Satellite emergency device

Hi. I am going to start traveling alone on my sidecar rig. My better half would like to know where I am and that I am ok. I tried to look at the Garmin Inreach devices and they seem to be way more complex then I need. I don't need to be able to text Bach and fourth and likely couldn't easily use it anyway. I am just looking for the basics. Just enough to signal for help and for her to see I'm ok and where I am. I will be on paved roads and mostly not to remote of areas. Neither of us are very tech savvy. So, any suggestions on what device I need?
Bill

The inexpensive way to do it is to use the “Find My” app on an iPhone. It relies on cellular coverage and will show the location of your iPhone to people you allow. Not sure but I imagine there are similar apps for other brands of phones.

There are also position locating devices that report only their position and do not include any ability to send or receive messages of any sort. They are very inexpensive to buy and operate.

The capabilities of an inReach device are way too costly….. until you need them. Penny wise, pound foolish.

There are multiple apps that have gps tracking. Life360 is one. Has a free tier and membership tier.

https://www.life360.com/

Spot has several different models. It's subscription based but you can activate and reactivate based on when you need it. I use it for backcountry hiking.

https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/

https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/products-services

If you use a Zumo, they have tracking capability. BMW navigator has something similar.

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/zumo396/EN-US/GUID-1ABE36FC-00D9-4206-AE90-D66E59C3F022.html

Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk

You can try this Best of Forum-

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?73454-SPOT-for-rescue

OM

I've been carrying a SPOT tracker for many years and I pay for the full on rescue package. I have a gen 1 and a gen 2 and I'm thinking of getting the X. Good for what it is but it runs on a different satellite system than Garmin and is quite a bit slower but then again it's 1/2 the price. I had friends following me every day on my tracker when I was in Mongolia doing an Offroad rally, pretty cool for that feature.

Here's a new device on the market that may be closer to what you're looking for.
https://advrider.com/inreach-vs-zoleo-communicating-via-sms-and-sending-sos/

Personally I would not rely on a cell based app as the holes in coverage are everywhere and surely you'll be in a hole when you need it most.

Good luck in your search.

Have both Inreach and Spot

I have both the Inreach and the Spot Trace on annual plans. Both work fine. The Inreach is there only for emergencies; never actually "on"; the Spot is always on--hard wired to the bike, so I don't have to worry about batteries. Combined they cost less than the Inreach alone when it is used for tracking, but the Inreach is there for when there is no cell coverage which is often in the West. I also have an ocean-going boat and am thinking about an Epirb, but, except for identifying "me" I think the Inreach is sufficient. I would welcome feedback on that thought.

Beware of the trackers that rely on cell phone towers unless you are usually in an area with cell coverage.

The Inreach has an associated cell phone app which makes sending messages much easier than trying to do it on the Inreach device itself.

Tracking and rescue are really two separate functions; you need to identify which is highest priority for you. If rescue is the lesser concern then Spot, InReach, or phone tracking will serve you well. But if you are venturing into remote areas and rescue is an elevated concern then the system with the best odds of getting you help is a PLB: Personal Locating Beacon. Available starting around $250-300 on sale, as a one-time expense and typically good for 5 yrs, at which point the unit needs to be sent in for service.

I have had a Spot unit stop transmitting with no external signs of failure. After realizing that for two days I’d been in remote territory with no track for others to follow and no SOS signal would have been sent had I needed it, the PLB suddenly seemed a much more desirable addition.

I still use a Spot but feel the InReach is a better tracker, tho more expensive. But at $50/yr or so, a PLB seems like really cheap insurance.

Just another $0.02 worth,
DeVern

I use the Garmin Inreach Mini.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/592606

I read some articles like this to decide.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdo...s-inreach-mini-vs-other-satellite-messengers/

Lots of similar features, horns and whistles.

On a trip to Florida my wife was able to zoom in on the computer tracking page, at any time, and tell where I was. Phone call to me "I see your at Geiger Key Marina - give Jim and Diane my regards - have fun".

When your on a long trip to you get charged by each time your pinged and they give you a detailed invoice.

