The Spot Satellite Messenger is the world's first satellite messenger and a must have tool for any outdoors adventurer. It’s a piece of gear we don’t own yet, but we’ve heard enough good stuff about it that it’s on our wishlist.
Thanks to the Spot, you can have that important line of communication with family and friends when you want and access to emergency assistance when and where you need it. And because Spot uses 100% satellite technology, it works world-wide.
Backpackers often find themselves in remote areas. Options for help can be very limited. Sometimes friends and family worry about your well-being. Cell phone signal can often times be poor and you might not always know exactly where you’re located. Spot is your all inclusive system to address these issues. Below is an overview of Spot’s four key functions and how they can assist you in your backpacking travels.
Ask For Help
Spot helps in non-life threatening emergencies. For example, you return from backpacking and find your vehicle has a flat tire. Simply press the HELP button. This notifies pre-selected friends or family members with a help message via text message or e-mail with a link to Google Maps showing your GPS network calculated location.
Alert 9-1-1
Spot can help in an emergency with the Alert 9-1-1 function. As a backpacker, you never know what your adventures can lead to. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, press the 9-1-1 button and the International Emergency Response Center alerts appropriate emergency response agencies worldwide.
The way it works is that once triggered, Spot will obtain your coordinates via satellite network and send your location and a distress message to the International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled. From there, the appropriate emergency responders will be notified. If Spot cannot get its location from the satellite network, it will still attempt to send a distress signal, without your exact location, to the International Emergency Response Center, which in turn will notify your contacts of the distress signal and continue to monitor for further messages.
Check In
The Spot Satellite Messenger allows you to check in with family and friends. As you are backpacking along your route, press the OK button and Spot Satellite Messenger will notify your pre-selected family and friends with a message with your GPS network calculated location via text message or e-mail to let them know you’re okay.
Track Your Progress
Finally, Spot can also be a personal tracker, allowing you to save waypoints every ten minutes of your progress. Review your trip later or share with friends and family so they can watch in real time.
Spot Satellite Messenger does require a service subscription. However, the price is minimal for the peace of mind you and your loved ones can have during daily and high adventure living.
