Spot

Do you have one....

  • I have both when in the mountains

    Votes: 0 0.0%

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    74
  • Poll closed .

ferniesnow

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Well guys, just to let you know you are better with the spot then a sat phone. I have had my own sat phone since 2004 and always ride, travel all over the world with it and my first year in the mountians with it in 2008/09 season and noticed that in some areas it doesn't have singnal, so it might be with who you are with or not. I am with global star and just thought I would let anyone that has one to check out service area. Thats the shiiiiitttts when you think your good and find out your not....So now I will get the spot just to make sure on double trouble......

Just for informaton, SPOT uses the satelites also and I have been in situations in the mountains where it can take up to 20 minutes to send the signal. I ride in the mountains nearly everyday and operate 2 different groomers and I have found that different places have vastly different results with the SPOT.

Generally speaking, around Fernie there is no problem as the terrain is open to the skies. There maybe some places to the north (Hartley/Sulphur) where the big peaks might get in the way.

In the Elk Valley (just so there is no confusion, I mean in the valley of the Elk River and not the tributaries) around Elkford, there is no problem. Get into the Crossing Creek trail going to Koko Claims, or in Tundra, some places in Mear Lake, or generally where there are high mountains to the immediate south, SPOT may not work for you. You have to closely monitor the lights to ensure the signal has been sent/received (and that received signal is only by the satelite) and in some cases you just have to find a place where there will be reception.

It boils down to knowing your equipment and practising with it! Send those Okay messages from everywhere and keep a little pad with the field information in it (time and location from when you sent the okay) and when you get back go over what you have in the computer. You may, as I have, find some interesting things.

For the price they are an awesome piece of technology and I don't go into the bush without it anymore.
 

BC Sno-Ghost

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Been looking around here locally for the Spot2 and nobody has them yet. Any leads?
 
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For those of you in the central alberta area, Bass Pro Shops at CrossIron Mills Mall near Calgary has the spot 2. It is 159.99 but then you also have to subscribe to it (for the service of using it) which is 99.99 a year.
 

fnDan

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I carry Spot for sledding and biking. Great for both to let my wife know I'm still moving and everything is good. Although, on my last ride she wondered how I made it from Canmore to the south side of Calgary so fast. Must have been a tailwind ;)
I may end up buying Spot 2 and could be selling mine as long as there is no hassle transferring my subscription.
 

fnDan

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Just found and bought a Spot messenger on Ebay for $60us. All done with shipping $78CDN. Good deal?

There's probably a way to check with Findmespot to make sure it's not stolen or broke using the serial number. You need the serial for the subscription. Otherwise, that's a good price.
 

Metalfusion

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Its shipping from Hong Kong so I might be lucky to recieve it by spring. They have more on there still so I doubt it is stolen.

Used PAYPAL so it should be good.
 

ferniesnow

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Its shipping from Hong Kong so I might be lucky to recieve it by spring. They have more on there still so I doubt it is stolen.

Used PAYPAL so it should be good.

That doesn't sound good....shipping from Hong Kong...might be like the scenarioes floating around regarding the Marathon decks, a duplicate made cheaper. Hope it works out for you and you can register and get on the program.
 

BC Sno-Ghost

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For those of you in the central alberta area, Bass Pro Shops at CrossIron Mills Mall near Calgary has the spot 2. It is 159.99 but then you also have to subscribe to it (for the service of using it) which is 99.99 a year.

That sounds pretty high. Check with London Drugs. They are selling the Spot#1 here for $139 and Future Shop for $119. Plus the annual fee on top of that. I think I'm gonna hold out for the Spot#2. :beer:
 

rmk800

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I was just at the spot.ca website and you can buy the spot1 for $119 and get a 50 visa gift with the purchase.
 
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