Spot on

So, this year, rather than renting out an EPIRB for the more remote portion of our passage, we decided to purchase a SPOT satellite messenger instead. It's about the same cost for this year, although we will own the device going forward. It will cost about $100 a year for continuing service, but the service includes more than just emergency notification--we can send "OK" status messages with position, an intermediate "Help" message to select people to request assistance below a full-blown emergency, or of course there is the full 911 service, which activates all the normal local and federal rescue apparatus that an EPIRB or Mayday distress call would bring.

There is also a tracking option, which normally costs extra but which we got for a year free from a coupon I happened to have... it basically sends periodic updates to a web-based map to allow people to see your course track. I doubt we will actually use that feature much, however; I don't see any real reason to burn through the batteries like that, particularly considering our rather slow mode of travel.

SPOT is not a full-fledged emergency beacon; it operates strictly off satellite communication, which does not allow it to be used as a final approach homing beacon for rescue crews. The built-in GPS sensor does provide information more accurate than many EPIRBS, but the limitations in signal strength and Globalstar's satellite coverage (the network the device uses for communications; the company is more widely known for satellite phone service) make it less reliable.

We decided for our purposes that it is an adequate solution, however. For one thing, we are going to be operating well within the Globalstar coverage area, so getting a sat in view to transmit shouldn't be a problem. We're going to be out on open water, which doesn't present any impediments to signal. Finally, we're not going anywhere too far outside regular VHF radio range; the SPOT is redundant and would probably be our secondary means of contact in any event.

We also like the ability to send out periodic "Okay" messages, which is something missing with an EPIRB; if an EPIRB doesn't trigger in an emergency, for whatever reason, no one knows anything is wrong until the vessel is overdue. There is no positive indication of well-being, just "no news is good news." While that has been the norm for seafarers for thousands of years, it's quite bad systems design. If you are putting out daily "Okay" messages and suddenly stop, then there is an immediate indication that something is wrong, and a pretty good idea of the area in which it happened (in contrast to overdue vessels, which could have gotten into trouble anywhere along their anticipated course track, or indeed well off of it).

We aren't currently making the SPOT broadcasts public (which basically consists of publishing the map overlay of position messages... I'm not comfortable with that level of exposure in my life just yet, plus I may want to sneak up on people for some reason!) but I am happy to add anyone who is interested to the mail list for receipt of our "Okay" messages... drop me a line or leave a comment here with the e-mail address you would like to receive the messages at and I will put you on the list at the next opportunity.