Emergency Communication Device in the Bush

[AJJ]

Do you use one or not use one and just cross your fingers?
If you do use a device is it a Spot, Sat phone, or something else.
Like to know your reasons for using a particular device and your satisfaction with it.

[bowmagnum]

I like my Delorme Inreach. It always gets messages home and having the topomap with the APP on the phone is cool. I still use a regular GPS though too. I have used Spot Messengers at work and always found them to be kinda slow and the message sometimes took a long time to be sent. plus the ones I used disconnected from the phone and was difficult to get it to reconnect

[BCbillies]

Used an Iridium Sat phone for a few years and was for the most part great as speaking to a real person is always good. Found it annoying that we lost connection on a few occasions when it counted.

A year ago I purchase the InReach and with two way texting and it being significantly lighter, smaller and cheaper than a sat phone there is no turning back. Nice to text at any time of day or night and on the fly . . . although it's not as easy to text as on an iPhone that's OK. If your partner has one then you two can communicate with each other when you split up. Well worth the money IMHO.

[Salmon Belly]

We rent an Iridium sat phone for annual 9-10 day trip (up north). All have kids/wives and wouldn't be away without it. Consider it essential gear. Can't remember exact cost but something like $100+ airtime. Brought a Spot in addition to sat phone couple years ago and it was a bust - not sure why.

SB

[albravo2]

delorme inreach, love it.

[longstonec]

Delorme ineach se.over the spot had both

[Mulieaddict]

Does the inreach only txt to other inreach devices?? Or any cell number?

[longstonec]

any cell or email

[toad]

Spot connect... I like being able to type my own message.....next one will be a device with 2 way texting...

[blaker_99]

Inreach for us but the only draw back is the power button sometimes gets turned on while packed in the pack, anyone have a resolution to this problem seams to be a few using them.

[BCbillies]

Inreach for us but the only draw back is the power button sometimes gets turned on while packed in the pack, anyone have a resolution to this problem seams to be a few using them.

The same thing happened to me a couple of times. I picked up a mini Pelican case at London Drugs that the unit fits perfectly into.

[buck nash]

Whats the inreach go for these days? I think they were about $600 when they first came out. Thats too rich for my blood but I was hoping they'd come down after a few years.

[longstonec]

I think they are about 300$ these days? forgot what I spent on mine last year.

[hunter1947]

I have used a spot device now for 8 years I have 10 contacts that I have to my list when I send a check in message they get the location and a map where I sent the check in message from..

The other feature is I can send an non emergency message if I have truck or other problems and if I need medent help I have hurt myself or got lost etc I can send an SOS the emergency
rescue get this SOS and send the rescuers in to find me the spot is a good thing to have when you are in the bush lots by yourself gives you a piece of mind..

[squamishhunter]

SPOT. Doesn't always make it through thick cloud cover (read: northern van island)

Other than that it's great and I have no problems. Use it when I am In The bush for a month at a time.

[Recordram]

InReach all the way. Last year my wife was travelling in Indonesia, I was up north hunting. We carried a conversation on through text with the InReach. No problems. Never had an issue with it turning on in my pack. I have only seen others with the Spots. They all said to me they would be switching to the InReach.

[rcar]

Spot is a great choice but I decided on an ARC Resqlink. It is a personal epirb device much like ships use and uses military and coast guard satellites and no annual fee but costs about $300. It is a one use product, however if used for an emergency, it is replaced for free. In addition, ARC has incorporated the test function into a subscription ($39/yr) if you want this so you can use it to send a message to loved ones to let them know you are ok.

I chose this because I really only need it one or twice a year and $99-$149/yr for the spot subscription is not worth it for me. I really just need something for an emergency and would prefer my emergency signal to go to local military and coast guard and not a for profit company in the US that may or may not be in business when I have an emergency. (I realize this is a bit of fear mongering but companies go out of buisness every day and I am not willing to bet my life on it).

[bigredchev]

good thread topic as im in the marking for a emergency based GPS. Whats the costs like of initial purchase plus annual fee for these devices?

[jamfarm]

The Inreach SE is about $280-300 as mentioned. The cheapest plan for the Inreach is about $15 a month. When I first got it I thought I would only use it during hunting season and deactivate it, but it's nice to have when sledding, fishing, hiking etc. Works great. Only downside to it is that unlike the old one which took a couple AA batteries, it has an internal battery.

