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Need to Consider SPOT Device Alternative Before I Renew

Well, this is a timely thread. Sort of. I just activated a Spot 2 that was basically given to me. I have used the SPOT 1 for about 4 years and let it deactivate the last 2. I have an upcoming trip to Mexico so I decided to activate and pay the 170ish fee for SPOT.

After reading this thread, I really wish I had the inReach now and will definitely research before I pay another year on the SPOT.

Like David said up thread, at least you have something, and most people don't ride with any SOS tech

The good news is, when you ride Mexico, you can't be in better hands when things go wrong with either yourself and/or your bike, and that's directly due to the nature of the Mexican culture. In a pinch, you couldn't be in a better place.
 
Here is a really good video that sums up a lot of questions that have been brought up.

[ame="https://youtu.be/hUFkI9X1tb8"]SPOT GEN3 vs Delorme inReach Explorer [Review] - YouTube[/ame]


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Like David said up thread, at least you have something, and most people don't ride with any SOS tech

The good news is, when you ride Mexico, you can't be in better hands when things go wrong with either yourself and/or your bike, and that's directly due to the nature of the Mexican culture. In a pinch, you couldn't be in a better place.

I'm definitely looking forward to it. Leave in 10 days. I'm on advrider as stromthingie. Been asking a lot of ?s there regarding border crossings/hotels/tequila/etc.

I see you are there as well.
 
I'm definitely looking forward to it. Leave in 10 days. I'm on advrider as stromthingie. Been asking a lot of ?s there regarding border crossings/hotels/tequila/etc.

I see you are there as well.

Just be sure to take your original title, original Texas registration, your passport, and your driver license. You won't need your driver license to get TVIP or tourist visa (Guatemala required it a couple of weeks ago from me) but a cop might ask for it.

All the above plus proof of Mexico insurance and you're off to a flying start.
 
Just a FYI

Some years back I purchased a spot global satellite phone because from a personal experience I determined that two way communication is critical. I now refrain from going remote places where I can get myself hurt so I discontinued my service plan but kept the phone in case I want to reactivated it. It is my understanding that SPOT will now let you just activate it a month at a time.

In the meantime, just like a cell phone, even though I do not have service, my 911 still works. So I still carry the satellite phone and a charger in the rig “just in case”. So with my cell phone when in cell coverage or satellite phone when not, I always have 911 access.

There are cell phone apps that provide tracking. Obviously it will only work when in coverage.


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I thought my SPOT renewed in July but I just checked and it was scheduled to renew on April 8 so I called and cancelled. Smooth, painless, no waiting in a queue line, email confirmation was sent. Total call time was UNDER 7 minutes which included some time for the rep to find me in the system and then verify my info, and also to send me a confirmation email which they don't do automatically.

He offered a discount to stay but I told him that SPOT doesn't have the features of the InReach that I need and he said "oh, you mean the two-way texting?", so it's obvious they know what the competition is offering.

Then I purchased a new InReach from Hodges Marine who has it on sale for $314.64. I purchased that and the USB powered mount for $28.62.

Total out the door cost for both was $348.21. I'm a Walmart employee and even with my discount I couldn't get that good a deal.

Here's a link: https://www.hodgesmarine.com/Garmin...lkid=ULoN5mtwGqUX&ppcsu=xhg7f5djqeniramsegdoh
 
I just bought an inreach at the REI sale for $129:rider:
 
I just bought an inreach at the REI sale for $129:rider:



Good buy. I bought the explore model so it would the map also. I bought mine off amazon for about half price of new. But be carful buying on eBay or something. The one I bought had an outstanding balance so it took some time to convince the previous owner to pay the bill so I could activate it. Amazon was about to refund my money but he payed the bill off, where I was able to activate it.


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I just had the latest inReach delivered personally by Salma Hayak in her Gulfstream G650

Garmin didn’t charge me for the device due to my plugging in this thread
 
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Mine arrived yesterday and I got it set up this morning. The one big downside I discovered is that I can't sync using my Chromebook; I have to pull out my old Windoze laptop so get everything set up and do the upgrades. Other than that I think I'm going to like it.

inReach sync can be installed on a Mac or a PC. It cannot be installed to an Android, to an iOS phone or tablet, or to a Google Chromebook, as you have discovered.

I don't know this for sure but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.
 
inReach sync can be installed on a Mac or a PC. It cannot be installed to an Android, to an iOS phone or tablet, or to a Google Chromebook, as you have discovered.



I don't know this for sure but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.



The Earthmate app will sync to the inReach through my iOS device. You can upload routes to the webpage. Then log in the app and sync it with your account. Then sync the inReach to your Earthmate app.




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inReach sync can be installed on a Mac or a PC. It cannot be installed to an Android, to an iOS phone or tablet, or to a Google Chromebook, as you have discovered.

I don't know this for sure but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Hmmm... I wonder how I was able to sync to my Earthmate Android App an hour ago?

:trust:

But to put a fine point on it, I think the firmware updates have to be done through the Windoze machine, but everything else I was able to do through the app.
 
See attachment from a couple of minutes ago.


One issue I've found that is very specific to my type of riding is that with the SPOT on the handlebars I could just reach over and press the OK and it would send that message with my lat/long. That is needed for my IBA rides to show that I rode "to the corner" and did not "cut the corner" when changing directions on a certified ride.

With the inReach I'll have to stop and then send a preset message. That's a few minutes at least.

A minor issue at most, and a non-issue for the other 99% of the riders out there.
 

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