Say hello to my LEEETLE Friend!

[asdf2231]

And no it's not a picture of my wanker!!



Just arrived today. (Along with my boots, bivey tent and Katadyn HIKER PRO Water Filter.

This thing is freaking AWESOME.

The wife was getting nervous about me being far afield and getting injured.  So I peeked about on the internet and was looking at 600$+ GPS Personal Distress Beacons when I found this thing.

It costs 165$ and a 99.95$ annual yearly service fee.

When you get in trouble you hit the 911 key and it will actively broadcast your location to a dispatching center for 7 days unless canceled, and will up-date your location via GPS if the bears drag you off to stuff you in the fridge. The dispatch center sends appropriate help based on your location, which will be anything from local police to Coast Guard to Forest Service.  The thing floats, is waterproof to a meter and is designed to be temp resitant and idiot proof. (Thank Gawd)

 On active standby it runs for a year or the life of the 2 AA Lithium Cells, whichever comes first.  Cool thing is that it work ANYWHERE a sat phone or a GPS unit works (Portions of Africa and Micronesia excepted.) and they will send appropriate emergency contact info in whatever country you happen to be in to the relevant authorities.

It also has a check-in feature that lets you send a pre-generated "HI I'm okay" message to multiple email recipients who get the message and a google maps link showing where you are sending it from.  (Tested that after registering it! :D)  The 911 and "OK" services are unlimited usage. They also have a "Send Help" non emergency button that goes to your email contacts and sends a pregenerated message as well.

I showed it to SWMBO and she said "But you still have to press the button, right?"

I replied that if I was in too bad of shape to press the button I was in a true world of hurt.

She said "Okay.  If something gets you try to remember to press it before you kick because I'm going to need closure" :D

Spent some time getting reacquainted on the range with my 94 Winchester 30-30 over the weekend as well.  It's the lightest rifle I own I feel confident in running into something big and furry with.

[Chris_]

Imagine -- the entire series "Lost" would have never happened had ONE of them had this device.

You must do a lot of hiking.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Great!  They won't have any trouble at all finding YOUR body!

 

 

[Chris_]

Neat gadget!

I am looking for something similar, I'll PM you with details.

[DixieBelle]

Oh that's totally cool!

Now, tell me again why you're treking off into the wilderness by yourself?

[Chris_]

Cool, now they'll be able to find your body...

[asdf2231]

Oh that's totally cool!

Now, tell me again why you're treking off into the wilderness by yourself?

Because it is less trouble and expense than banging some lady half my age in a newly purchased sports car...

Which I understand is the OTHER option when your mid-life-crisis hits.

[asdf2231]

Imagine -- the entire series "Lost" would have never happened had ONE of them had this device.

You must do a lot of hiking.

God I WISH.  May is going to make me or break me.

[CactusCarlos]

"Okay.  If something gets you try to remember to press it before you kick because I'm going to need closure"

And your life insurance information. 

[Crazy Horse]

Does it transmitt at 406 MHz??

[DixieBelle]

Oh that's totally cool!

Now, tell me again why you're treking off into the wilderness by yourself?

Because it is less trouble and expense than banging some lady half my age in a newly purchased sports car...

Which I understand is the OTHER option when your mid-life-crisis hits.

So what am in store for when Mr. Belle decides it's time? I'm considerably younger than him and he owns a sports car (convertable). 

[asdf2231]

Does it transmitt at 406 MHz??

Nopers.

Strictly GPS.

[Crazy Horse]

Does it transmitt at 406 MHz??

Nopers.

Strictly GPS.

Send it back and get a GPS/406 MHz transmitter.....................don't question me........do it........do it now.

[CactusCarlos]

Neat gadget!

I am looking for something similar

I don't think it vibrates.   

(I'm sorry, I couldn't resist)

[asdf2231]

Does it transmitt at 406 MHz??

Nopers.

Strictly GPS.

Send it back and get a GPS/406 MHz transmitter.....................don't question me........do it........do it now.

Well considering I already paid for a years service when I activated it that's not gonna happen.