[dbergen69]

I have an inreach. Really like it for the 2 way messaging to any cell. The map link is kind of cool. The family find it interesting to see where I am. I have a $30/month subscription during hunting season and suspend it for $5/month the rest of the year.

[HarryToolips]

Got my cell phone on me and I find reception spots in certain areas where most people think you wouldn't get any, if needed...I would think a spot satellite would be a good idea though.. other than that, I just tell my wife where exactly I'm goin and when I should be back and hope for the best..

[Sitkaspruce]

SPOT for personal and at work. So far no problems and the best piece of mind for me and my wife.

Cheers

SS

[Sniperdan]

I am also in the market for a device. Been leaning toward the SPOT

[Philcott]

I've had my spot2 for around three years now. I like that it's compact so I actually carry it with me when in the woods. So far the only times my message didn't get through was trying to send one while in the vehicle and moving. I'm guessing it can't really pick up a location and that's why it failed. Personally, I've never had a signal not go out because of cloud cover and I just assumed that if it could pick up the satellite for a GPS location it would also send the message. I'd like to hear more about this.

Battery life is very good for me because I don't use the tracking feature so it's not on all the time. I like to send an "all OK" message at the end of the day and as H1947 said you can call for non emergency help and have a friend know where you are. My non emergency message says, "Have had a non-emergency problem. Bring gas and whiskey." I figure both would probably come in handy.

I also purchase an extra "rescue" insurance that will kick in if for some reason local and government resources can't come to get me in an emergency. This costs $9.00 and year, I think, and they will allocate up to $250,000, twice a year, to hire private resources to get you out if needed.

I always send a test message before heading out on a trip to make sure the unit is working and the company is still in business. ;-) Sure, they could go under while I'm out on a trip but I won't loose sleep over the likelihood of that.

The only downside for me, and I think it's a substantial downside, is the inability to send individual messages with the spot. As we all know stuff is constantly changing in the bush and it would be nice to have the ability to send and receive text messages. That said, I haven't been able to sent them before and it's not a deal breaker for me.

Last thing, you are also permitted to lend your device to other folks as well so when my son heads off for some back country adventure or a co-worked hops on his motorcycle to drive up the the beaufort sea I happily lend my Spot and can watch their travels.

[Lastcar]

Delorme InReach SE. Works like a hot damn. Not only can you message with people back home via email, text and/or Twitter and Facebook for users of those folks at home can pull up a map and at anytime see where you are give or take.

I use the phone app with maps. Doesn't behave like a true GPS though.

It is a pain to add the weight of it, a GPS and an iPhone. Trying to find a way to drop one. Ideally the GPS. Sounds like there are some options from Trimble and others to make the phone work as good as a hand held GPS. But not convinced I'd drop it yet.

Keep an eye on Craigslist. Got mine, new in the box for $175. Seem to pop up every few weeks. Can usually get a pretty good deal. Not a huge market out there for private sales, so its a buyer's market.

If you want to get fancy you can use https://ifttt.com/ and add the Craigslist recipe. Easier than it seems and you get an email matching your search as soon as a new item matches.

[Buckzilla]

Inreach for us but the only draw back is the power button sometimes gets turned on while packed in the pack, anyone have a resolution to this problem seams to be a few using them.
Not impressed with mine. 2 of. 3 times I have tried to use it it was dead a couple days after showing 100% bat life.
trying to return it for this reason

[Grakyn]

No body seems to have mentioned radios. I always pack my VHF radio with me. If you're really in an emergency, a SPOT/InReach can have a response time of several hours. For the SPOTs, the initial call goes to their call center in Texas, who then contact the Emergency Coordination Center in Victoria, who then contact the local RCMP, which then determine an appropriate response. This could be them driving out and looking for your vehicle or deploying search and rescue. In the case of search and rescue deployment, after the RCMP call for them, you're looking at about another hour minimum, more likely several. Meanwhile, a radio could have local resources to you in a much shorter timeframe.

[Philcott]

Just curious, what is the range of the radio you pack with you? Some people get a lot of miles off the beaten path to where 10 or more miles from another radio might not be unheard of.

I'm gonna try contacting SPOT and ask them what the average time from an SOS being received at HQ to having the boots on the ground and the rescue occurs is.

