SPOT GPS Device

pimptovimto
pimptovimto Posts: 56
edited November 2009 in Tour & expedition
Anyone have or ever used one of these.

http://international.findmespot.com/


PV

Comments

  • andymiller
    andymiller Posts: 2,856
    Yes I've got one. Fortunately I've never had to use it in earnest to call the emergency services, but it will definitely send a text message with my position etc.

    If you look on the Backpackinglight.com forum you'll see a review saying that it's not very good as a tracking device (ie you imagine your friends and family are spending their days glued to their PC monitors following your minute-by-minute progress) - so if that's what you want it for then you might want to consider the alternatives.
    Italy Cycling Guide
  • pimptovimto
    pimptovimto Posts: 56
    I was considering it for tracking purposes as well as the other funtions. I have not seen any other devices which provide tracking in this manner, I have seen some stuff you can do with your mobile, but since that user the mobile cells I cant imagine that would be very good at all.

    James Bowthorpe used one of these for his trip for tracking purposes and it seemed okish

    Have you used it for tracking yourself?
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,149
    If your mobile has a GPS then the software at trackmyjourney.co.uk provides a tracking feature - your mobile GPS location is uploaded to their server every few seconds which can then be downloaded as an XML file and displayed on a website with a bit of clever programming.
    Example

    The major downside are that it relies on a mobile internet connection to upload your position, which uses extra battery power and costs money. In trackmyjourney's software you can change the upload interval to save some power.
    Trackmyjourney provide a free demo of their software, but some features (such as loggin more than 100 points) are locked until you pay for the full version.

    I tried it on a 6 hour ride with an update interval of 2 minutes and the phone only lasted 4 hours. My GPS unit was bluetooth though rather than built in.
  • andymiller
    andymiller Posts: 2,856
    pimptovimto wrote:
    Have you used it for tracking yourself?

    No. Sorry.

    There's nothing to stop you sending 'Here I Am' messages when you stop for lunch/ tea breaks and at the end of the day - so plenty of information for friends and family to follow your progress, if not necessarily hour-by-hour. I'm sure that providing it's not 'mission-critical' that the tracking function will be fine.

    BTW I'm sure there are standalone tracking devices around.
    Italy Cycling Guide

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