Opinions on DeLorme Earthmate PN-60E

[PointMan]

Anyone here have any experience with them? They normally sell for $450 but I've seen them on sale for as low as $350. Seems like a pretty decent set-up to me, but haven't heard anything from anyone who's actually tried them in the field.

[PointMan]

I assume by the lack of any response that no one has heard about or used the DeLorme setup, if I pick it up I'll post my thoughts on it.

[Gunner]

I have the PN60 paired with the spot device.It is a first class unit that suffers only from the fact that you cannot load some of the Garmin friendly programs like the Backroads Maps.It comes with the Topo Canada which is 1/50,000 scales if you want larger scale you are out of luck.It was very useful when I was hunting in Montana as the map program there included BLM land and was 1/24,000 scale.I would highly reccomend it is it was more Canada oriented.Go Garmin. Gunner

[PointMan]

Thanks Gunner, I have a couple of older Garmin units, a Legend and a Vista C, really like the Vista but not as reliable as I like in thick brush. The reason I was looking at the PN60/Spot combo is first of all the Spot device, secondly I like the idea of being able to send custom messages as opposed to a specified number of preset messages. There are other reasons as well of course, but those are the key points fr me.

[Gateholio]

Can you send a custom message in the field with one of these units? Like Type "Hey, bring beer" and send it?

[Shooter]

i think they are pre-programmed custom messages not on the fly text messages. I could be wrong tho.

[Gunner]

You can text customized messages such as "bring more beer" or "where's Bartell got to?"You need to sign up to a Delorme program to do so.You can also have friends check your track progress on Google Earth although I haven't figured that one out yet. Gunner

[Gateholio]

Can they respond? So I text "Bring Beer!" and they say "Only Bud Light left at beer store" and I say "Bring whiskey instead!"

??

[PointMan]

No, it's a one way deal, so you better be ok with Bud Light. LOL

[troutseeker]

You can get just the SPOt component and pair it with a IPOD touch, Iphone or a Blackberry. Then you can do one way messaging and use your old GPS for getting lost!

[Gateholio]

How does the Iphone thing work?

[Trailmaster]

You get the free app on your phone, and it uses blue tooth, it uses the globestar sat to do the text stuff. Its on the spot website I would have bought it over the spot if I knew about it at the time.

[Shooter]

You get the free app on your phone, and it uses blue tooth, it uses the globestar sat to do the text stuff. Its on the spot website I would have bought it over the spot if I knew about it at the time.


That looks like the way to go for sure. I think I might just pick one of those up for this years hunting season.

[troutseeker]

That looks like the way to go for sure. I think I might just pick one of those up for this years hunting season.

Pretty cool idea, cost is the same as a Spot. But you can make your own text's on the fly. If I did not have a perfectly serviceable 1st gen Spot I'd go that way too.

[Mountain Hunter]

You can get just the SPOt component and pair it with a IPOD touch, Iphone or a Blackberry. Then you can do one way messaging and use your old GPS for getting lost!

The SPOT Connect App looks pretty slick:

http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=116 & http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=119

Not out for Blackberries til later this year? - http://faq.findmespot.com/index.php?action=showEntry&data=1308

[tristanmac]

Just bought the Earthmate and Spot combo a few days ago. Seems to be a great little device. You can have 14 pre-written messages and also have the option of a custom text in the field. The GPS screen is a little small for my likings, but i was more geared towards the messaging capability of the unit. The spot can also be used without the GPS, but only for SOS calls, otherwise the GPS is required to make other messages. Yearly service fee for my unit is $210. This includes basic service, Unlimited Track Progress, Type and Send Text 100 messages (You can add more at anytime), GEOS rescue benefit (extra liability), and the product replacement program. You can have a more limited plan or add more features as well.

[Flinch]

Looks like Delorme might be abandoning SPOT/Gloabalstar in favor of Iridium:

http://blog.delorme.com/2011/06/03/delorme-inreach-two-way-satellite-communication/

Finally a 2-way text communicator via satellite. If it is as reliable as SPOT or moreso I can see one in my future.

[Trailmaster]

That would be awsome, to bad they only make it for android phones.

[Buck]

Just bought the Earthmate and Spot combo a few days ago. Seems to be a great little device. You can have 14 pre-written messages and also have the option of a custom text in the field. The GPS screen is a little small for my likings, but i was more geared towards the messaging capability of the unit. The spot can also be used without the GPS, but only for SOS calls, otherwise the GPS is required to make other messages. Yearly service fee for my unit is $210. This includes basic service, Unlimited Track Progress, Type and Send Text 100 messages (You can add more at anytime), GEOS rescue benefit (extra liability), and the product replacement program. You can have a more limited plan or add more features as well.

I was wondering about the Geos rescue benefit.Is that extra insurance needed in Canada?would it extend a search here?I just setup the spot connect and it works fine but was unsure of that extra insurance

[tristanmac]

I was wondering about the Geos rescue benefit.Is that extra insurance needed in Canada?would it extend a search here?I just setup the spot connect and it works fine but was unsure of that extra insurance

I believe its an extra $100,000 a year liability. Will pay out private aircraft's / helicopter charters, or what have it be that may be helping you.

[Buck]

I believe its an extra $100,000 a year liability. Will pay out private aircraft's / helicopter charters, or what have it be that may be helping you.

Looks like i blew it when i originally subscribed i should have bought the insurance right away.Now i have to buy it through GEos.No big deal its a dollar more.I did not realize without the insurance all spot does (i believe) is contact your self picked emergency friends then they have to get the search going.Is my take on it correct?

[srupp]

this is not correct..

1) if its a private 'help " message it does just go to YOUR selected friends list ie need gas..
2) IF it is a emergency sos message..it gets relayed to the headquarters in Eastern Canada..there they determain your position..ie land sea..on a road way back in the boonies and its relayed to the closest most appropriate EMERGENCY SERVICES..

IE you break leg 20 miles in the back woods in BC..they will send emergency services..ie chopper with emergency medical services...

there is no charge for emergency rescue in BC...

steven

[Buck]

Thanks Srupp i was hoping you would chime in.What benefit would the extra insurance through GEOS have here in BC?

[bigwhiteys]

What benefit would the extra insurance through GEOS have here in BC?


Let's say in the off-chance emergency services couldn't immediately respond to your 911 call... Then the GEOS extra insurance will provide for private air "extraction" up to 2 times per year to a maximum of $50,000 each occurence. That's the way I understand it from reading their documentation.

Carl

[Buck]

Let's say in the off-chance emergency services couldn't immediately respond to your 911 call... Then the GEOS extra insurance will provide for private air "extraction" up to 2 times per year to a maximum of $50,000 each occurence. That's the way I understand it from reading their documentation.

Carl
That is the way i read it as well.I wonder what the average deployment time is for our Search and rescue ?Particularly up North.