You can turn the service on and off monthly depending on your plans. I maintain an ORV on my own so I can take it with me for that and the wife can find me before the hunters arrive for firearm deer season.

The unit is rechargeable and gives you battery life each day. Charge works for multiple days.

The one thing I am going to change in my routine on long trips is that I will leave her a copy of the BMW OA Anonymous Book as that if I end up with issues she has contacts to reach out to for assistance. Who would be better to call for help than someone in the collective?


Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
# 71,449

I've used Spot and the Inreach. I prefer the Inreach because of the 2 way comm capability but it you don't need that then I would go with the Spot.
I've used the Spot for travelling all over the West and Baja and rarely had dropouts. Send links to your FindMe account and your friend and family can watch you 24/7. The Spot has 4 buttons. One is SOS and the other three can be programmed to send whatever message you want. I had mine set up for
1)Having problems but I'm OK, watch my location and standby.
2)Serious issue, start calling friends to standby
3) Having fun. I sent this message at the end of every day.
I prefer having my Xmitter attached to my body vs mounted to the bike. If I get pitched off the bike, I want to be able to activate it.
I lent my Spot to a buddy for his travels around N. Thailand. It worked flawlessly. As a matter of fact, the Spot saved itself.
He texted me one evening that he needed the coordinates for the Spot as it was in his tank bag and he lost the bag. I was able to screen shot the image of the map with the device location.
I noticed that there was a police kiosk around the corner from his location. I told him to take the image of the map to them and they would be able to help.
They took him to the house of the lady who picked up his tank bag from the side of the road and he was able to recover his wallet, camera, passport and the Spot. Yes, I know, he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Bite the very small Bullitt and get a INReach SE used off EBay.

My plan is, $15/month, easy to use and with a screen big enough to use it.
Easy to pair to your phone.

It works, all the time, when you need help you will laugh at how cheap it is.
Super long battery life like several days.

I'm open distance Gliding in Ely NV right now, its super remote around here and everyone has one of these tracking.
The problem with a PLB is that when you hit the button you trigger a full S&R response.

I don't think those guys are going to be too happy when they drop everything to "rescue" you to find out your out of gas or have a flat. And you have to be conscious to hit the button, what if you crash and can't move?

The 2 way anywhere texting ability and the tracking is Key.

I ride solo alot and like it if I go off the road and get creamed my friends know where to look when I don't come home or check in.
Just my 2 cents
Nick

I purchased an inReach Explorer a number of years ago just before Garmin took it over. Since I have a heart condition and I travel in Nevada where cellular service is many times not available, having a satellite phone for emergencies is worth the monthly fee. It is only a text type communicator, but when paired to your cell it makes typing much easier.

Here's my long-term review of my Garmin inReach - still working great 3 years later!

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?93515-Garmin-inReach-Satellite-Communicator-Long-Term-Review

akbeemer said:

The inexpensive way to do it is to use the “Find My” app on an iPhone. It relies on cellular coverage and will show the location of your iPhone to people you allow. Not sure but I imagine there are similar apps for other brands of phones.

There are also position locating devices that report only their position and do not include any ability to send or receive messages of any sort. They are very inexpensive to buy and operate.

The capabilities of an inReach device are way too costly….. until you need them. Penny wise, pound foolish.

Click to expand...

Been using the "Find My" app for some time. And yes it works in other countries too. Its already a feature on the IPhone, so no additional cost. There's also help/emergency and emergency contacts apps already on the phone. If your sticking to paved roads, then cellular coverage shouldn't be an issue. Just set-up some protocols with your wife. If your traveling off road, remote areas and places were cellular coverage is spotty or non-existent, then you'll need to spend cash on a satellite based system.

Many many paved roads west of the Rockies have 0 cell coverage. Shoot, I can drive 10 miles out of my city of 150,000 and lose cell service. A cell phone is not the answer.

dravnx said:

Many many paved roads west of the Rockies have 0 cell coverage. Shoot, I can drive 10 miles out of my city of 150,000 and lose cell service. A cell phone is not the answer.

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For sure. I don't even have cell coverage at my house. I can get it 48 miles north or 24 miles south but not at home.

