Tracking Tools and Emergency Location Options

[Hudson]

I've finally got my SPOT II back from the recall, and it will be fun to test it out. In the interim, I've researched and used a few options and thought I'd share my experiences, since there doesn't seem to be a good single reference out there for the various options. Since I've taken to riding my Husky 310 into the back woods, solo, I've worried a bit in case something happened and I was injured. I wanted at least an emergency transmitter in case I needed to summon help, but better would be a tool that would allow my family to track my location in case I wasn't able to, or just to know where I am. Plus I like the idea of search and rescue (SAR) insurance, which would pay for itself in one use. Ask OM about the costs of a medivac. The Options/Pros/Cons:

SPOT II: Cost $150 for the unit, $163/yr for full services options (Basic + tracking + SAR insurance).

PRO: New unit works well, better coverage than the old. Tracking functions work great, can plot a trip and allows family to see where I am at. SAR option allows up to $100k in coverage to pay for Medivac/SAR in case of accident, for only $13 a year! Ability to send pre-defined messages to group of friends/family via email or SMS. Unlike PLB, uses somewhat cheaper lithium AAA energizer batteries that last from a week of continues tracking to 3 months of basic service.

CON: Annual service fees add up over time, emergency service won't work without subsciption, newer lithium batteries more expensive than disposable standard AAA's (and not as easy to find when on the road).

Overall: SPOT is the easiest to use. 5 Year cost may seem higher but not when you factor in SAR insurance.

Yearly cost, averaged over 5 years (includes system + service + insurance + batteries): $210/yr

+

PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) with 406link tracking service: Cost $400 for unit, $60 annual fee for track/message service

This requires you to buy a PLB (usually an ACR unit) and sign up for optional PLB tracking services.

PRO: Does not require a subscription to use the emergency locator function; supposedly a bit more accurate, monitored by worldwide SAR network. Uses a lithium battery with a 5 year standby life (less if you actually end up using the unit). Subscription service is much cheaper, but somewhat more limited: it will only send out a pre-defined message, but does not allow automated tracking like the SPOT, but does include the GPS location with the pre-defined message so you can locate on Google maps. Waterproof in certain cases, so able to use on a boat.

CON: No route tracking ability, battery replacements cost $150 and can only be done by a ACR dealer, larger than a SPOT II, does not include any SAR insurance which usually costs about $100 a year.

Yearly cost, averaged over 5 years (includes system + service + insurance): $240/yr

Cell phone tracking: Trackr or Glympse or similar.

Cost: Free, but need a GPS enabled cellphone (like an Iphone or a smart phone) with a data plan.

Pro: Free. Works great for trips where you have cell coverage. Not really an emergency locator, but allows family to track you online in real time. Trackr also enables you to see where your other friends are at if they are using Trackr, useful for group rides. Glympse is cool because you set the time frame when you are being tracked.

CONS: Does not include any SAR communications (beyond using your cell to call 911 or texting on your cell), no SAR insurance. Eats up cell phone battery life (ideally you would have a mobile charger charging the phone when you are on the go) and it can get expensive unless you have an unlimited data cell phone plan. Requires cell phone coverage; it can "drop out" when you lose cell coverage, but at leasts provides a "vicinity" check unless you are truly out in the boonies. One note: Trackr records your speed at specific locations, so DO NOT use it if you are speeding, as it could be evidence against you in case of an accident. Finally, "free" means it could disappear any time or cost you money when the company decides to charge.

So there you have it. I really dig the free option for around town trips, just to let my family know where I am at and have the ability to see some info if I fail to return (they at least know where to start looking). The PLB was sounding like a cool option, but I want the ability to enable live tracking and I want SAR insurance, since a Medivac trip can easily top $30k and I don't want to be left arguing with my insurance company. Also, I ride in many places with no cell phone coverage, and I don't want to be trying to explain where I am at when I am on my back in case of an accident, rather than just pushing a button and waiting for them to find me.

So SPOT II it is...