Here's some stuff:

On Sunday, December 09, 2007 a customer asked:
Q: So far looks like a winner. But how does the Spot's function parallel that of the newer 406 mhz ELTs? Does the Spot transmit on the 406 frequency, or does it function independently of the 406 mhz (ELT) network?
A: This is completely independent of the 406 mHz system. The SPOT uses satellite transmissions for both GPS positioning and the sending of alerts / messages. Its' infrastructure is based on the satellite phone network system.


On Wednesday, October 24, 2007 a customer asked:
Q: Is there any ELT or similar beacon to assist ground or CAP Direction Finding (SAR) units directly? How will SAR access the correct googleMap tracking info?
A: Search and rescue does not actually use the GoogleEarth tracking for the 911 function. Once the emergency rescue feature is activated, your location is transmitted to GEOS Alliance Operators who will immediately notify SAR, local 911 operators, or Coast Guard, and your location will repeat transmission every 5 minutes until cancelled.


On Wednesday, March 19, 2008 a customer asked:
Q: Many of the con responses indicate SPOT won't track in overcast weather. Why?
A: This unit may experience difficulty tracking in overcast weather due to not being able to "see" the sky (as with any other GPS device). This is counterbalanced by the feature that the SPOT device provides of constantly sending out the tracking messages once activated to ensure that at least 1 request out of every 20 minutes is successfully delivered in high coverage areas.

Pretty good bang for the buck.


And it utilizes not just the Sat Phone network of birds but also the secondary network that has greater coverage that shipping companies use to track cargo beacons.

[Crazy Horse]

406 MHz is the frequency and does use the satellites of the USCG and CSAR. matter of fact all the emergency radio equipment I calibrated for the USAF CSAR was 406 MHz. Then add upon that the USCG that monitors all of this uses 406 MHz.

Personally I want a radio frequency locating my ass, not a GPS sat. I commercial fish on the side and sometimes regularly, but we have to have a 406 MHz EPIRB with us.

I feel what you have is more than what 98% of people have...............and I appluad that. I was just trying to tell ya to get the best regardless of price...........btw, the USCG has called me before when I accidentley turned the EPIRB on............they are listening.

[Dixie*Darling]

If you'd a promised to put me as beneficiary of a nice sized insurance policy, I woulda promised to run a pack of dogs and hunt your battered/dead body down!  It would have to be double indemnity tho. 

Cool gadget tho.  I'm loving my TomTom which is just a plain ol' GPS navigation device for chicks with no sense of direction!

Enjoy and be safe.   

[Crazy Horse]

If you'd a promised to put me as beneficiary of a nice sized insurance policy, I woulda promised to run a pack of dogs and hunt your battered/dead body down!  It would have to be double indemnity tho. 

Cool gadget tho.  I'm loving my TomTom which is just a plain ol' GPS navigation device for chicks with no sense of direction!

Enjoy and be safe.   

Ahh............the Bitch in the box

[Dixie*Darling]

If you'd a promised to put me as beneficiary of a nice sized insurance policy, I woulda promised to run a pack of dogs and hunt your battered/dead body down!  It would have to be double indemnity tho. 

Cool gadget tho.  I'm loving my TomTom which is just a plain ol' GPS navigation device for chicks with no sense of direction!

Enjoy and be safe.   

Ahh............the Bitch in the box

 

Yes indeed! 
I've got it set up with a feminine voice that squawks when you make a wrong turn!

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

You shoulda saved your money.

The VRWC has had you chipped for the last 7 years.

It's behind your left ear.

[asdf2231]

You shoulda saved your money.

The VRWC has had you chipped for the last 7 years.

It's behind your left ear.

ummm...

I dug that out 8 months ago and used the chip to boost my Direct TV system.

Crap.

[LadyLiberty]

Yeah, like I *want* to be found 

Seriously asdf, that is totally neat.

