Big find at Elkins,on the news

[DrKayak]

1 hour ago, Mongo134 said:

I've been looking at emergency tracking devises. When reading up on the SPOT, this little nugget has me a "little" concerned, though it is GPS so I suppose all tracking devises would have this potential issue. Still, better than nothing at all.

 

Like Jeff posted, I would not consider the Spot as an option. My wife bought me an InReach after 10 years of soloing with no issues. It uses the GPS satellite network to figure your location then uses the Sat phone satellites to send the message. So, you really have to get two signals. Even on the Cheapest plan ($12/month) you can send free canned text messages.

I send 4-5 status messages every ride to test.. they always get out, may take 10 min. for a Sat phone satellite to come over my location, then you get a chirp that the message went out and was received. I always put it back in my flight vest and the signal still gets out. Once the flight vest was laying by the bike on the ground in deep woods and I heard it chirp. Not to say there's no canyon out there that it's wont work in... 

The recipient gets a link to a Garmin map site that shows your exact location. Sent one as I was leaving Chalk Bluff and you could see the parking area on the web link and see I was at the bottom right corner of  the parking lot. 

You can also turn on a "bread crumb" feature that will send your location every X minutes so they can find you if you can't hit the save me button. This cost more $$. 

I like it... much easier to keep the wife updated without trying to make a cell call. I have a canned text "made it back to the truck - heading home.. " I just hit the button and load the bike. vs searching for a cell signal. 

Also take a look at these if you just want a on-shot come-get-my-ass emergence device with no monthly subscription fee -

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/resqlink-plb/#sthash.oxbXJU4K.dpbs

  

Edited June 22, 2017 by DrKayak

[cobra46]

3 hours ago, Mongo134 said:

I've been looking at emergency tracking devises. When reading up on the SPOT, this little nugget has me a "little" concerned, though it is GPS so I suppose all tracking devises would have this potential issue. Still, better than nothing at all.

 

I use my spot for back country hiking as well as dirt biking.  It has always worked deep in canyons or under thick forest but the accuracy is off a bit.

As someone mentioned, the InReach is a better product but is a bit larger and more expensive.  That's what I'll be getting when my Spot stops working or i lose it.  It has two way texting capability and confirmation of message delivery.

 

 

 

 

[Jeff aka Bolt]

3 hours ago, Mongo134 said:

I've been looking at emergency tracking devises. When reading up on the SPOT, this little nugget has me a "little" concerned, though it is GPS so I suppose all tracking devises would have this potential issue. Still, better than nothing at all.

 

SPOT = Half the Power of Delorme

SPOT = One way (outbound only) communications...  doesn't even confirm that your emergency message was RECEIVED.

or

Delorme = Twice the Power of SPOT

Delorme = Two way communications so you can text with the wife when late coming home and out of cell phone range...  or maybe even communicate with RESCUE when they are trying to find you.

Delorme = now owned by Garmin.

Would anyone have bought a SPOT if they knew this before making a buying decision ?

[hockdog]

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/aqualink-plb/#sthash.zrsRWZb4.dpbs

 

This is the one we were issued at my work, hit the red button and everybody shows up.....military, Coast Guard, local Search and Rescue, etc....

[Jeff aka Bolt]

1 hour ago, hockdog said:

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/aqualink-plb/#sthash.zrsRWZb4.dpbs

 

This is the one we were issued at my work, hit the red button and everybody shows up.....military, Coast Guard, local Search and Rescue, etc....

Yup...  ACR goes thru same high power system military uses...  will get you a serious SARS rescue world wide.

SPOT AND DELORME both go through a different system and sends your rescue request through 911.

Delorme is the better of the two retail based systems...  but ACR is pro level shit.  No frills...  but the best rescue system PERIOD.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Jeff aka Bolt

[Mongo134]

Flare guns are way cooler though. 

With my luck, my flare would ricochet off a tree, start a forest fire and I'd burn all while having two broken legs.

Eh.....today's technology is probably a safer bet.

[still2smokin]

The In Reach could be good to have even if you wern't riding alone . 

If you came across an injured party or someone your group goes down you could stay with the person instead of riding/driving 1-2 hrs just to get cell coverage . 

[Mongo134]

2 hours ago, hockdog said:

https://www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/aqualink-plb/#sthash.zrsRWZb4.dpbs

 

This is the one we were issued at my work, hit the red button and everybody shows up.....military, Coast Guard, local Search and Rescue, etc....

You can get those at REI

[MartyrRacer368k]

5 minutes ago, Mongo134 said:

You can get those at REI

Pick one up for Sunday? gentleman's ride

[Mongo134]

10 minutes ago, the Riddler. said:

Pick one up for Sunday? gentleman's ride

Pft.... I've been hemorrhaging $$ lately, when it rains it poors. About the only thing I can afford right now outside of normal expenses is to whistle for help! 