I used Trackr this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see it worked in the forest where I assumed I would have no coverage. Trackr or Glympse is something you should try for a day trip of 4 hours or less in areas with decent coverage.

 

[dustyrains]

Thanks Hudson. I have never considered one of these items, but your write up has me thinking how easy it would be for me to run off a corner or hit a deer somewhere out in the boonies and completely disappear.

 

[JR'SFJR]

I purchased SPOT 2 years ago, since I travel alone and it has worked well. The first summer, I used it out west for a month and last summer to Alaska. The first set of batteries lasted over a month. I have also used mine on the appalachian trail and seen other solo backpackers using them.

Feb. issue of Sport Aviation (EAA-Experimental Aircraft Association), had a several page article, about using SPOT in aircraft. All small aircraft that I have flown have ELT's, but this is a excellent backup.

 

[TheAxeman]

Nice write up and comparison, thanks.

 

[1FJR]

Great write up thanks. I have been looking at the SPOT for some time.

A couple of notes on PLB's. As for the PLB if you get one make sure that your register it. As part of my duites with the Sheriff's department I work with Search and Rescue. Well some back country skier had one in his back pack when he was skiing on Berthoud pass. Well it kept going on and off. After three weekends of this it finally stayed on and was tracked to a vehicle parked in Boulder. The PLB was taken and not given back until he was observed getting it registered. That was a waste of alot of manpower.

Also keep in mind that a PLB will not pin point your location until at least three passes of the satalite over head. The way the system works is that when a signal is recieved the message is sent from a goverment office to your state SAR cordinator who then calls the local county that the signal is comming from, not very fast from my experience.

 

[cota95]

I've been using the Spot 1 for the past 3 years and I think it works great. Battery life is fantastic and I always carry spares. I also travel alone and it gives my wife the chance to see that I'm still moving and probably alive (=mortgage will get paid). I like the fact that it works everywhere you can see the sky and doesn't need any cell coverage.

 

[BobOdenweller]

I just tired using Glimpse. It worked OK for a short while but after about a half hour or so my IE8 window would lock up and peg the dual core CPU at 50%. I'll try tracker next. I could also try other browsers, but my wife's work computer only has IE8 and I am not sure she wants to change that.

 

[ice_station_zebra]

Thanks for the evaluations...very timely for me!

 

[BobOdenweller]

I played around with the "free" options some more today. Glimpse has a more professional looking interface and a faster startup time, but it again crashed my browser. Last time it was IE8 and this time it was a brand new installation of Google Chrome. The message was something to the effect of "a critical error occured in flash shockwave". Not good. I'm running Windows 7 64 bit if that makes a difference. In tried Opera, too, and it worked OK, but I still have my doubts whether it would be trouble free long term. Another anoyance of Glimpse is that you can only allow access to others in increments of up to 4 hours at a time. If you wanted someone to be able to track you all day then you would have to send them an invitation email in the morning and another invitation email around lunchtime. Trackr doesn't use the concept of an invitation, instead I would just share my ID and password to anyone that I would want to be able to track me. In my case this would only be my wife. I wouldn't have to send invitation emails every 4 hours. Either app will kill your battery in short order. You will need to keep your phone plugged in for sure. Normally my phone has no problem lasting a day or even a day and a half. I was running both Trackr, Glimpse, and Google maps and my phone was about to die after about 2 hours.

 

[Beamer Reamer]

Hudson,

What are the options for a community use? Say AuburnFJR takes his big trip on the bike early summer and I take a 10 day trip late summer - can we split the cost of one and just pass it back and forth as needed? Anything in the licensing or use that would prohibit or inhibit that kind of plan?

Few us of need one regularly, but would sure like it occasionally.

 

[Hudson]

Beamer, I think we can work something out...

The SPOT lends itself to sharing in one aspect: you can define a number of recipients who can each receive the SPOT messages or track your progress. However, the insurance/medivac coverage applies to only one account holder, and while it can be extended to other family members, it wouldn't cover a brother from another mother if ya get my drift, my brother.

