Spotwalla

[zenwhipper]

Just reactivated my Spot Tracker after a few years of deciding I did not need the device/tracking while riding. Now I am going on a solo bicycle trip for 5 days and have decided it would be good to have this functionality for my ride. But... what is Spotwalla and why would on use this vs just using the Spot tools on their website?

Thanks Mates.

 

[NightShine]

Hi Zenwhipper.

I haven't looked at the vendor's website in a few years, so maybe they've improved it. The Spotwalla webserver receives your SPOT device's position reports via an interface SPOT LLC publishes to their own servers. The difference is that while the SPOT website stores your position reports for a limited time, Spotwalla stores them indefinitely, and allows you to group them arbitrarily into "trips". You can even define and redefine them after the fact. This way you can share them with others for as long as you like.

Spotwalla has many other features as well. I just don't know if SPOT LLC's have evolved much since I last looked at them.

Spotwalla started out as one SPOT enthusiast's pet project to improve the vendor's obviously too limited webservice. It has evolved and expanded in features over the years as a labor of love and service to his fellow SPOT users.

Happy spotting...

 

[Ignacio]

But... what is Spotwalla and why would on use this vs just using the Spot tools on their website?

Because SPOT's website and services suck moist ass cheese and SPOTWalla is the dog's danglies.

Jason Jonas, a motorcycle rider, made SPOTWalla everything that SPOT website should have been. I use it exclusively for my tracking purposes.

 

[BikerGeek99]

The long version:

The Spotwalla webserver receives your SPOT device's position reports via an interface SPOT LLC publishes to their own servers. The difference is that while the SPOT website stores your position reports for a limited time, Spotwalla stores them indefinitely, and allows you to group them arbitrarily into "trips". You can even define and redefine them after the fact. This way you can share them with others for as long as you like.

The Ignacio-attention-span version:

Because SPOT's website and services suck moist ass cheese and SPOTWalla is the dog's danglies.

Plus, SPOTWalla is free (but feel free to donate to keep a kick-ass service up and running).

 

[Ignacio]

Plus, SPOTWalla is free (but feel free to donate to keep a kick-ass service up and running).

I kicked in $20 again last week. SPOTWalla is central to my blog reports that keep friends and family updated.

Heck, I even used SPOTWalla without having an actual SPOT unit last weekend by using my iPhone and Google Latitude. It was a bit more limited than conventional SPOT, but if people have smart phones with GPS tracking capability (i.e. iPhone, Droid, etc.)...they can actually do some tracking entirely for FREE!

 

[puppychow]

+1 to everything that was said about Spotwalla. I use it exclusively. Haven't used findmespot's web tracking in a very long time.

PS - Umm, is that a Yellow trunk box Iggy?

 

[Ignacio]

PS - Umm, is that a Yellow trunk box Iggy?

It's not a problem....I can stop anytime I want.

 

[zenwhipper]

I think I'm sold! Click, click, here I go to Spotwalla.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Heck, I even used SPOTWalla without having an actual SPOT unit last weekend by using my iPhone and Google Latitude. It was a bit more limited than conventional SPOT, but if people have smart phones with GPS tracking capability (i.e. iPhone, Droid, etc.)...they can actually do some tracking entirely for FREE!

This ^^^ I need to look into...thanks Iggy.

--G

 

[Pat L]

Heck, I even used SPOTWalla without having an actual SPOT unit last weekend by using my iPhone and Google Latitude. It was a bit more limited than conventional SPOT, but if people have smart phones with GPS tracking capability (i.e. iPhone, Droid, etc.)...they can actually do some tracking entirely for FREE!

This ^^^ I need to look into...thanks Iggy.

--G

Ditto from me. Set up a Spotwalla trip page just using Google Latitude on my iPhone to test it out with my wife for an upcoming trip. If she gets the data she needs, cool. If not enough, I'll spring for a Spot.

I assume that the Latitude app needs to be running on the iPhone during the trip, not just on the device and configured. But actually running. Correct?

 

[Longrider]

Quick question. I assume that I need to activate the SPOT tracking to use SPOTWALLA. Is that correct?

Doesn't seem to work with just the BASIC SPOT service.

Longrider

 

[Ignacio]

I assume that the Latitude app needs to be running on the iPhone during the trip, not just on the device and configured. But actually running. Correct?

No. The apps doesn't need to be up and going as the program you're seeing. It does run in the background assuming you leave the "Background Updating" option on by default in Latitude.

Your clue it's running is a small pointer icon towards the upper right turns purple. This is the iPhone saying it's using the GPS feature.

Quick question. I assume that I need to activate the SPOT tracking to use SPOTWALLA. Is that correct?

Doesn't seem to work with just the BASIC SPOT service.

I'm not sure I understand the question. Yes, you to "activate" SPOT in that you have to subscribe to the service, have to configure it to work with SpotWalla from the SPOT page, and you have to setup a SpotWalla trip. You also either need to subscribe (the extra $50 a year) and turn on SPOTCasting mode by holding down the OK button on the SPOT unit OR press the OK button once and it will transmit your position once.

I think it works fine with "BASIC SPOT service", but you'll need to repress that OK button every time you want your position updated. I can't imagine paying $100 for the basic service and just go ahead and pay the extra $50 for the premium service.

 

[Pat L]

I assume that the Latitude app needs to be running on the iPhone during the trip, not just on the device and configured. But actually running. Correct?

No. The apps doesn't need to be up and going as the program you're seeing. It does run in the background assuming you leave the "Background Updating" option on by default in Latitude.

Your clue it's running is a small pointer icon towards the upper right turns purple. This is the iPhone saying it's using the GPS feature.

Maybe we're sayng the same thing, ignacio. It seems from a bit of testing that the app needs to be running, but not the current app. It can just be one of the background apps, as long as the "Background Updating" option is on. But if I close the Latitude app, I don't get further updates from the device.

That purple arrow is a neat tip. I'd noticed that before but never bothered to learn what it meant.

 

[TripperMike]

Plus, SPOTWalla is free (but feel free to donate to keep a kick-ass service up and running).

I kicked in $20 again last week. SPOTWalla is central to my blog reports that keep friends and family updated.

Heck, I even used SPOTWalla without having an actual SPOT unit last weekend by using my iPhone and Google Latitude. It was a bit more limited than conventional SPOT, but if people have smart phones with GPS tracking capability (i.e. iPhone, Droid, etc.)...they can actually do some tracking entirely for FREE!

Wow I had no idea that my Droid could be used on Spotwalla. Thanks Ignacio.

I've toyed around with my Latitude a bit in the past, but pretty much regarded it as useless because it always shows my current location a few miles from where I actually am. Anyways, with a week long trip coming up in 10 days, I'll give Latitude/Spotwalla a go and see how it works.

 

[jmgrif]

The phone works if you have cell service where you are? Spot works from almost anywhere I think? I haven't used mine since 2 years ago on a cross Canada and USA trip but can still access the info from SpotWalla when I want to show new friends my trip! A great service!https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1afd4c44b6e65e209, still there after 2 years!