View topic - Is this THE techno SPOT with a GPS and text message capable?

Yah...she had an Excel spreadsheet waiting for Ted. Sometimes a little too much information can get you in trouble at home. Such as finding out also the local wind strength..which led to my having to answer at home why we paddled in a gale..

Someday I have to stop at DeLorme and try one of these to find out why I shoud supposedly discard my present SPOT and separate GPS. It seems the DeLorme unit is more of a replacement for a sat phone if properly programmed.

I keep forgetting to stop there

More like a very expensive and not that ergonomic add on keyboard for a SPOT.

That is exactly what SPOT needs, a useful keyboard for texting. A 2-way sat phone still has it's place until such time as the SPOT can be made into a 2-way device.

Again not a slam against the DeLorme GPS, it appears to be a very nice GPS and one I will certainly consider when I need to replace my Garmin.

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"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

It is definitely possible to text out and in of sat phone, and it's much cheaper than sat phone call, but I don't think many people do that.

A satellite phone with a Querty keyboard is what we need. Then texting would be feasible. As it stands the keyboard is not very friendly for texting and your return text message uses voice for delivery.

I was just on the SPOT website & definitely the little SPOT unit works independent of the Delorme GPS unit. This is a quote from them:


....so Wolverine is correct...there is some redundancy here with having 2 GPS units.

Last weekend at the Outdoors show I discovered GeoPro messenger http://www.gmpcs-us.com/IRIDIUM/GeoPro-Messenger-.htm

It's on Iridium network - so it should be more reliable than Spot.
Unfortunately it's rather heavy, not waterproof, doesn't have QWERTY keyboard and is almost as expensive as IsatPhone.
I was told that battery would last a week in a Spot-like constant tracking mode.

There are several options out there. To me the SPOT seems to be in the forefront. But your choices could include:

- GeoPro (GeoPro LBS Inc) - about $699 USD http://www.geoprosolutions.com/

- Solara Field Tracker 2100 - about $880 USD plus $30/month http://www.solaradata.com/products/ft2100.htm

- Magellan GSC 100 - about $1100 USD, $50 activation, $30/month. http://www.telcomwireless.com/globalcom.htm

Maybe there are others, but I am not aware of them.

cheers
dave

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Dave W
"Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing" - Henry David Thoreau

With regards to satellite phones, GPS Central has a deal on this Globalstar GSP-1700 handheld for $499 plus $19.99/month for unlimited access. Seems a pretty good deal.



cheers
dave

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Dave W
"Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing" - Henry David Thoreau

Yury wrote:

I am not sure that is correct. Spot uses the Globalstar data network , not the voice network. The data network, is fully operational.

The new Magellan thingy in icebreakers post looks interesting,
but not interesting enough for me to buy one yet. It looks as if it has a Querty Keyboard and it allows you to send text messages, but only to email or Fax and not directly to a cell or land line phone, except through an operator who then reads the message out. If it could send directly to a cell phone I would put this high on my might buy list of " new canoe junk to buy sometime".

If it's too good to be true......
Until their new satellites kick in this system is a miss.


Hugh

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
M Twai

Does Delorme come with its own software (on PC side), something like MapSource is for Garmin GPSs?

yes - it comes with a software DVD for installation on your PC plus the data DVD's with all the topo data (5 or 6). It covers all of North America & Mexico. Plus you can download other types of map data from their site & (apparently...I haven't tried it yet) layer it on your GPS. They have available data types such as color aerial imagery, USGS Quads, Canadian 1:50,000 topo sheets, NOAA nautical charts, satellite imagery, etc. You also get a $40. credit for downloading data from their site - again I haven't had time to try this yet....& I think there is a subscription for annual download - something like $29.95 per year.

I would like to make comparisons of Canadian maps on Garmin (in this case Ibycus Topo 2.1) and on Delorme.

This is the snapshot of area just west of Schefferville, QC. Center of the map is around 19U 608175 6072824 or 54:47:27.33 N 67:19:3.32 W; scale is visible in the right bottom corner.



How does this compare to Delorme maps?

Thank you,

Did an interview with Rapid Media TV at the Outdoor Show in Toronto and saw the new DeLorme/SPOT device. It seemed pretty good (you can see the interview on our site/youtube channel but I'm not allowed to post the link) and was wondering if anyone has actually used one yet?
I know of several paddlers who had used the original version some successfully some had issues. With the new features this one has I'd say it is going to be amazing but I'd like to hear if anyone has had any actually experience with it yet before I buy one for myself (well actually for my wife's peace of mind).

Dan Caldwell
Rapid Media TV Guy

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