Curious who uses one? I got mine for Christmas and will likely activate it in the next day or so. Which plan options did you sign up for? Besides being kind of neat is the track progress option worth getting? Looking forward to trying it out.

Have had one of the SPOT 2 for a year or better now.  I subscribe to the very basic plan. I have had one fail and had to have it replaced. I suspect it is a very rare occurance but it must be planned for. Here is part of a article I read that is worth considering when programming your messages:

"Meaning of SPOT2 messages
OK = We are OK and just checking in. Will generally do this starting hiking for the day at the end of the day when we make camp. We may occasionally send an OK at lunch, a summit, or significant point of interest. Also used to indicate that a significant deviation from route or schedules is “OK,” and to not worry.
Alan’s Custom Message = There is something up but it does not require rescue at this point. Start to closely monitor your phones (including mobile), email, trip blog, etc. Somebody is feeling ill, we have an orthopedic issue, terrible weather has set in, or we have significantly changed route or itinerary under duress, etc.
Amy’s Custom Message = There is something up, but it does not require rescue at this point. Monitor our SPOT locations and messages closely. Illness, injury, bad weather, unexpected ground conditions, etc.
Help = We have a problem we cannot solve and require rescue in 24-72 hours. Possible reasons include being lost or non-life-threatening illness/injury that is serious enough that the ailing person should not be left alone while the other goes for help. We are safe and this is not urgent, but we need assistance.
911 = We have a major problem that requires immediate rescue. Although you won’t receive this message, you are on the list to be contacted if it is sent out. (See below). We will not send this message unless we believe there is a serious threat to life or limb.
SPOT2 goes dead (no more messages)
Alan carries a sat phone, and his protocol is this: Start to closely monitor your phones (including mobile), email, trip blog, etc. for messages, calls, and voice mails from our sat phone. Absence of messages from both SPOT2 and sat phone for 24 hours indicates a significant problem, since it is unlikely that both the SPOT2 and the sat phone will fail and that we haven’t managed to move into a good transmission area to send out some sort of message.
Amy does not carry a satellite phone, and her protocol is this: If there are no tracks or SPOT2 messages, it does NOT mean that we have a problem. It could be one of many reasons, but you should NOT worry about it. (dead battery, device lost or damaged, etc). In
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this case revert to protocols used before we started carrying SPOT2: assume all is well until 24 hours after our expected trip completion time, at which point Responsible Party should notify the appropriate agency to initiate SAR.
If the track shows regular progress and/or there are daily OK messages, assume that all is well, even if hikers are off course or out past their planned trip completion time. This would be a normal scenario if a trip is delayed or rerouted due to weather, unexpected on-the-ground conditions, or minor injury/illness.
In the SPOT2 account, the text for the 911 (SOS) message includes the following information:
   Names (and optional – Passport Numbers).    Ages, medical conditions, allergies, medications.    “Will initiate 911 (SOS) message only when there is a perceived threat to life or limb
for ourselves or somebody we encounter on the trail. (Note: we will NOT initiate 911
for non-urgent request for help.)”    Planned itinerary and dates.    Local emergency phone numbers or the area were hiking: Forest Service, Park
Service, BLM, local Search and Rescue Organization, local sheriff, etc.    Full contact information for the Responsible Parties/Emergency Contacts (names,
addresses, cell/work/home phone numbers, email addresses).
The SPOT2 user leaves their login/password information with the Responsible Party/Emergency Contact, in case there are any problems with the account.
Pre-trip, the SPOT2 user sends tests for all four types of messages, OK, Tracking, Custom, and Help to all Responsible Parties/Emergency Contacts and makes sure they receive all email and text notifications, and that all messages show up on the Web tracking page."

I have been using the SPOT2 a lot since last summer and am quite pleased with it. It has been reliable and is a worthwhile investment IMO, especially if you backcountry hunt/hike solo at all. As noted by Davey, it's a real peace of mind thing for wives and family...

I don't think you'll regret it.

I've had one for a few years now, since they first came out. It gives me and mine a sense of comfort. Great device even places where Sat phones won't work, and believe me there are such places.

Have a spot 2 on order, do you guys add the optional insurance to the registration fee?

About a grande an hour for a b206 

Quote from: Wrongside on May 13, 2011, 12:05:50 PM

I have been using the SPOT2 a lot since last summer and am quite pleased with it. It has been reliable and is a worthwhile investment IMO, especially if you backcountry hunt/hike solo at all. As noted by Davey, it's a real peace of mind thing for wives and family...

I don't think you'll regret it.

It was actually a Christmas gift from my wife for the very reason of less worrying while I am out and about in the mountains. A +'ve karma to Rackmastr  as he was the one that helped her out with the gift idea as she wasn't sure what to get me.

Definitely worthy of some good karma...

Should've mentioned, except for the insurance, I've the most basic subscription. The 'OK' check-in emails give a Google Earth view of your location and that was good enough for me and mine...

Quote from: Duk Dog on May 12, 2011, 09:45:33 PM

Activated it tonight. Still have a bit to figure out, but it sure seems pretty slick with the test message I sent.

I have used one a few times over the past few years. It will keep the female or females in your life happy if nothing else... 

For sure Davey - I think truth be known that is the reason most of us pack these things...

And fwiw Duk - I would try it out without the tracking option, you can always add it later.

I have used my spot for a couple years now and had no issues. Probably sent a few thousand OK messages and sent alot of tracking signals from all of Alberta, most of BC, parts of Sask. and the lower half of the Yukon
I didnt start out with the tracking feature but opted to put it on as I hunt some pretty rugged country alone and if I happened to fall or something and cant press help or 911 then there is an updated trail to the spot im at. Without the tracking feature if something happens and you are unable to operate your S.P.O.T then it is useless. They can only go by your last sent location which at times could be a few miles or more from your present location.
I also prefer my original S.P.O.T as I feel the less options the better. The more simple a personal locator is the less that can go wrong with it. To me its better to go with a seperate communication device if you want to communicate and leave the personal locator as just that, a personal safety device.
SG

You know how good this would be if it actually had the GPS features with it.....maybe the next generation




SPOT GEN3

http://www.findmespot.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=29