The Great Big SPOT Thread

[jeffmccracken]

Thanks for the replies about the battery life stuff. It sounds pretty reasonable to use batteries. I guess I was just thinking of the benefits of being able to plug it in and forget it, forever.

It's pretty easy to build a +3V regulated "supply". A small 5v regulator and a 2 resistor voltage divider. These are small enough that you can build it and heat shrink it right on the power cord so all you need to do is plug it into a bike or car voltage source. I did something similar for my MP3 Player and plug it into the USB port. Now I can run the back light all the time with no battery concerns.

On another note, I did a couple of quick searches and haven't seen any mention here about jasonjonas' SPOT Trip Manager (STM) web site. He uses the OK and Help messages to implement tracking on sharable Google map pages that are pretty slick. Way better that the Star-Traxx implementation, as far as I can see. http://www.jasonjonas.org/spot/.

Thanks again for the input

JeffM

[TomW]

Originally Posted by jeffmccracken

...On another note, I did a couple of quick searches and haven't seen any mention here about jasonjonas' SPOT Trip Manager (STM) web site. He uses the OK and Help messages to implement tracking on sharable Google map pages that are pretty slick. Way better that the Star-Traxx implementation, as far as I can see. http://www.jasonjonas.org/spot/.

Check out SpoT's implementation of the same thing. It's in beta, and not perfect...yet, but seems reasonable as a first try. I've not used it in a while, so I may be fuzzy on the details, but basically you get a public page showing your tracking or check-in locations for the previous 24-hrs that you can provide for your family and friends. Details (with inevitable commentary) earlier in this thread.

Cheers

[HogWild]

I just read this. I think this means SPOT coverage has just expanded to the areas listed. Hopefully this type of upgrade will continue across the globe. Lots of us need Argentina fully covered by January!

Globalstar Satellite Data Coverage Expands: Globalstar, Inc. has expanded its satellite Simplex data coverage to include all of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and the surrounding maritime regions including the Gulf of Alaska and portions of both the north Pacific and south Arctic Oceans. The expanded Simplex data coverage, which is available on six continents, is the result of an applique hardware installation and software upgrades at the Globalstar satellite gateway or ground station located in Wasilla, Alaska.

[emerson.biguns]

Did a test run this morning with my new SPoT. Traking mode worked well. Got a position every 10 minutes (once or twice it took 11 or 12 minutes.) It was in a pack facing up on the rear of my DR350.

Website is a little clunky and the way that the tracking is "shared" isn't that user friendly.

Also, can't activate an "I'm OK" message while tracking.

I'd give it a solid B+. A little work on the firmware and the website and it could easily be an A+.


Emerson the Skeptic




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[ajayhawkfan]

For new subscribers in the US check out http://www.findmespot.com/primalquest.aspx for 6 month free tracking.

[BuellDualSport]

Back about 30 pages ago, Spotmaker suggesting turning the unit off, to stop tracking, send an OK message, then restart tracking.


Seems to work for us.

Good luck

[ajayhawkfan]

I need a little help with me SPOT.

Is there a way to delete a message from the website and the personal map? I can't find it if there is.

Thanks,
Eddie

[PhilSpace]

Originally Posted by ajayhawkfan

For new subscribers in the US check out http://www.findmespot.com/primalquest.aspx for 6 month free tracking.

Boy, does my timing suck.

[ajayhawkfan]

Originally Posted by ajayhawkfan

For new subscribers in the US check out http://www.findmespot.com/primalquest.aspx for 6 month free tracking.

The promotional code said it was expired although the web site said it was good until the middle of July. I called and they set it and plugged in a code for me.

[emerson.biguns]

Originally Posted by BuellDuelSport

Back about 30 pages ago, Spotmaker suggesting turning the unit off, to stop tracking, send an OK message, then restart tracking.

Not really a functional solution for the way we use the terminal on the go.



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[BuellDualSport]

Reach Up. Turn Spot Off

Turn Spot On, Send Ok

Repeat for tracking

Seems easy to us.

Ride Em

[daveg]

Hey,
Any of you try to scrape the public shared map page from findmespot? I'd like to be able to keep the tracked data myself and present it how I want to on my website.

I'm a pretty lousy but functional web programmer, but get all conufuzzled with this Web 2.0 stuff. They also use ajax to do their login to the main page too.. uhg.

All I want to do is own my own data I generate!

[Raoul Duke]

I don't recall anyone posting this yet.

RAM mount for the SPOT: http://www.ram-mount.com/mount/satel...cker_mount.htm

[PhilSpace]

Originally Posted by Valmis

I don't recall anyone posting this yet.

RAM mount for the SPOT: http://www.ram-mount.com/mount/satel...cker_mount.htm

I don't either. Awesome and thanks.

[emerson.biguns]

Originally Posted by BuellDuelSport

Reach Up. Turn Spot Off

Turn Spot On, Send Ok

Repeat for tracking

Seems easy to us.

Ride Em

Reach behind and dig out of bag on my rear top case.

Turn Spot off.

Turn Spot on, send OK.

WAIT until OK message completes. (Watch LEDs in the mean time and lose track point while this is happening.)

Turn Spot off.

Turn Spot On, enable track mode.

Turn around and put spot back in bag.


Not so easy when going 60mph on dirt....




A firmware mod to allow a OK button press while in track mode to make the next message an OK would make a lot more sense than the way it works now.




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