Using the Spot, first attempt

We bought a couple of Spot for business. Cabela's
had them on sale for $100.

We use them for exploration hydrogeologists traveling
solo in Nevada who are putting in monitoring devices in remote locations,
sometimes without roads. Cell coverage is "spotty".

First time out we couldn't get a cell call through to
our scientist, so left
a message on the cell. When the fellow got to cell coverage
and his message he tried out the SPOT.

Back at work we suddenly got an email from him "I'm OK" his
lat-lon and a link to Google Earth with his location showing.
Very cool.

So far seems to work as advertised in the open country of
Nevada. Should be useful for our mapping projects too.

This?
http://international.findmespot.com/
It certainly seems like a good idea worth checking out, and I am glad to hear that they work.
Thanks for the information.

What do you do with the coordinates? Is it mostly an FYI? I'm trying to figure out what the advantage of getting the coordinates is. Maybe you're just making sure that they are actually doing work and in the targeted area?

If the objective is to provide folks with help in the event of an emergency, then a PLB is hands-down the better option.

When (if?) the SPOT provides a satellite-based messaging system (where I can actually input a message) the also includes the GPS coordinates, THEN it might be worth the price.

Right now the SPOT plus service is about the cost of a PLB. The PLB is MUCH more robust and supported by the U.S. government, while the SPOT forces you to rely on friends/family. Also, the PLB provides a Doppler location in case the GPS isn't locking on and the homing beacon for localized tracking.

At this point I'll stick with my PLB.

Ken

A point last seen and a time is very helpful in SAR.

If you can't hit
that button on the PLB, where do you start the search?
By having check ins you reduce the search
area.

If you're pinned by a boulder, ATV, avalanche, car, etc.
and can't reach your PLB, what then?

We have a project that will take less than a year, cost
per person is about $250 vs the PLB about $600.

Having LAT LON from the SPOT as a double check to our GPS readings for geologic mapping is of some use too.

Having multiple "check in" points, can also give direction of travel and speed. Knowing this, you could possibly extrapolate the general health of the individual at the last known location. Combining this information with knowledge of the person being sought, the current weather conditions, and the terrain, a general idea of the possible intended path and current location can be determined. This will allow searchers to focus on areas that would have a higher likelyhood of having a missing and/or injured person. If the only way to keep going east was along a ledge, check the bottom of the ledge. If there is a flowing stream near a trail, check along the stream ( or downstream ).

It would be nice if the PLB's allowed for a "non-emergency position update". Something like double-click a button, that sends a signal which is recorded as a route start/end. It could give periodic updates (maybe once every 15 minutes ), but allow manual update by pressing the button once. Software on the end could give warning alerts that a device hasn't given an update after 2 times the periodic interval. Not an end-all solution, and there could be false alarms (what if the battery dies?), but it would take care of the "I cannot reach the PLB" situation.

You start the search at the point of entry on their safety management form they left with their family. Most that are smart enough to carry a PLB will also be smart enough to let family know where they are going.

This is sort of what we do with the SPOT. At each monitoring
site we send a signal back, each site can be several miles
apart. As there is quite a bit of time at each location spent
measuring etc. there is time for the SPOT to register
with the Satellites. The country is without trees or
steep canyon walls, which apparently are not good for
the current generation of SPOT beacons.

Right, in this case the scientists have a general plan of where the monitoring
sites will be (based on the geology

and other information we have beforehand) and will have in
some cases the route traveled if there is a road or trail etc. between sites.

However, as someone travels, the search area goes up by
a huge factor based on the distance they could travel in
the time since the point last seen. If all you have
is a note at home, you could be looking at a "bastard search"
(where the the lost person is somewhere in a bar or brothel
instead of that class 3 peak.)and the searchers will have
to waste time checking out the "Owl Club".

If you know the point last seen and the time,
you can deduce the probability the person is in a certain
area and then based on the search methods, the probability
that the person will be discovered.

Frequent check ins before you are a victim, really speed the SAR effort up.

And this is a good thing?

That is a VERY good thing. If you've ever gotten to know with any of the folks listed below their lives are amazingly dedicated to their professions.

I'm talking about ...

U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Department of Defence
Civil Air Patrol
U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary
State/County/City Law Enforcement
National Park Service

I suspect the state National Guards might also come into play. I'm sure others on this forum know much more about it than I do.