[Taxman]

I spend a LOT of time in the backcountry and have been thinking about getting one  myself.  Sometimes I go for over a week by myself and the ability to send e-mails to others letting them know you are ok is a real benefit.  When I am 15 miles from the nearest road in rugged terrain a broken leg, sprained ankle etc could be real trouble.  Also, where I roam we have grizzlies, cats, mother moose etc that can make your day very unpleasant if they decide to take issue with you. 

Asdf, I carry either a 500 Smith and Wesson handgun or a 12 gauge loaded with slugs and buckshot for the big, mean tempered furries.  When bears charge they close the gap in very little time.  I had a grizzly charge me, I was surprised how quickly he closed the distance...they do not allow a lot of time to react.   Cats do not come front on...the bastards sneak in from behind making a knife or a handgun a better tool.  I encountered a cat one time that was sitting on a low limb of a large tree.  I cannot say that he was going to get me but had I not seen his tail hanging down I would have walked right under him.   I unholstered my handgun and fired a round into the limb he was perched on.  He was out of the tree and down a canyon in no time at all.  I did not want to back away and have him sneak up on me later.  I thought it better to alter his plans a bit.   

[asdf2231]

I spend a LOT of time in the backcountry and have been thinking about getting one  myself.  Sometimes I go for over a week by myself and the ability to send e-mails to others letting them know you are ok is a real benefit.  When I am 15 miles from the nearest road in rugged terrain a broken leg, sprained ankle etc could be real trouble.  Also, where I roam we have grizzlies, cats, mother moose etc that can make your day very unpleasant if they decide to take issue with you. 

Asdf, I carry either a 500 Smith and Wesson handgun or a 12 gauge loaded with slugs and buckshot for the big, mean tempered furries.  When bears charge they close the gap in very little time.  I had a grizzly charge me, I was surprised how quickly he closed the distance...they do not allow a lot of time to react.   Cats do not come front on...the bastards sneak in from behind making a knife or a handgun a better tool.  I encountered a cat one time that was sitting on a low limb of a large tree.  I cannot say that he was going to get me but had I not seen his tail hanging down I would have walked right under him.   I unholstered my handgun and fired a round into the limb he was perched on.  He was out of the tree and down a canyon in no time at all.  I did not want to back away and have him sneak up on me later.  I thought it better to alter his plans a bit.  

I am going to be toting a 1911A1 with a 10 round magazine of 230 grain hardball.  It's the biggest best item in my handgun inventory, and thankfully there are no Griz where I will be.  The worst I have to fret over is Blacks and Cougars.

I WAS going to haul along my Winchester 94 .30-.30 for a camp rifle, but my gunsmith bud pointed out that the .30-30 round and the 7.62x39mm round were virtually identical in the area of ballistics and and effects at the ranges woodland encounters take place at.  So my camp rilfe is going to be my AK with a 20 round stick. Which also has the advantage of being something that I will fret over less than my 1954 vintage Winchester.

[Taxman]

When the grizzlies are sleeping, I carry a Glock 20 in 10mm.  It holds 15 rounds.  It is good stuff for cats and two legged predators.  Black bears do not scare me and  I would agree with your choices for them.  Although elk hunting one time, I almost stepped on a black bear that was busy tearing apart a stump for ants.  It was windy in the forest and he must have been deaf because bears never allow people to get that close.  All I had accessible was my bow and a knife.  He was a little guy that wheeled around and stood on his hind legs at dancing distance.  I dropped my bow and drew the knife.  My 44 was in my daypack so not accessible.   We stood facing each other for a few seconds then he dropped to all fours and ran in the other direction and then for some unknown reason swapped ends and ran back toward me and passed a few feet away from my side.  I think he was scared shitless (as was I) and he did not know what I was...I was head-to-toe camo so I must have looked like some goofy green bear to him.  I now carry my 500 and bear spray on my side and have it available. 

Not sure where you are going, but backcountry meth labs are more and more a concern of mine as are the pot growers.  I have considered carrying my AR or AK so that I have lots of firepower against those vermin.  But the downside is that 5.56 and 7.62x39 rounds are too light for stopping grizzlies.