is open. With a Zoleo, I could give you the contact # for the Zoleo owner, and you could send them a message from your cell phone which will be delivered to the device

    "If you ever go into the bush, there are grizzly bears lurking behind just about every bush, waiting to pounce, so you need a powerful gun, with huge bullets" - Gatehouse ~ 2004

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    151

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Our whole Hunting Party runs Zoleos and overall we are very happy with them. Our family members can track us if we want to turn the feature on and we can communicate with them and each other in the bush just like text messages

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Lowermainland
    Posts
    6,453

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    So someone sends you a text to your Zoleo #. How do you read the text ? Do you see it on the Zoleo device ? Or does it come through on your phone ?
    Arctic Lake
    Quote Originally Posted by todbartell View Post
    Zoleo is probably the best option for a satellite communication device. They'll be on sale for $199 from Nov12-30 , and monthly plans start at $25

    The nicest feature of the Zoleo is you have a # that anybody can be given to contact you. That is not the case with an inReach, which requires the inReach to first send a message to a recipient, then the line of communication is open. With a Zoleo, I could give you the contact # for the Zoleo owner, and you could send them a message from your cell phone which will be delivered to the device

    Member of CCFR Would encourage you all to join today !
    Read Teddy Roosevelt “ The Man In The Arena “ !

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    7A
    Posts
    20,732

    Re: GPS / Emergency Locater / Communicator - suggestions ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Arctic Lake View Post
    So someone sends you a text to your Zoleo #. How do you read the text ? Do you see it on the Zoleo device ? Or does it come through on your phone ?
    Arctic Lake
    The Zoleo bluetooths to your phone, you can read and compose messages through the Zoleo app. On the Zoleo, you can only send "I'm ok" messages to a specific contact (spouse or hunting partner), or the SOS button which will send help for you
    "If you ever go into the bush, there are grizzly bears lurking behind just about every bush, waiting to pounce, so you need a powerful gun, with huge bullets" - Gatehouse ~ 2004

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