December 15th 2007

Lets see where Spot stands in the world of communications and emergency signal devices.

First you have Tracking devices  that track you and your vessel car bike through phone systems satellite or cell. Examples of these are Marinetrack, Faria's Watchdog, and Iboattrack. These devices and ones like these track your boat through a built in GPS receiver and then send that position to the internet via a phone system either GSM or Satellite. This allows you to track your boat via the Internet or you can have someone track you. These devices do not contact Search and Rescue in case of an emergency.

Second you have PLB's and EPIRB's which are emergency beacons. These are activated in case of an emergency and send out signals to Search and Rescue Authorities (SAR) which activates a search. Only used for emergency and distress signals, not for communication

So we have two options one to track you and the other to send an emergency signal so you can be rescued.

How Spot Works

We have picked up key elements of Equipped to Survive article on SPOT

SPOT is being promoted as a multi-purpose tool that can used as a distress beacon as well as providing options to request help without a full blown Search and Rescue (SAR) response. It can also be used to notify friends, family or associates that you are okay and as a means to track your location (but only if you initiate the tracking).

SPOT utilizes a GPS receiver (accurate to within 20 ft. according to SPOT) and a Globalstar satellite transmitter. Like current 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), all communication is one way, but SPOT offers a lot more flexibility in what and how you communicate. As such, it provides some obvious potential advantages over a PLB, being a multi-purpose communications tool.

Globalstar coverage area is not worldwide unlike a PLB, see map below.

SPOT only uses the simplex side. So, it would appear that pretty much all the bad news you may have read about Globalstar does not relate to this new device,

How It Works

The device is equipped with four buttons and four indicating LEDs that together provide four distinct capabilities. They are:

• Alert 9-1-1, which is essentially a distress alert with location that goes to a emergency control center
• Help, which uses text messaging and email to request help (providing your location) from up to four individuals
• SPOTchecking, which lets specified contacts know you are okay and your location using Google Maps
• SPOTcasting, which allows contacts to track your progress using Google Maps (must be initiated by you)

One of the most important things you need to know is that these are all subscription based services. Current price is $99 per year for standard service and an extra $49 per year for the SPOTcasting tracking service. After you purchase the SPOT Satellite Messenger, you then have to go online and purchase the subscription, registering the device with SPOT. It's two separate transactions.

To use the distress alerting capability, what they refer to as "Alert 9-1-1," the power must be on, then you have to press the "911" button for at least two seconds. Your distress alert with a GPS derived location is sent to the "GEOS Global Command and Control Center" in Houston, Texas, operated by SPOT's partner, GEOS Alliance Travel Safety Group. The green LED flashes every three seconds while in Alert 9-1-1 mode and turns solid green for five seconds every time an alert message is transmitted (at five minute intervals).

"Ask for Help" is designed for non-life-threatening situations. Say your vehicle broke down and you needed someone to come get you. When you press and hold the Help button for two seconds it uses email or text messaging with a link to Google Maps to provide your location to your SPOTteam. The message is pre-programmed, so its usefulness beyond just notification is limited. You can have up to four contacts on your SPOTteam, which you set up via a web page. It sends your message and location every five minutes for an hour.

Check In, what SPOT call "SPOTchecking" is a variation on the Ask for Help mode. It sends a SPOTcheck message, essentially saying that you're OK, and location via Google Maps, to your SPOTteam members. These locations are saved, so they could be referenced as waypoints at a later date.

SPOT claims fully charged new batteries should last:

• Power ON: approximately 1 year.
• 9-1-1 Alert mode: approximately 7 days (every 5 minutes)
• SPOTcasting tracking mode: approximately 14 days (every 10 minutes)
• SPOTcheck mode: approximately 1900 messages (adjusted for the triple message format)

Conclusion

SPOT is now hitting retail stores and with that news more information is getting out. We posted this featured product 10 days ago, however new information from "Equipped to Survive" about SPOT has emerged. The links to "Equipped to Survive' reviews are supplied at the bottom of the article. The list of benefits for SPOT include sending an emergency 911 signal, to asking for assistance (non emergency) to letting your friends follow you on Google earth. With this being such a new product the jury is out about how effective it can be and time will tell, but it does have a lot of potential.

You must be aware that the coverage is restricted to Globalstar's footprint see map above. Second it must be turned on and the subscription current to activate the 911 feature.

You can set up SPOTteam members that will receive your calls. The system works on Globalstar between your SPOT messenger the satellite and the shore base. After that your team members can receive the messages on any other system, Sprint, Verizon etc.

Globalstar; Spot Personal Tracker Satellite messenger