[rifleman]

spot connect. you can have messages pre programmed. one button for 911 & search & rescue is on the way .

[Sniperdan]

A friend of mine is a 911 dispatcher. He says a search that would normally take up to several days is now over in 20 minutes when a SPOT is used. This is thanks to having exact GPS coordinates to locate the subject. Even if you have cell service and can call for help if you don't have GPS coordinates it can take several hours to locate you AFTER the boots hit the ground. Regardless of how a call for help is made it still takes time to mobilize a rescue operation, the difference in response time will always come down to their ability to locate you!

[Jerlynn]

Here's another vote for the InReach as I've used mine for two years now with good success. Never had the battery die (although I have extra batteries), messages always go through and two one communication is now an essential part of convincing the wife to let me do things like tats sheep hunts. When I originally compared the InReach to the Spot, the InReach was also a little cheaper to operate as I only activate it for a month each year covering my hunting trip(s). One thing that I really don't like about the InReach is the crappy web based service that they provide. They appear to have been caught in the middle of a website upgrade and for two years have had to administer the device across both sites (certain functionality only available on both sites).

[Ron.C]

Check this link out for feedback from those who have had to used SPOT for an emergency. Some contain response times.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/spotemergency/

[hunter1947]

Spot is my buddy it goes with me every step in the bush at all times..

[Grakyn]

Just curious, what is the range of the radio you pack with you? Some people get a lot of miles off the beaten path to where 10 or more miles from another radio might not be unheard of.

I'm gonna try contacting SPOT and ask them what the average time from an SOS being received at HQ to having the boots on the ground and the rescue occurs is.

No matter where I go, I can usually hit a repeater somewhere. As the repeaters are on mountain tops, I can generally hit them up to 30 kms away with clear comms. Talking to other people that are not necessarily in an optimum spot, usually about 15 km. The radio I have is pretty high quality one though, most times I have better comms than anyone I'm with, even when out with search and rescue.

For Northern BC, if you see boots on a trail within 2 hours of a SPOT being activated, the RCMP and SAR group is doing pretty well.

[Philcott]

No matter where I go, I can usually hit a repeater somewhere. As the repeaters are on mountain tops, I can generally hit them up to 30 kms away with clear comms. Talking to other people that are not necessarily in an optimum spot, usually about 15 km. The radio I have is pretty high quality one though, most times I have better comms than anyone I'm with, even when out with search and rescue.

For Northern BC, if you see boots on a trail within 2 hours of a SPOT being activated, the RCMP and SAR group is doing pretty well.

That's a lot farther than I would have thought. Good coverage with those distances.

2 hours for what at one time could have taken days seems pretty reasonable. If someone is bleeding out 2 hours is way too long but I'm thinking not much would help in that case anyway.

What ever device someone buys, learn how to use it and ALWAYS carry it with you. Having it in the truck won't help even if you're pinned down 10 feet from the truck.

[Xenomorph]

That's a lot farther than I would have thought. Good coverage with those distances.

2 hours for what at one time could have taken days seems pretty reasonable. If someone is bleeding out 2 hours is way too long but I'm thinking not much would help in that case anyway.

What ever device someone buys, learn how to use it and ALWAYS carry it with you. Having it in the truck won't help even if you're pinned down 10 feet from the truck.


What brand is it? I think I'll be using for something like that to use on the Jeep for trails and doing double duty for hunting trips.

[Grakyn]

What brand is it? I think I'll be using for something like that to use on the Jeep for trails and doing double duty for hunting trips.

Kenwood. Nothing but good things to say about it and I've used it extensively.

[delboybc]

I having been using the spot since they came out with the first one. Mainly use it for kayaking so like the small size as it fits in my life jacket pocket. The family really like getting the ok messages. I also like the help function as it operates like the 911 function but will only send to people you have listed, this way you can test your spot to see how long it takes to get a message out in different situations.

[hunter1947]

I only had to use the help feature once over the past 6 years I felt like a fool I forgot where I parked my truck went to where I thought it was land looked the same where I thought I parked my truck when shed hunting turned up the truck was 1/4k north from where I thought it was had the police and CO involved I thought my truck was stolen this was not the case had one of my contacts from cranbrook show up 20min latter after sending the help button on my spot ,,my saying for the help button is ( This is not an emergency I am not hurt but I do need help )...