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SPOT vs inREACH????

flyboy1963

Well Known Member
I am surprised at the lack of comments with SPOT taking away the lower cost option of 'basic'.
It now costs $200 to have any subscription at all, ($300 Canadian!) :eek: so I have not renewed for this year.

I looked at the inReach several years ago when upgrading from SPOT gen 1 to 3, and found it to have limited options for tracking.

Now that Garmin bought out inReach, and there is a $500 unit, with subscription of $30 a month that equals the 5 minute tracking of SPOT, I am leaning in that direction.
The old SE basic unit for $350 has been discontinued, of course!

Last weekend at a Survival exercise, one of the participants found that his inReach signal did NOT get out.
.........perhaps 50% scrawny tree cover. it uses the Iridium sat network, purported to be reliable.

any pireps out there? I think most of us know SPOT capabilites, (including a bit of a cash grab from it's thousands of users.) :mad:
when I called and complained, they did offer to discount to the old rate for one more year....but I declined. ( Not sure who won that game!?):confused:
 
I can't comment on inReach.
I have been considering going from SPOT to Spidertracks.

http://www.spidertracks.com

There are some good reports on it from people I know, who do a lot of ag flying, and regular ferrying including worldwide ferry flights in single engine ag/firefighting aircraft.
 
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I can't comment on inReach.
I have been considering going from SPOT to Spidertracks.

Don't know much about Spot but I have used Spidertracks with the basic S3 Spider for many years and couldn't be happier.

The "Spiders" are expensive but are suited to aircraft use. Once you understand the system they are simple to use and I have never had a dropout.

I have the Auto SOS feature enabled and it is reassuring to know that Search and Rescue would be quickly (after 30 minutes) informed of my position (2 minute reporting) should I crash even in remote Australia where there may be no mobile, radio, radar or ADSB coverage.

Fin
9A
 
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Fin,
I assume you have an S3. What would be the average annual cost over the years you were using Spiders?
 
Fin,
I assume you have an S3. What would be the average annual cost over the years you were using Spiders?

With the S3 you can't text so there is only the cost of the S3 and the monthly plan cost.

I am on an old plan that is not offered anymore; $15 USD per month which includes 7 hours @ 2 minute position reports. From memory I think it is 5 cents per report over 7 hours. One positive is that my plan cost has not been increased over the years. The cheapest plan now is $30 USD per month which includes 15 hours @ 2 minutes. Costs more but actually slightly cheaper per hour.

Hard to give an average cost per month but it is usually just the $15 per month, more if I go on a long trip to remote areas. Most longer trips now are IFR with radar or ADSB so I usually leave the Spider off unless I go out of coverage.

Fin.
 
cost per hour?

Vlad, for me it would be $1000 a year for 1500 points or less. ( flying 30 hours)

for you? :rolleyes:
essentially it looks like a nickel a point, so if you do every 2 minutes, it's $1.50 an hour.....every minute, it's $3 an hour.

agreed, it's likely a good system, just can add up quickly.

....perhaps a track every 15 seconds when you are high over the outback, 1000 miles from nowhere, wombats and wallaby's your only friends!!! :p
 
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InReach

I have been using the InReach for 2 years now and very happy with it. In my opinion, SPOT does an ok job but the Delorme unit excels. For staying around the patch, I keep the minimal subscription going or they now allow you to suspend service until you need it later. When I go on a big trip, I flip for the up-grade which allows for more texts (to cell phone Earthmate) as well as more frequent position broadcasts. It works very well. My son also uses one on his sailboat.
 
Inreach+1

Have many options for tracking and texting you can suspend your service or buy 1 month unlimited for 70 cad then suspend again
tracking points ajusted as you want 10 min 15 or 30
Text directly from your smartphone i wouldnt change it for anything

https://share.garmin.com/JulianCGZZY
 
Used both

I used to have a SPOT, and moved to inReach.
It's like night and day. I would never go back.
Also, you can register your inReach on the new WXBrief site, so they can corollate your tracking with VFR flight following. Makes you wonder why a ELT is required if you have that setup.
 
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