User Review: Spot Satellite Messenger

Above: The current SPOT Satellite Messenger, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 19, 2008 by smartacus

Rating:

This is an affordable, effective device for reassuring your loved ones that you're okay--or, if necessary, summoning emergency services. I'm thrilled that a consumer device like this exists for a reasonable price. My only complaints are with the interface.

The device will attempt to send an OK message for 20 minutes, and will send the message three times if possible just to make sure. During this time, the OK message light blinks and, each time the message is successfully sent, will light solidly for 2 seconds.

Sometimes I want to know whether my message was sent or not, so that I can possibly try again. But rarely do I have time to watch the device for 20 minutes to glimpse that 2-second success indicator.

I'd really like to see a "message sent/not sent" indicator that remains active until I acknowledge it. I'd also like some indication of the availability and strength of satellite signals, which would help me gauge the likelihood of a successful message or decide whether to seek out a more favorable location from which to attempt to send one.

Also, this device is significantly larger and heavier than most modern GPS receivers (I have the Garmin eTrex which seems to weigh about half as much as the SPOT).

Having said all that, I'll happily continue to use this device; I'm a female solo backpacker, and my friends and family enjoy receiving confirmation that I haven't been eaten by bears. ;) I assume the company will continue to refine its features.

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