01-08-2015, 09:22 AM
(01-08-2015, 08:06 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Excuse my ignorance, I thought any phone smarter than the one I had was a smart phone lol..that's the kind of phone and app I was talking about ES. She can track you and you can track her?
What program is that, and would you still need a spot if you have that?
Btw I sometimes carry a Tom Tom in my tankbag if going somewhere, not to get to the where, I use paper maps for that, but will use it to zero in on a hotel or motel once I get where I want to go.It will run for 2 hrs on it's own charge.
The app I use is "Find My iPhone". I would be interested in the Spot not only so my wife can track me, but so that I can record my route. More important than that is that it has an SOS button on it which notifies local authorities and pinpoints my whereabouts. Also, as far as I know, Spot is NOT a navigation system, like your Tom Tom. It is designed so people can find you and that you can let them know you are OK or not OK.
Django is correct, of course, that the satellites need to "see" the Spot device, but generally that is more likely than finding a cellular signal and besides that, I am sure that the Spot device will use cell towers in addition to satellites for location purposes and for sending out messages/distress signals. I might have to crawl out of the ditch for someone to find me, but I'd have to do that in the absence of the device (cell or sat.) anyway. I figure I have a better shot of being found using something like this. Besides, if I had to rely on my wife checking on me via Find My iPhone, who knows? She may just leave me there and start counting the life insurance proceeds.
In an emergency...the Spot device notifies the GEOS Rescue Coordination Center http://www.geosalliance.com/