Spot tracker 3

[michael ProttMember]

Anyone been using the Gen 3 Spot Tracker, I’m thinking of doing a few laps on my own and might invest in one. Thoughts, faults or otherwise?
cheers
Protty

[Alan RootsMember]

Good for peace of mind , Check the battery life . Some of them chew through batteries and end up costing an arm and a leg to keep the Batteries up to them . They specify Lithium Batteries only and in the regional areas they cost you about $20 a set . Expensive when they can be flat every second day and you are doing a several week ride .

I have only used the original spot myself , helps my wife feel secure when I am away by knowing where I am even when there is no Mobile service to talk to her .

[michael ProttMember]

Thanks mate, good to know about the batteries. The Gen 3 apparently has a USB power input so I need to look into wether it has a battery source other than AAA.

[usiMember]

I ran a spot 3 on the apc with tracking running all day. took me 16 days and i didn’t have to change the lithiums out
I wouldn’t bother with the usb charging as those shitty little connectors end up destroyed

I think it did another 2 months of daily Ok messages in the arvo before it started flashing red

My spot 2 loved to drain batteries, I think the 3 has an auto off if your too pissed and forget to switch it off.

[GregMember]

Oldfatbeerman wrote:

Good for peace of mind , Check the battery life . Some of them chew through batteries and end up costing an arm and a leg to keep the Batteries up to them . They specify Lithium Batteries only and in the regional areas they cost you about $20 a set . Expensive when they can be flat every second day and you are doing a several week ride .

I have only used the original spot myself , helps my wife feel secure when I am away by knowing where I am even when there is no Mobile service to talk to her .

Buggered if I know what spot with lithums will use batteries every few days Al, I have used a one, two and connect and the batteries last. If you use servo batteries they can eat them :ohmy: those no name shit ones
Every ready lithium batteries yes $16 for 4 my spot connect takes two and works on tracking and messages for two weeks straight. Then left in in bedroom blinked for over 3 weeks before light blinked red
Connect allows you to send short customs texts as well as standard spot features

TB

[Alan RootsMember]

Spot 2 has a claimed Battery life of 4.3 days , leave it on overnight (Beer is more important than turning off gadgets ) and you get about 2 days , 3 is more likely to be less intensive on the battery due to the frequency of the signal from what I have read .

I’d be happy to be able to wire it in to the bikes ignition , don’t need it when the bikes turned off do ya ?

Have to suss out the voltage required(spot 2 is = to 3 “AAA” s :blink: ) and find a rectifier / resistor circuit to suit to reduce it back from 12 v . Then work through a way to fit it while staying water tight .

I have Plenty of other stuff to do before attempting this though .

[scott bockingMember]

I have a Spot2 and have left it on that many times that I nicknamed it Blinky.
There is a far superior product on the market now available through SAR Dynamics. It triggers Australian search and rescue rather than a US relay and includes a strobe which makes it much easier to find you. Upfront cost and no ongoing subscription. It has a four year battery installed and is distributed by a guy who hangs out of choppers for a living rescuing people.

STM

[GregMember]

singletrackmind wrote:

I have a Spot2 and have left it on that many times that I nicknamed it Blinky.
There is a far superior product on the market now available through SAR Dynamics. It triggers Australian search and rescue rather than a US relay and includes a strobe which makes it much easier to find you. Upfront cost and no ongoing subscription. It has a four year battery installed and is distributed by a guy who hangs out of choppers for a living rescuing people.

STM

More info Stuntman on the SAR device please?

TB

[MarkMember]

Hi guys,
Singletrackmind got in touch with me about this post regarding distress beacons.
I am a rescue helicopter crewman with ten years experience and am also a dealer for ACR distress beacons.
Personally I would steer clear of the SPOT beacons as they run off a different satellite network and NOT the Cospas Sarsat Network.
I am just knocking off work but I will put a more detailed post later today.
NJ just purchased a ACR ResQlink PLB off me. They come with a six year battery life, no annual subscriptions and now come with a free ACR Firefly Strobe light and First Aid Kit. They are nice and small also.
Please check back for my next post
Cheers
Turnstyle

[Eric SmithMember]

turnstyle wrote:

Hi guys,
Singletrackmind got in touch with me about this post regarding distress beacons.
I am a rescue helicopter crewman with ten years experience and am also a dealer for ACR distress beacons.
Personally I would steer clear of the SPOT beacons as they run off a different satellite network and NOT the Cospas Sarsat Network.
I am just knocking off work but I will put a more detailed post later today.
NJ just purchased a ACR ResQlink PLB off me. They come with a six year battery life, no annual subscriptions and now come with a free ACR Firefly Strobe light and First Aid Kit. They are nice and small also.
Please check back for my next post
Cheers
Turnstyle

Interested, very interested!

[MarkMember]

[attachment=4641]IMG_1756.JPG[/attachment]
Gday again,

For those who are after a distress beacon i can offer the ACR resQlink Personal Locator Beacon which is 406MHz / GPS equipped for better accuracy as it runs off the Cospas Sarsat International Emergency Satellite Network.

It weighs less than a couple of energy bars and is nice and small.
They come with a six year battery life and there is NO subscription fees.
If you use it for a real life emergency ACR will replace it with a brand new beacon of equal or greater value.
Thats part of their 406 Survivor Club deal. See survivorclub.com

At the moment the ACR resQlink PLB’s come with a bonus ACR Firefly Strobe Light and First Aid Kit.
The strobe light is a good idea for making searches more efficient as we can see a strobe from up to five miles away whilst using night vision goggles.
The unit is brilliant to use across all activities and you can mount it to a lifejacket if you also have a jetski.
Price is $399 plus postage for the bonus PLB pack which includes the PLB/ Firefly Strobe and the First Aid kit.

Please contact me for more information at
mark@sardynamics.com.au or 0413347478
Also look for sardynamics on FB and Instagram

Thanks guys
Ride safe
Turns

[MarkMember]

Pic of the Firefly Strobe Light

[michael ProttMember]

Thanks everyone, all good advice and the new ACR unit looks the good. One question Mark, does it have an “OK” feature so family know where you are or is it rescue specific?
cheers
Protty

[MarkMember]

Protty,

It is rescue specific. I think there is merit with the SPOT messaging but personally i don’t think its worth the annual subscription.

Spot not running on the Cospas Sarsat network is a worry and i would choose the network coverage (PLB) over a message system anyday of the week.

Also all Rescue Helicopters have the ability to home in on a 406MHz PLB improving response times.

Food for thought.
Hope this helps somewhat.

Happy Trails
Turns

[Shane PalethorpeMember]

I think its whether or not you bought your device to message family / friends etc, OR to ensure you can quickly alert rescue authorities.

I think most of us bought the Spot Trackers for rescue firstly, and as an added bonus we can also send messages.

Lets face it, most of us are doing longer rides with pub stays, or at least riding through areas that have good phone coverage, if its important you can always find a way to text a message home at some stage of the day.
And if you are somewhere sooo remote that there is no coverage, then I know which device I would rather have along if you need it, and it isn’t the Spot.

The battery life is a great feature as well.

I think it won’t be long before I ‘upgrade’ from the Spot.

Only have 2 questions:-

* How will they go with vibration if say mounted on the handle bars ?
* Is there a cradle available to carry it on the handle bars ?

cheers,
Shane 660

[Author]

Posts