SPOT

[bmike-vt]

Tips and tricks for getting the most out of a SPOT 2 unit? Come summer mine will be in use for multiday dirt / dirt road trips. I'm assuming powering down each night (unless the stop is brief), and family will be following the track / I'm OK. Any oddities in behavior - or can I set it and forget it...

[Done]

Spot has some good battery-life info on their website. I haven't been able to confirm with my Spot 2 due to the recall--and I didn't own a Spot 1.

For the "Spot Personal Tracker" (aka Spot 2)
http://faq.findmespot.com/index.php?action=showEntry&data=1223

For the "Spot Satellite GPS Messenger" (aka Spot 1)
http://faq.findmespot.com/index.php?action=showEntry&data=1239

I plan on leaving my Spot 2 running the entire time, even when I'm asleep. I figure the less to remember, the better. If the CTR takes me more than 13 days, I'll give up and train harder for 2011!

Cheers,
Toby

[jonesy792]

toby you have those two mixed up.  The tracker is the first generation unit and the messenger is the second generation unit.  The new spot has 3.5-7 days tracking capability before the battery dies vs. 14 days for the old unit. 

[AZTtripper]

I don't know how to tell the difference or what the difference even is but I am pretty sure you have to reset it every day. At least that is the way it has been the two times I borrowed the old one. One guy in the AZT300 left his on all night and then disappeared in the morning and never came back up until he checked it at the end.

The old ones needed to be near the out side or top of your pack as well, can't hurt with the new one. I always put it in the pouch on the back of my Osprey The material they use on that part is some kind of stretch fabric I can actually see the lights blink through it and know it is working.

[Done]

toby you have those two mixed up.  The tracker is the first generation unit and the messenger is the second generation unit.  The new spot has 3.5-7 days tracking capability before the battery dies vs. 14 days for the old unit. 

Thanks for the correction, Jonesy. Spot's branding is confusing at best. Sure would be easier if they would just stick with Spot 1 and Spot 2!

[bmike-vt]

mine has been returned to me. used it last weekend for a short dirt road ride. was curious on the restart every 24 hours thing (remember reading it somewhere else online...)

currently there is nothing planned that is critical - aside from wanting the check in and message to work as planned when i need it. i doubt anyone aside from the wife is interested in where i'll be...


i've noticed the td and other races have average speed data attached.
i'm assuming this is a function of the tracking website doing some math behind the scenes? the generic spot track i can get doesn't seem to add anything like that...

[AZTtripper]

Not sure on the reset it may also be a function of the website as the only time I have used one is during Coco250 and AZT300 I am pretty sure the CTR is the same site.

I think that if you want to be sure that you are on line you want to keep an eye on it making sure that, at least on the old one, both lights are flashing. If you only get one light then it needs to be reset, as I recall.