Author Topic: SPOT satellite communicator?  (Read 1036 times)

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olhogrider

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on: April 21, 2011, 03:21:39 am
A few years ago some friends started using these to track their x-country motorcycle trips. Last week when I came upon a motorcycle crash I tried to use my iPhone. No, Verizon, I could not hear you now. No service!  I was 10 miles from home on the outskirts of suburbia. It got me  thinking of SPOTs. I checked the website. Now they have an adapter to turn any smartphone into a sat phone. They offer towing, rescue and 911 services. Of course there are charges for these.

Have any of you used a SPOT and what did you think of it? Thanks.

Dan


Tri750

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Reply #1 on: April 21, 2011, 04:41:54 am
The spot is pretty cool.
We have one for our shop organized dual sport rides.
My Church has Missionaries in Mexico and India. They have a spot because some of the villages they serve at are way off the beaten path. No power, no phone, nothing.
If interested, we have 2 or 3 of the standard orange spots I can give a nice discount on.
Just mention the RE forum.
Al@bmwoffresno.com
Current bikes:
'71 BMW R75/5 racer
'73 Kaw Z1 racer
'77 Tri 750 Bonneville
'99 BMW R1100RT


Rosetap

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Reply #2 on: April 21, 2011, 12:05:37 pm
FYI, when you use a cell phone to dial 911, it will use any network available.  I'm not trying to defend Verizon (I have crap ATT myself) but it is not solely their fault if you dialed 911 and got nothing.  It just means that no networks from any company were available.

Now, if you had just dialed the number for, say, the police station, or discrete medical services, and had no Verizon signal, it won't jump to another carrier.  911 only.