Check in regularly to the Tech Talk column featuring background info and tips about SPOT. Our contributor to the column is Bob Bennett, the developer of SPOT, who has over 40 years experience in the space and satellite communications industry. Some might call him a rocket scientist. We agree.
We’re adding even more features to your Free SPOT Adventures Account. You can now import videos into adventures from YouTube. Make your adventures come to life with this new feature. Re-live your most amazing moments in the outdoors with your friends and family. Click Read More below to see a list of all the upgrades to www.SPOTadventures.com.
Having a lifeline is what SPOT’s all about. Enjoying the outdoors is what you’re all about. That is why we brought you 911/SOS on the original SPOT unit. We continue to bring you this critical core function as the cornerstone of SPOT products and services. The SOS feature should only be used in a critical or life threatening emergencies. We decided to take a moment and dive deeper into explaining this safety feature in some detail.
SOS Overview
SPOT sends your emergency profile information and current GPS location to the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center every 5 minutes until cancelled or the batteries run out. This helps rescue teams get the latest, most up to date information about your location. Other devices in this category use longer periods of time between each update. Remember, frequent alerts with updated location data are invaluable for prompt rescue response when floating in a current or having to be on the move for some reason and needing help.
If SPOT cannot get a GPS signal, it will still attempt to send your message - without a GPS location. Additionally, your SPOT Messenger continues to search for a fix every 5 minutes that it is transmitting. Previous message data, and contacting people on your emergency contact profile, can aid in determining your location.
There is no direct SOS test mode. We encourage all customers to practice using Check-in/OK as a means to test their message transmissions on a regular basis. For more info on how to test your SPOT this way, see here. If you activate the SOS function, the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center will treat it as a real emergency.
How SPOT Prioritizes SOS
SOS messages are the top priority for SPOT. When you select Help/SPOT Assist or SOS, you will disable Check-in/OK, Custom message and Track Progress functions. Help messages will still be transmitted to designated friends and family in Combined Help and SOS mode. If you have signed up for SPOT Assist, SPOT Assist will not be available. Please note that SPOT strongly recommends that you do not utilize Combined Help and SOS mode, as your friends and family could interfere with rescue efforts.
Recommended Tip
Track Progress, an optional service for your SPOT, can provide a breadcrumb trail of last known locations that can assist rescue authorities when you’re unable to press SOS for some reason. An emergency team could take advantage of tracking information to come in close proximity of your location. In fact, GEOS has access to your entire SPOT message history for the last 24 hours prior to when they receive an SOS message.
For more tips on general outdoor preparedness, before you might be in an SOS situation, please visit http://www.findmespot.com/prepared.
Having a lifeline is what SPOT’s all about. Enjoying the outdoors is what you’re all about. That is why we brought you 911/SOS on the original SPOT unit. We continue to bring you this critical core function as the cornerstone of SPOT products and services. The SOS feature should only be used in a critical or life threatening emergencies. We decided to take a moment and dive deeper into explaining this safety feature in some detail.
SOS Overview
SPOT sends your emergency profile information and current GPS location to the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center every 5 minutes until cancelled or the batteries run out. This helps rescue teams get the latest, most up to date information about your location. Other devices in this category use longer periods of time between each update. Remember, frequent alerts with updated location data are invaluable for prompt rescue response when floating in a current or having to be on the move for some reason and needing help.
If SPOT cannot get a GPS signal, it will still attempt to send your message - without a GPS location. Additionally, your SPOT Messenger continues to search for a fix every 5 minutes that it is transmitting. Previous message data, and contacting people on your emergency contact profile, can aid in determining your location.
There is no direct SOS test mode. We encourage all customers to practice using Check-in/OK as a means to test their message transmissions on a regular basis. For more info on how to test your SPOT this way, see here. If you activate the SOS function, the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center will treat it as a real emergency.
How SPOT Prioritizes SOS
SOS messages are the top priority for SPOT. When you select Help/SPOT Assist or SOS, you will disable Check-in/OK, Custom message and Track Progress functions. Help messages will still be transmitted to designated friends and family in Combined Help and SOS mode. If you have signed up for SPOT Assist, SPOT Assist will not be available. Please note that SPOT strongly recommends that you do not utilize Combined Help and SOS mode, as your friends and family could interfere with rescue efforts.
Recommended Tip
Track Progress, an optional service for your SPOT, can provide a breadcrumb trail of last known locations that can assist rescue authorities when you’re unable to press SOS for some reason. An emergency team could take advantage of tracking information to come in close proximity of your location. In fact, GEOS has access to your entire SPOT message history for the last 24 hours prior to when they receive an SOS message.
For more tips on general outdoor preparedness, before you might be in an SOS situation, please visit http://www.findmespot.com/prepared.
Let your followers take it to the next level and follow your progress Live via SPOT Live Maps. Find out how to stream your SPOT waypoints live through the SPOT Adventures Live Map and drop the map widget into your web page. Have a personal blog or other site and want to stream your live waypoints? Just set up your SPOT Adventures Profile and stream one of your Shared Pages as a Live Map. This is a great tool for people away from home for long periods of time. They can just stream tracking data for those they give access to see they are out there doing just fine. Have a big adventure race or maybe you’re an outfitter showing where you’re off to? The Live widget is perfect for you. Click READ MORE below to learn how to get it.
SPOT has teamed up with Delorme, the innovative leaders in mapping and GPS technologies to bring you the word's first handheld GPS with SPOT Communicator. The revolutionary SPOT Communicator, designed exclusively for the new Earthmate PN-60w, merges SPOT satellite message functionality and DeLorme state-of-the-art GPS mapping via wireless. Together, this product pairing offers an array of outbound messaging and GPS mapping functionality never before available.
Imagine typing freeform text messages on the go, sending messages to multiple user groups and managing your contacts via a contact manager in your SPOT account online. For more features keep on reading folks...
Very special news on Tech Talk this week: SPOT Shared Page Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones has launched!
The SPOT Shared Page Mobile application for BlackBerry smartphones allows you to manage and view SPOT messenger shared pages directly on your mobile. The SPOT shared page service provided by SPOT LLC allows any SPOT owner to broadcast selected SPOT messages, including Track Progress waypoints, to anyone they choose via a web link. SPOT Shared Page Mobile provides all of the power and features of browser based Shared Pages but optimized for use on your smartphone. Now you can view near realtime SPOT location information anytime on the go. Available on App World, get it today!
Having a lifeline is what SPOT’s all about. Enjoying the outdoors is what you’re all about. That is why we brought you 911/SOS on the original SPOT unit. We continue to bring you this critical core function as the cornerstone of SPOT products and services. The SOS feature should only be used in a critical or life threatening emergencies. We decided to take a moment and dive deeper into explaining this safety feature in some detail.
