Author Topic: GPS Beacons  (Read 937 times)

AZRedhawk44

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GPS Beacons
« on: February 26, 2020, 04:23:49 PM »
Lay it on me. What do you have, what are its deficiencies that you wish it did better, what pre-planning do you have to do with them before venturing into the sticks, what do you like about them?

Prepping for a ride to Tuk and maybe Deadhorse this summer. Normally my backcountry emergency comms fallback is Ham radio, but I'm seeing no uhf/vhf repeaters in the Tuk/NWT area at all. And it's a BIG area.
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lupinus

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Re: GPS Beacons
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2020, 05:30:14 PM »
Are you just looking for a check in/sos device?

I know several people who have a SPOT tracker and are happy with it. It does require a monthly membership though.

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BobR

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Re: GPS Beacons
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2020, 06:50:55 PM »
Are you just looking for a check in/sos device?

I know several people who have a SPOT tracker and are happy with it. It does require a monthly membership though.

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SPOT also has program where you can get coverage for 1 month at a time. I haven't done the math but it may be cheaper to go for a yearly subscription.

bob

lupinus

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Re: Re: GPS Beacons
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2020, 10:04:57 PM »
SPOT also has program where you can get coverage for 1 month at a time. I haven't done the math but it may be cheaper to go for a yearly subscription.

bob
Yeah I believe there is month to month for a little higher fee, and a yearly membership that saves some overall. Really just depends on how often of consistently it'll be used. Pretty sure they also have units that are a little more advanced that allows for messages to be sent and such.

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That is all. *expletive deleted*ck you all, eat *expletive deleted*it, and die in a fire. I have considered writing here a long parting section dedicated to each poster, but I have decided, at length, against it. *expletive deleted*ck you all and Hail Satan.


AZRedhawk44

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Re: GPS Beacons
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2020, 09:15:56 AM »
Are you just looking for a check in/sos device?

I know several people who have a SPOT tracker and are happy with it. It does require a monthly membership though.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Yeah, I think so.  Reading up on InReach, it's appealing that it enables conventional SMS functionality as well as working as a GPS beacon and pre-programmed messenger.

But the more I read, the more I get tempted to go whole hog on something like the Iridium Go platform (bluetooth satellite bridge for conventional smartphone).
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist."
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I reject your authoritah!

Jamisjockey

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Re: GPS Beacons
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2020, 04:15:17 PM »
It seems almost all the devices require some kind of subscription plan.  Spot has been in the game a long time.  Looks like their basic plan is about $12 a month but requires a contract.
It looks like Garmin has plans that don't require a contract for their devices.

The Garmins are pretty pricey.  Some cooler features including weather available with the plans though.



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