Here is a description of the National Rescue Plan under the NOAA SARSAT authority:

"By federal interagency agreement, the National Search and Rescue Plan provides for the effective use of all available facilities in all types of SAR missions. These facilities include aircraft, vessels, pararescue and ground rescue teams, and emergency radio fixing. Under the plan, the U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for the coordination of SAR in the Maritime Region, and the U.S.Air Force is responsible in the Inland Region. To carry out these responsibilities, the Coast Guard and the Air Force have established Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC's) to direct SAR activities within their regions. NOAA provides satellite alerting in support of the National SAR Plan.

In general, search and rescue, or SAR, is a lifesaving service provided through the combined efforts of the federal agencies signatory to the National SAR Plan, and the agencies responsible for SAR within each state. Operational resources are provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, DOD components, the Civil Air Patrol, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, state, county and local law enforcement and other public safety agencies, and private volunteer organizations. Services include search for missing aircraft and vessels, survival aid, rescue, and emergency medical help for the occupants after an accident site is located."

Above I put the government sponsored organizations in bold to emphasize their involvement ... not to suggest that the volunteer organizations such as the Civil Air Patrol and local volunteer SAR groups are any less professional or vital to their missions.

Of course I am being a bit tongue in cheek here, but all those
folks respond no matter how they are alerted to the emergency.

And if you ever run into one of those Sheriffs responsible for
overseeing a search who is in the office purely for political
reasons and doesn't want to spend any money on a search, you
will be glad you have friends and family to push for every
resource, including all those agencies mentioned.

Would you want the ones running the Katrina response looking
for your injured and lost family member?

No one is going to look out for you and your family's welfare
like you will.

A PLB is a one trick pony.

If that is the way things are in California, I feel bad for Californians in need of help. I can assure you that is NOT the way things work in Illinois.

I won't go down the overly-worn Katrina rut. The Coast Guard, National Guard, and scores of other rescuers (one of my fellow assistant Scoutmasters - a fire fighter paramedic - was one of them) that were involved in Katrina busted their butts and are all heros in my book.

Yeah, there are stories of SAR activities that weren't perfect, but I'll put my life in their hands anytime. End of story.

Who is the responsible agency in Illinois for SAR?

The SAR coordinators for Illinois. Now you can find out
their abilities, resources, philosophies for your area.

Hopefully they were not appointed by your Governor.