If that is not a concern (or if you shell out $100 for separate SAR coverage), then I think you can get all the benefits. Otherwise, you can always borrow for the benefit of a trip and letting folks know where you be, and the ability to reach rescue if needed.

But you'll have to ask nicely. And I don't accept pie.

 

[Hudson]

I played around with the "free" options some more today.
Either app will kill your battery in short order. You will need to keep your phone plugged in for sure.

Totally agree, Bob. Trackr seems to work excellent and has the benefit of tracking the entire route, not just where you were last, which helps out if you have a gap in coverage. But to make this work, you absolutely need a mobile charger and you need to have an unlimited data plan.

Free isn't always free. Unless its free.

 

[Hudson]

Thanks Hudson. I have never considered one of these items, but your write up has me thinking how easy it would be for me to run off a corner or hit a deer somewhere out in the boonies and completely disappear.

Like this guy. Not sure SPOT would have saved him, but it sure would have saved his family a few weeks of grief during frantic searching. If you ride alone, and you have family, SPOT makes a lot of sense. This past summer, we had an incident during a group ride where a rider left the road and hit a tree, sustaining serious injury. It took the riders in his group a while to backtrack and find him, and luckily he was located quickly and rescued. I shudder to think what the result would have been if he had been missed for even a little while.

 

[Niehart]

"And I don't accept pie." What's the matter with you man ... don't accept pie ... Dave, you were my hero.

Now back to regular program ...

 

[Hudson]

"And I don't accept pie." What's the matter with you man ... don't accept pie ... Dave, you were my hero.
Now back to regular program ...

I was just looking out for you man. This town has room for only one pie whore, and if you've looked at my belly recently, you'd realize I'd just be hurting myself.

You on the other hand remain a sexy b$#ch, ya pie HO.

 

[happyPuppy]

Good review. Technology can help no doubt. I used the Spot 1 and had issues due to the Mountains with coverage, but that I suspect would be the same as any of the systems. They need a clear Southern sky and the free ones need a cell coverage. Let people know your route and if you deviate from it let people know. About 10 years ago a good friend and his son about 11 or so, went hiking up highway 2 near the Iron Goat trail in WA. It got dark and they were not prepared , and I spent a night with a very frantic wife and Search and Rescue looking all night for them in a 10 mile grid and it was not until the next morning they were found. He was not a city boy either but a very experienced hiker that got lazy and misread the amount of daylight. I put in a "flight plan" on even little rides , just a text or a note if I have to. Those glow sticks are cheap and I carry one with my camera bag when riding. I think it is a very timely topic to bring up.

 

[TFC]

I noticed this in one of the recent motorcycle rags. I don't recall seeing an ad for it before. I also did a google search for this forum and didn't have anything come up. Maybe it really is that new.

Anyhoo, the website below seems intriguing. Although it apparently has some capability to alert someone in case of an accident (not sure what the parameters are), I don't believe that's really the intent here. However, I do like the idea of mapping rides and the ability to share location in real time.

rlink clicky

 

[Beamer Reamer]

Beamer, I think we can work something out...
The SPOT lends itself to sharing in one aspect: you can define a number of recipients who can each receive the SPOT messages or track your progress. However, the insurance/medivac coverage applies to only one account holder, and while it can be extended to other family members, it wouldn't cover a brother from another mother if ya get my drift, my brother.

If that is not a concern (or if you shell out $100 for separate SAR coverage), then I think you can get all the benefits. Otherwise, you can always borrow for the benefit of a trip and letting folks know where you be, and the ability to reach rescue if needed.

But you'll have to ask nicely. And I don't accept pie.

Good news, I don't pay in pie. If I did, then I would trouble with Piehart lurking - don't want that...

Let's discuss this at the tech meet. I'd sure rather make a healthy contribution into using one occasionally as opposed to funding a full time one for the two trips a year and occasional weekend. However, the downside is the whole picking it up and dropping it off thing. Who wants to take the bike out just for that....oh, that would be most of us.