I started with Bubbler GPS, an Android phone app that can link with Spotwalla to provide near real-time tracking.
This worked ok for me on my Cruiser Bike riding in populated areas with cell coverage.

When I started riding cross country and in more remote areas without cell coverage, I shifted to a Gen 3 SPOT Tracker.
My wife appreciated being able to follow along and I appreciated having the "Come Save Me" button. But, as I learned more I discovered as has been mentioned in several previous comments above that the SPOT functionality was sometimes lacking.

When my SPOT subscription expired in 2019 I procured a Garmin InReach Mini so that I could communicate if required rather than just press the "Come Save Me" button. So far I haven't needed either the "Come Save Me" or the "Two-way Text Communication" functions of the InReach Mini. I have the annual subscription plan which costs a bit more than the Turn it on, Turn it off by the month plan but it isn't significantly more.
One thing that irritates me about the InReach Mini over the SPOT Gen3 is that the tracking fidelity is only every 10 minutes on the InReach versus every five minutes on the SPOT.
I usually run the Bubbler GPS App which adds track fidelity when in cell service range.

There is a Garmin APP with the InReach Mini that can also provide location tracking information but I haven't used it yet.

Good luck with your choice.

Here is an example of my last 24 hours of riding as seen on Spotwalla with the InReach Mini track:

Thanks for all the information. I have been researching the various options and will read some of the links provided. At the moment, I am leaning toward the Zoleo unit due to its lower price. I do not think the cell based apps will work for me as there are areas that don't have cell, even on the east coast.
Bill

The Zoleo doesn't do tracking. If that works for you or you're only looking for SOS then a PLB might be a better choice.

dravnx said:

The Zoleo doesn't do tracking. If that works for you or you're only looking for SOS then a PLB might be a better choice.

Click to expand...

It seems that you are correct. Not sure how I missed that. That's what is great about this list.

One more comment here and I'll sign off.

I'm in the Gliding world and these trackers have been a godsend when pilots don't return at the end of the day.
I've been on 3 long term searches, you pull out the map and quickly realize it is a big world out there.

Initially There was SPOT.
It had a few serious faults. You had to use specific AA Battery's. The Satellite system was weak and suffered drop outs.
One way communication and you couldn't tell if the message was sent. The units were not very sturdy. Weird Shape.
Couldn't tell have much Batt power you had left, even though they did have a fairly [ relative ] long life.
But it did send out a tracking trail, which worked about 90-95% of the time. I had one of these units.
Spot Gen 3 solved most of these problems and can 2 way text , SO important.

Then Garmin came out with the InReach SE system. 100% satellite reliability, very long battery life. Rechargeable. Robust nice size unit with a screen you can read and easily pair to your phone to text anyone anywhere. 100% tracking reliability. Easy to store contacts in the unit if you don't want to pair you phone or if IT goes dead.
Simple to use. Affordable to buy and my monthly plan is $15/month!!
Now they have a InReach mini which for me is to small for my old eyes.

If you want to go the InReach route, get a InReach SE off Ebay, Garmin has US based tech support here in the USA and they pick up the phone and will talk to you! Imagine that.

Like I said before, I like to have mine on sending tracking points to my wife and a couple of friends when I ride.
If I miss a corner or hit a deer and am incapacitated, I don't have to do a thing, it marks the EXACT spot where I am.
I could be hidden off the road in a ravine.
With a PLB you have to be able to push the button and that requires you to be able to do that. Might not be able to do that if your AFU, And a PLB triggers a full Search and Rescue response which you don't need if your out of gas in the boonies or have a mechanical problem. If the Sherriff shows up with 8 guys and you have a flat they might be really pissed.
And with a InReach once again, if I have a mechanical problem I can text 2 way which is so important to get service.
OK- thats my take on the Satellite locators.
I just spent the last 2 weeks soaring over Nevada and E Utah and everyone I was with had a InReach with them.
We were flying in a area from Nephi to Grand Canyon to Tonopah to Bishop to Battle Mt. to Wells, a huge area, based out of Ely NV.
Ride safe
Nick