EMA / ESDA / OEM COORDINATOR ADDRESS CITY ZIP REGION
ADAMS CO. John Simon 521 Vermont Quincy 62301 6
ALEXANDER CO./ Cairo Martha Nicholson 720 - 37th St Cairo 62914 11
AURORA Mark Flaherty 350 N. River St Aurora 60506 3
BLOOMINGTON Keith Ranney 310 N. Lee St Bloomington 61701 7
BOND CO. William H. Leidel PO Box 553 Greenville 62246 8
BOONE CO Lee Onley 615 N. Main Belvidere 61008 3
BROWN CO Curt Hannig RR1 Box 1A Mt. Sterling 62353 6
BUREAU CO Kristine S. Donarski 700 S. Main St Rm B5 Princeton 61356 2
CALHOUN CO Barbara Margherio PO Box 255 Hardin 62047 8
CARBONDALE Louis E. Hertter 200 S. Illinois Ave Carbondale 62901 11
CARROLL CO Gregory Miller 301 N. Main Mt. Carroll 61053 2
CASS CO Wayne Nelson PO Box 371 Chandlerville 62627 6
CENTRALIA John Worlds PO Box 569 Centralia 62801 9
CHAMPAIGN Stephen Clarkson 307 S. Randolph St Champaign 61820 7
CHAMPAIGN CO Bill L. Keller 1905 E. Main St Urbana 61802 7
CHICAGO Andrew Velasquez 1411 Madison St Chicago 60607 4
CHRISTIAN CO Michael Crews 301 W. Franklin Taylorville 62568 6
CLARK CO Carl E. Honnold PO Box 44 Casey 62420 9
CLAY CO \ FLORA Steven Lewis PO Box 365 Flora 62839 9
CLINTON CO Richard B. Crocker 1490 Abbott St Carlyle 62231 8
COLES CO Thomas C. Watson 846 Fourth St Charleston 61920 9
COOK CO Kevin J. Philipps 1311 S. Maybrook Dr., Rm 108 Maywood 60153 4
CRAWFORD CO James D. Wallace 1005 North Argus Robinson 62454 9
CUMBERLAND CO Troy W. Timm 105 S. Kentucky Greenup 62428 9
DANVILLE / VERMILION CO Robert Huff 2 E. South St Danville 61832 7
DEKALB CO Dennis Miller 150 N. Main St Sycamore 60178 3
DEWITT CO Fred Zacher 201 W. Washington Clinton 61727 7
DOUGLAS CO Joseph A. Victor 200 S. Prairie Tuscola 61953 7
DUPAGE CO Thomas O. Mefferd 136 N. Co. Farm Rd Wheaton 60187 4
DUQUOIN Charles Genesio PO Box 465 DuQuoin 62832 11
EAST ST. LOUIS Anthony Vinson 301 River Park Dr East St. Louis 62201 8
EDGAR CO Terry L. Hackett PO Box 1002 Paris 61944 7
EDWARDS CO Scott Meserole 50 East Main St Albion 62806 9
EFFINGHAM CO Russ Thomas 104 North Fourth St Effingham 62401 9
ELMHURST Don Novak 209 N. York St Elmhurst 60126 4
EVANSTON Max Rubin 2100 Ridge Ave Evanston 60201 4
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS William O'Brien 10025 Bumkum Rd Fairview Heights 62208 8
FAYETTE CO Steve Koehler 221 S. Seventh St Vandalia 62471 9
FLORA Jerry Ellis 345 Fair Ave Flora 62839 9
FORD CO Donald Jones 639 South Market St Paxton 60957 7
FRANKLIN CO Ryan Buckingham 116 South Main, Apt. B Ziegler 62896 11
FULTON CO Chris Helle 435 North Avenue F Canton 61520 6
GALLATIN CO Steve J. Galt 9200 Duncan Ln Shawneetown 62984 11
GRANITE CITY Jim Monaghan 2000 Edison Granite City 62040 8
GREENE CO David R. Roe 519 N. Main St., Rm 12 Carrollton 62016 8
GRUNDY CO James E. Lutz 1320 Union St Morris 60450 3
HAMILTON CO William D. Sandusky RR #5, Box 60 McLeansboro 62859 11
HANCOCK CO Jack Curfman 1006 Wabash Carthage 62321 6
HARDIN CO James Kevin Carman PO Box 167 Elizabethtown 62931 11
HENDERSON CO John M. Carrier RR #2, Box 49B Oquawka 61469 2
HENRY CO Bill Philhower 307 W. Center St Cambridge 61238 2
IROQUOIS CO Carl Gerdovich 1001 Grant St Watseka 60970 7
JACKSON CO Derek Misener Jackson County Courthouse Murphysboro 62966 11
JASPER CO Doug Long 202 N. Maple Newton 62448 9
JEFFERSON CO Dennis Litton PO Box 18 Mt. Vernon 62864 9
JERSEY CO Larry W. Mead 23336 Beach Ct Jerseyville 62052 8
JO DAVIESS CO Colin Fulrath 330 N. Bench St Galena 61036 2
JOHNSON CO Johnny Evans PO Box 52 Belknap 62908 11
JOLIET Dale Bottino 150 W. Jefferson St Joliet 60432 3
KANE CO Donald H. Bryant 777 Fabyan Parkway Geneva 60134 3
KANKAKEE CO Bradley J. O'Keefe 470 E. Merchant, Rm 104 Kankakee 60901 3
KENDALL CO Terry Tichava 1102 Cornell Yorkville 60560 3
KNOX CO John Cratty 150 S. Broad St Galesburg 61401 2
LAKE CO David Christensen 1303 N. Milwaukee Ave Libertyville 60048 4
LASALLE CO Mike Jobst 707 East Etna Rd Ottawa 61350 3
LAWRENCE CO Jess Angle 109 East North Sumner 62466 9
LEE CO Sheriff Tim Bivins 309 S. Galena Ave Dixon 61021 2
