SPOT question or two

[Philcott]

I just picked up a spot and I have a couple questions.

1- There is a small cover over the SOS and Help message buttons. I don't want to break anything so I'm asking do you simply lift the cover and bend it out of the way to then push and hole the button (I'm not going to try the sos once batteries are in)

2- What coverage do you guys have? Basic? Anyone have the $100,000.00 Search and rescue insurance in case you get charged for a rescue?Seems like $1.00 a month is cheap for that.

3- Has there been any talk on here about setting up a (OK I'll say it) registry of HBC members willing to be on a list of guys that might help out if someone is stuck in the woods?

Thanks. I hope I never have to use the help or sos but the wife feels better that I have it now.

[Philcott]

4- can this be used by anyone in your family or just the registered owner?

[dakoda62]

The covers are so you dont accidently activate, just lift and push the buuton.

[keoke]

1) lift the cover to press the SOS
2) not unless you are going outside bc, rescue is free
3)no talk that I have see
4) I believe you can setup profiles with other people as the user.

[pete_k]

I like your idea about an HBC registry although I think you can only have 10 contacts in your "help I'm stuck" list.
Congrats on your purchase. May you never need the red button.

[Philcott]

My thought is a list that you can contact and say he I'm heading in for a week can I put you on my spot help line (only one no use 6 guys trying to help out) in case I get in a jackpot. Then take them off when back out.

Just a thought.

[srupp]

handy to change "some " of the contacts as each trip may be different also..if going into one particular area I add a couple opf names that live near there and help may be closer...it is your choice change it up or leave it be whatever works best for you on each trip..

Cheers
Steven

[The Dawg]

#3- Not anything official, but I know a few of us from HBC are on a PG'er's SPOT.

Right Pete_k? :)

[pete_k]

Make sure your contacts have eachothers phone numbers so they can organize. No sense in having 10 guys go up to help you get out of a mud hole.
Then again,..sounds like a party.

[Philcott]

Good point pete.

So I'm all hooked up now but I am wondering if I missed something. I thought I could set it up to send a text message to mt wife's phone.

Can I do this and where on the setup page do I do it if yes?

Thanks.

[Philcott]

Good point Pete.

Is there a way to have the messages sent to a cell phone via text message? If so, how?

Thanks.

Sorry, kind of a double post.

[The Dawg]

Yes there is. Pete's SPOT sends me a text as well as an email. But dont ask me how :)

[Philcott]

I'll search a bit deeper then. Thanks.

[mrak]

I'll search a bit deeper then. Thanks.

you have to have the spot-connect and a smart phone and text or e-mail are done but get the right spot.

[Philcott]

I was hoping I could have my message texted to my wife's phone but it tries to send an email. She doesn't have email on the phone so that won't work. It does send a message saying she can get email service. That will alert her to check her email.

[reach]

Is there a way to have the messages sent to a cell phone via text message? If so, how?
Depends on your cell provider but there's usually a way to get email sent as a text message. For example, for Telus if your phone number is (250) 555-1234, you would enter the email address: 2505551234@msg.telus.com

Then the email shows up as a text message. Again it may depend on your provider what happens if the message is too big to fit in a text - try it and see. The text message should include a link to read the whole email if you want.

[Jonas111]

you have to have the spot-connect and a smart phone and text or e-mail are done but get the right spot.

Not necasarily. I bought my parents the spot connect with the Delorme gps and they can send text messages. I will be hooking it up next week and let you know.

They live in MB and have spent the night in the bush twice because of quad trouble. There getting a little old to be spending the night in the bush.

[pete_k]

Hi Phil,
Log into SPOT. A window should open with 5 tabs.
Click on "MY SPOT DEVICES"
Mouse over the "contact details". As you do this the box will autopopulate with "view/edit"
Click on "view/edit"

A new window will open that allows you to fill in contact details for Check in OK, Help and Custom message.
There are seperate fields for cel phone text messages and email.
You MUST know the who the carrier is for your buddies cell phone and it will automaticaly fill in the rest. There is a pull down listing all the carriers
Make sure you save after each entry then double check. I found the system a bit goofy in that regard.

I only have 3 people in my Help message. Part of my message states to whom the message was sent. Hence they can contact eachother and organize.

Your Check in OK , Help and Custom messages are all customizable.
The SOS message is also customizable but only goes to the SPOT dispatchers. It does not go to friends.
It's a good idea to customize your SOS message with the year, make, model of your vehicle, atv, boat etc. Plate number.
The more info you can give to SAR the better.

Any normal cell phone that can get a text message will do. No need for smart phone.
Have fun!
I SPOT'd my wife from the backyard last week while I was lighting the firepit just to let her know I was OK.
One last thing. My wife drilled it into me. Keep it on your body. It does no good if you're legs are broken and it's in your quad.
She's right (god forbid she sees this post).

[tash]

In my experience, not all cell phones will work for this...it depends on your service provider...Telus will work, but Virgin will not.

I will add/delete contacts regularly, depending on the situation.

If you are having trouble getting contacts set-up (like I did when trying to get the Spot to send texts to a Virgin phone), then customer service is pretty painless to deal with.

I wasn't aware one could customize the SOS message...I will look into that further.

[Jonas111]

I was going to buy one of these to use with my iPhone and the the store I was buying from said he has had a few returned do to connectivity. Some people are having a hard time getting there smart phone to connect to the Spot connect. I chose to wait until spot gets it worked out.

The new spot connect I just bought for my parents is recalled and they won't even let me try and connect. They are sending me a new one and hopefully it's here this week so I can hook up there delorme to it and test the texting option.