 

In all seriousness though, people should know this for emergencies. We're not usually "that" remote if you think about it. Sure these are a good idea and I would like to have one someday when it fits the budget better but what a lot of people either don't know or they forget is that in many instances you can still make an emergency call with your cell phone. That's why I always carry mine. As example, if you are an AT&T Wireless customer and you need emergency help but have zero AT&T service you can STILL make an emergency call and that call, by Federal Government standards and regulations, has to hand you to the nearest cell tower. It's Federal law, no if's and or but's. And chances are there is a Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile etc tower somewhere in the vicinity even if it's just simple WCDMA, 2G coverage or repeater. Doesn't even have to be a real strong signal either, just a blip to a cell tower with a 911 call creates a "handshake" between that tower and your cell phone and any dropped 911 cell calls are triangulated to show your approximate location from from that tower and emergency services are REQUIRED to respond to those locations.

[ElDorado650]

If you are in the woods - you should have something.  I have a sat phone, though I am thinking about a deLorme as it is less per month.

I have been involved in 3 helicopter rescues, and 1 of them I was the passenger.  It is good to be able to send an SOS if you have bones poking out.

Interesting on the cell phone.  I have used my cell for 911 once, but I had to ride 3 ridges over to get it to work.  I tried every ridge in between, and nothing.

That was about 6 years ago though.

 

[Mongo134]

16 minutes ago, ElDorado650 said:

If you are in the woods - you should have something.  I have a sat phone, though I am thinking about a deLorme as it is less per month.

I have been involved in 3 helicopter rescues, and 1 of them I was the passenger.  It is good to be able to send an SOS if you have bones poking out.

Interesting on the cell phone.  I have used my cell for 911 once, but I had to ride 3 ridges over to get it to work.  I tried every ridge in between, and nothing.

That was about 6 years ago though.

 

Technology is constantly evolving and signals strength increasing. Cell coverage is constantly growing even if it may not be with a particular carrier in your area. Put it this way, in 2016 our company installed 1,035 cell sites just for AT&T in NorCal alone and did antenna mods and radio signal adds to countless others. And that was just us! We will surpass that number this year. And that doesn't count our Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint departments which are constantly working too. Like I said, I carry it as a precaution only because I don't have any of the other devices and if I had to drag a broken leg out of a ravine and up a ridge to make the call then that's what I'll just have to do. Sounds painful! 

Edited June 22, 2017 by Mongo134

[Phillabuster]

Pick one up for Sunday[emoji6] gentleman's ride

Centerfolds does not open til noon on Sunday's.

[bigbob 901]

ok so its caldor, I guess now the USFS will close it in a big way.

 

 

 

[Mongo134]

4 minutes ago, bigbob said:

ok so its caldor, I guess now the USFS will close it in a big way.

 

 

 

That "road" has been closed anyway.

That won't stop "you know who"!

[DrKayak]

Every time I have sent a test from my InReach I instantly heard my cell phone go off (I have myself on the distribution list for the message). So I have never been out of cell coverage and I go all over Georgetown and other areas.. I still find the InReach convenient. It's basically a text/e-mail only Sat phone for $12/month with long battery life. It could replace your GPS too. I'm likely to quit carrying the cell phone just to save having too much crap and to disconnect from cell use in the woods.. 

Doubt I would have bought it, almost returned it... but I'm a little nuts on the solo risk deal.. 

Edited June 22, 2017 by DrKayak

[Jeff aka Bolt]

Even an old phone that has no account any more will connect when 911 is dialed.  I ride with my old flip phone in my back pack.  It hasn't been on an account with anyone in years.  But it will connect to 911... legally it has to.

Now if I could just remember to charge it.  LOL  ?

[schmo]

^interesting . . . had no idea.  I have my old razor flip phone laying around somewhere too.

[dyrtmon]

On June 21, 2017 at 10:22 AM, ElDorado650 said:

He was way lucky.  Hauling a$$ by yourself is not a good idea.  Plus - have a SPOT or Sat Phone or something.  There was time to stop if you are being slightly careful.  You should only ride at 70% if riding solo.  This drop is hard to miss.

Is that the slide that you me n Joe saw earlier this year? the one that probably happened a cupla hours before we happened upon it? Sure looks like it.

Edited June 23, 2017 by dyrtmon

[dyrtmon]

On June 21, 2017 at 2:55 PM, Jeff aka Bolt said:

This is a perfect example of why you don't buy a SPOT at all.  If I am laying there all night waiting for rescue I wanna be able to know rescue got my message.  Buy a Garmin's Delorme InReach so you can have TWO WAY communication...  and TWICE the power to reach that satellite.  

Laying in the dark wondering if SPOT got your message out is not very reassuring.  It matters a lot when laying in a ditch with a broken hip.

And a perfect example of why you don't ride alone.