LIVINGSTON CO Charles T. Schopp 110 West Water St Suite 3 Pontiac 61764 7
LOGAN CO Daniel Fulscher 911 Pekin St Lincoln 62656 7
MACON CO Phillip R. Anello 282 E. Macon St Decatur 62523 7
MACOUPIN CO James W. Pitchford 129 E. 1st So. St, Box 535 Carlinville 62626 8
MADISON CO 157 N. Main St, Suite 33 Edwardsville 62025 8
MARION CO Donald R. Brooks 1999 S. Marion Salem 62881 9
MARSHALL CO Neil L. Pobanz PO Box 243 Lacon 61540 2
MASON CO Gregory Griffin 206 North Plum, Apt #2 Havana 62644 6
MASSAC CO O. D. Troutman 1 Superman St Metropolis 62960 11
MATTOON Dave Griffith 1710 Wabash Ave Mattoon 61938 9
MCDONOUGH CO Dave Nissen 305 K Memorial Hall - WIU Macomb 61455 6
MCHENRY CO Barry L. Valentine 2200 N. Seminary Rd Woodstock 60098 3
MCLEAN CO Curtis Hawk 104 W. Front St Bloomington 61702 7
MENARD CO Ken Yocum 809 Old Salem Rd Petersburg 62675 6
MERCER CO Jim Metz PO Box 66 Aledo 61231 2
MONROE CO Gene Henckler 100 S. Main Waterloo 62298 8
MONTGOMERY CO Diana Holmes 120 N. Main St Hillsboro 62049 8
MORGAN CO Robert O. Fitzsimmons 200 W. Douglas Jacksonville 62650 6
MOULTRIE CO Jan Haegen 10 S. Main, Suite 1 Sullivan 61951 9
MT. VERNON James Brown PO Box 1708 Mt. Vernon 62864 9
NAPERVILLE Peter Smith 400 South Eagle Naperville 60566 4
OGLE CO Melvin C. Messer PO Box 197 Oregon 61061 2
PALATINE Tom Smith 200 E. Wood St Palatine 60067 4
PEORIA Curt Simpson 3615 N. Grandview Dr Peoria 61614 6
PEORIA CO Vicki L. Turner 10321 Civil Defense Rd Brimfield 61517 6
PERRY CO J. Michael Richmond 12 E. Water St Pinckneyville 62274 11
PIATT CO Charles E. Morris 1134E Old Route 47 White Heath 61844 7
PIKE CO Herman E. Allensworth PO Box 152 New Canton 62356 6
POPE CO Chris Hahn PO Box 219 Golconda 62938 11
PULASKI CO Kenneth W. Kerley 500 Illinois Ave Mound City 62963 11
PUTNAM CO James D. Goldasich 236 North Albert Ave McNabb 61335 2
RANDOLPH CO Nancy Schilling #1 Taylor St Rm 100 Chester 62233 11
RICHLAND CO Norman E. Bissey 123 E. Scott Olney 62450 9
ROCK ISLAND CO Geraldine Borkhart 6120 78th Ave Milan 61264 2
ROCKFORD William L. Beaman 204 S. First St Rockford 61104 2
SALEM Terry Mulvany PO Box 306 Salem 62881 9
SALINE CO Allan C. Ninness 10 East Poplar St Harrisburg 62946 11
SANGAMON CO David Butt PO Box 2105 Springfield 62705 6
SCHUYLER CO Richard Utter 234 S. Monroe St Rushville 62681 6
SCOTT CO Lorrie Koch Scott Co. Courthouse Winchester 62694 6
SHELBY CO Bill England 151 North Morgan St Shelbyville 62565 9
ST. CLAIR CO Darryl Elbe 321 W. "F" St Belleville 62220 8
STARK CO Jim Dison 130 West Jefferson Toulon 61483 2
STEPHENSON CO Terrance F. Groves 259 W. Lamm Rd. Freeport 61032 2
TAZEWELL CO William Nowlin 3752 Grandview Ct Manito 61546 7
TINLEY PARK Steve Clemmer 17355 S. 68th Ct Tinley Park 60477 4
UNION CO Everett S. Morgan PO Box 839 Jonesboro 62952 11
VERMILION CO Robert Huff 2 E. South St Danville 61832 7
WABASH CO Ross Madden 930 ½ N. Market St Mt. Carmel 62863 9
WARREN CO Gary G. Kitchin 632 210th Ave Monmouth 61462 2
WASHINGTON CO Rick J. Greten 160 N. West Court St Nashville 62263 8
WAYNE CO Robert Bunton 102 SW 4th Fairfield 62837 9
WHITE CO David L. Hammell 2230 Co Rd. 1975E Crossville 62827 11
WHITESIDE CO Jim Wetzell 400 North Cherry St Morrison 61270 2
WILL CO William J. Ferguson 302 N. Chicago St Joliet 60432 3
WILLIAMSON CO Alan M. Gower 8805 EMA Rd Marion 62959 11
WINNEBAGO CO Denny Lolli 420 W. State St Rockford 61101 2
WOODFORD CO Robert Hix 907 N. Church St Roanoke 61561 7

I'd like to test a spot out for $100.
Do you have any extras?

Maybe I should check local and if they don't work I can return.. hmm.

This thread went in an odd direction.

This is why my mother always told me not to pull on threads hanging off a sweater. Pull on it and all of the sudden a sleeve falls off.

They had rebates on their site through the end of the
year. We got ours at Reno Cabela's.

They have a running log at Spot's website of successful
users.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/spotlight/i...2&Itemid=26


Will check back when we have more experiance with it.