An interesting post on SPOT-gctid342477

[Guest]

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/fired-off-spot-distress-106040/

[Guest]

Very interesting.

Accuracy definitely gets lost when converting from different formats.

I guess the biggest lesson to be learned here is make sure your communications work where you boat.

Or maybe have a trolling/backup motor, or twin motors if you go far offshore?

[Go Aweigh2452]

What, no radio check before leaving the docks? (They checked the radio a week prior but could not clean the corrosion off the mic?)... Sounds "fishy" to me...

Glad they all made it back home...

[Guest]

Wait! They are STILL singing praises to a device that so severely mislocates them in a lost-in-translation SNAFU that if there were a true time critical life threatening emergency, they would have probably not been found in a timely manner. I fault them for not being properly equipped and not having a backup VHF radio, but I blame SPOT for the design flaw. I'm guessing SPOT and Mercruiser share engineers? J/K!

[Guest]

He said that the SPOT worked, but someone's cell phone messed up the location data:

*Update* I wanted to post updated info ... The Spot worked exactly as it was intended with the connection between tow boat and our Spot locator. The misinformation came when a text message was sent to an individual via the Spot check in button. Spot is aware of the problem and is working on correcting it.

We use a SPOT regularly and it's dead accurate. If the kid goes out on the Sea Doo, he has it clipped to him and set to check in every ten minutes. He had a minor issue once, and sent the "help" request, which was also accurate. Figured out the problem before we left the dock to get him and we got an "OK" message within seconds.

The real source of wonder here, is WTF is someone doing off shore without a handheld radio for backup and to take with you if you ditch??