Introducing SPOT - The World's First Satellite Messenger
Whether you're just checking in, allowing others to track your progress, or calling for help - SPOT gives you a vital line of communication with friends and family when you want it, and emergency assistance when and where you need it. And since it utilizes 100% satellite technology, SPOT works around the world - even where cell phones don't.
CHECK IN:
Also known as SPOTcheckingSM, this feature allows you to let your SPOTteam - the friends and family you have chosen as your contacts - know that all is well, notify them of your location, or save waypoints so you can review your route at a later date. How It Works: When you press the OK button, SPOT acquires your exact location from the GPS network and routes it through the SPOT satellite network. Your contacts receive either an SMS text message on their mobile phone with your message and coordinates, or an email with your message and a link to Google Maps™ showing your exact location.
TRACK PROGRESS:
Also known as SPOTcastingSM, this feature allows friends and family to follow your progress in real time, or to save waypoints so you can review your entire route at a later date. How It Works:Once activated, SPOT acquires and sends your GPS coordinates to your SPOT account every 10 minutes. Anyone with access to your account information can log on and view your route, complete with virtual views provided by Google Maps™. To continue tracking on longer journeys, the SPOTcastingSM function must be re-activated every 24 hours.
SPOTcastingSM sends a message to your account every 10 minutes, allowing friends and family the ability to log on and track your progress in real time.
By selecting the desired "Track" messages in your account log and clicking "Show On Map," your entire route can be displayed through Google Maps™.
ASK FOR HELP:
In the event of a non-life threatening emergency, you can use this function to notify your SPOTteam - the friends and family you have chosen as your contacts - that you need assistance.How It Works:Once activated, SPOT acquires your exact location from the GPS network and routes it along with the HELP message through the SPOT satellite network every five minutes for one hour or until cancelled. Your contacts will receive an SMS text message including coordinates, or an email with a link to Google Maps™ showing your exact location.
An example of a HELP message received via email by a SPOT user's personal contacts.
By clicking on the link provided in a HELP email, your personal contacts are shown your exact location via Google Maps™. HELP messages are sent every 5 minutes, allowing you to keep moving if necessary.
ALERT 9-1-1:
Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information - which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country's embassy or consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams - as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal. Now there are even more features available in the Alert 9-1-1 category. You may have 2 messengers in your account, one that you use regularly and one that your spouse uses. Also, you may have 2 emergency contacts for each profile.
SPOT sends your GPS coordinates to a GEOS Emergency Response Center every 5 minutes, allowing you to keep moving if necessary. Emergency responders are then updated with your last known location. Because it uses 100% satellite technology, SPOT works virtually anywhere. All it needs is a clear view of the sky.
Message Export:
You can now download your messages to 3 different formats:
KML (xml format compatible with Google Earth)
GPX - the GPS exchange format. Compatible with many different applications
CSV (comma separated ascii file)
Google Terrain Maps via your account:
Google just recently introduced terrain maps. For SPOT messengers this map type is especially useful. Now you can select the terrain map option from the map display within your account.
International Address Support:
SPOT now supports international addresses, for all aspects of your account from the customer information, to billing address and also for your emergency contact information.
Functional Specifications
SPOT features four key functions that enable users to send messages to friends, family or emergency responders, based upon varying levels of need:
Alert 9-1-1 – Dispatch emergency responders to your exact location
SPOT sends one message every 5 minutes until power is depleted or 911 is cancelled.
Ask for Help – Request help from friends and family in your exact location
SPOT sends one message every 5 minutes for one hour or until Help is cancelled
Check In – Let contacts know where you are and that you’re okay
SPOT sends three identical messages to the SPOT service for redundancy. The first of those three messages is delivered.
Track Progress – Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress using Google Maps™
SPOT sends one message every 10 minutes for 24 hours or until SPOT is powered off.
CoverageSPOT
works around the world, including virtually all of North America, Europe and Australia, portions of South America, Northern Africa and Northeastern Asia, and hundreds or thousands of miles offshore of these areas. See coverage on findmespot.com for maps and current coverage.
Battery Life
Includes 2 AA lithium batteries; under normal usage a full battery charge should meet or exceed the following
Power on, unused: Approx. 1 year
SPOTcasting tracking mode: Approx. 14 days
9-1-1 mode: Up to 7 consecutive days
SPOTcheck OK/√: 1900 messages
Operating Conditions
SPOT works around the world virtually anywhere
Operating Temperatures: -40°F to +185°F
Operating Altitude: -300ft to +21,000ft
Floats in water
Waterproof to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
Humidity Rated:
MIL-STD-810E Method 507.3, 95% to 100% condensing
Salt Fog Rated
Per MIL_STD 810E Method 509.3, 5% NaCl, 95% distilled water
Vibration
Per SAE J1455
Random, 20 Hz to 2000 Hz, 0.04g2/Hz, one hour per axis
Drop
Dropped twice on all six sides from one meter onto hard surface.
Certifications
ROHS and WEEE compliant.
Certified to FCC and CE emissions, immunity and safety regulations.
Meets FCC part 25 regulations, Canada type approval, CISPR Publication 22 (1985 1st Edition), RTTE Directive (1999/EC), IEC 60950 safety standard, and European EMC Directive 89/336/EEC.
Pilot Supplies - Safety/Survival - Personal Locator Beacons
