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HitTheTrail Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 5456 | TRs | Pics Location: 509 |
I just upgraded to the new safety plan with unlimited pre-set messages. It warned me before I hit the button that once I committed I could no longer go back to my basic 'grandfathered' safety plan. That sort of implied that you cannot down grade to any plan below the new safety plan once you jump there. But maybe I misunderstood what I read. That has happened in the past! I figure for a couple more bucks a month it would give me a bit more flexibility. Also, with our daughter now living in northern Arizona we will be spending more time driving around down in remote areas of the SW so we could use it to check in with the kids when out of cell range.
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tigermn Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics Location: There... |
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tigermn
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Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:09 pm
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Remember when text messages cost so much per message on cell phones?
Now everyone has unlimited texting/it is pretty much the standard.
Wonder how long it will take it to get there? Have a hard time personally with the nickel and dime marketing approach.
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Traildad Member
Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 754 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Traildad
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:06 pm
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Not to add further complexity to this topic but when I was working on converting my subscription to the new Freedom plan today I discovered that Delorme has announced their new Delorme Explorer which is fundamentally the InReach SE with navigation capability added.
So now we get to debate the relative merits of carrying the InReach SE plus GPS of choice vs the InReach Explorer only
Life is short so live it well.
Life is short so live it well.
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HitTheTrail Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 5456 | TRs | Pics Location: 509 |
For some reason I keep getting Backpacker magazine even after letting the subscription lapse. Anyway, I was flipping through the latest edition today and saw their full page ad for the InReach Explorer. I did not notice the explorer name and thought the screen icons looked a little different but assumed it was just a software update. Now I know, but am not posed with much of a dilemma. I use it as a communicator and my smart phone as a GPS since I take it with me anyway.
Edit: also since the price is $380 it is a no-brainer for me to not get the unit. I like gadgets but also have some limits on throwing money around unless something is a real game changer. And this is not by my estimation.
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ranger rock One of the boys
Joined: 14 Dec 2011 Posts: 2550 | TRs | Pics
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I just got my invoice and see that Delorme now charges 50 cents for text messages. When I signed up for the service the cost was 10 cents. Unless I missed something they just upped the fee by 5 times and I am supposed to have an annual contract. Has anyone else had the problem?
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HitTheTrail Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 5456 | TRs | Pics Location: 509 |
When you send a message from Delorme it is either sent as a txt to a mobile number or to a computer email address. If this is the kind of txt you are referring to it should just get charged against your allowed number of messages. Unless you have gone over your plan maximum. If not contact their support people. Every time I have done that I find them responsive and helpful.
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ranger rock One of the boys
Joined: 14 Dec 2011 Posts: 2550 | TRs | Pics
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HitTheTrail wrote: | When you send a message from Delorme it is either sent as a txt to a mobile number or to a computer email address. If this is the kind of txt you are referring to it should just get charged against your allowed number of messages. Unless you have gone over your plan maximum. If not contact their support people. Every time I have done that I find them responsive and helpful. |
Yeah I went over the max for sure.. but I thought it was 10 cents per
message when you go over the max, not 50 cents.. I sure thought that
was what I signed up for with my annual plan. I know the plans say 50
cents now, but I'm sure my plan said 10 cents when I locked in for one
year... My bill was upped $11.00 for going over rather than the expected
$2..
I contacted customer support but I'm going out of town for several weeks..
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boot up Old Not Bold Hiker
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 4745 | TRs | Pics Location: Bend Oregon |
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boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker
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Sat Aug 02, 2014 9:50 pm
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Ranger Rock wrote: | Yeah I went over the max for sure.. but I thought it was 10 cents per message when you go over the max, not 50 cents.. I sure thought that was what I signed up for with my annual plan. I know the plans say 50 cents now, but I'm sure my plan said 10 cents when I locked in for one year... My bill was upped $11.00 for going over rather than the expected $2.. |
waypoints and pings are $.10 each on the annual safety plan. I am pretty sure overages on freeform text (more than 10 per month) have always been $.50 each. That's why I stay with my 3 preprogrammed messages for most of my contact, and save the message allocation for my wife contacting me or anything that needs more explanation. Its definitely not a social media device yet.
But with the nice map of my location that it sends my wife, I have hardly used any of my allocation, even though I send her at least 3 messages per weekly hike. I send "safe at car" to let her know I survived the really dangerous part of the hike...driving there, and it locks in where the car is parked, then usually a lunch ping "I'm OK, having a great time" And another "safe at car" when I get back. I have yet to use the 3rd I am allowed for free sending, which I have assigned "running late, but OK", so I may yet give that something else, although its nice to have that one handy.
Maybe you could get more creative with your freebie unlimited 3 presets?
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ranger rock One of the boys
Joined: 14 Dec 2011 Posts: 2550 | TRs | Pics
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Well my Delorme Inreach Broke after just a few months but Delorme rushed me a new one, no questions asked. I hope that the Inreach units do not turn out to be as fragile as the SPOT units.
I've carried the same GPS, DSLR Camera and IPod on all of my hikes without breaking any of them. But I seem to have terrible luck with Satellite messengers.
At least the Delorme told me it was broken. A screen came up that said the device was damaged and could not longer send of receive messages SPOT would just refuse to send messages when it broke. It said to contact customer support... Great..
I was 23 miles into a 56 mile hike, so no way to contact support and of course my spouse got worried after receiving no messages. Now he knows that maybe the Delorme is just as fragile and not to worry when messages from it suddenly stop.
The Delorme is a big reason why I ended my most recent PCT thu hike after just one section. That and the Olallie store not stocking Imodium, was enough to make me bail.
I used up my ten allowed message last month trying to get a ride home after bailing from the PCT the first time.. OH well a new month is here..
Oh and I got double charged for a message if I sent it both to my spouses email and his phone at the same time.. lesson learned..
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tigermn Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics Location: There... |
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tigermn
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Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:13 pm
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Again the nickel and dime marketing approach. No thanks...
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dla Member
Joined: 13 May 2012 Posts: 185 | TRs | Pics
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dla
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Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:22 am
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Ranger Rock wrote: | Well my Delorme Inreach Broke after just a few months but Delorme rushed me a new one, no questions asked. I hope that the Inreach units do not turn out to be as fragile as the SPOT units. |
Meanwhile my Gen 3 Spot is working perfectly. It has a super sensitive GPS receiver and it sends messages nicely from under thick canopy.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:13 pm
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dla wrote: | Meanwhile my Gen 3 Spot is working perfectly. It has a super sensitive GPS receiver and it sends messages nicely from under thick canopy.
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Watched your vid -- those weren't very tall trees -- have you tried in some old growth Douglas Firs that are 200ft+ tall and where the forest floor is dark and gloomy?.
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tigermn Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics Location: There... |
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tigermn
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Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:40 pm
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RandyHiker wrote: | Watched your vid -- those weren't very tall trees -- have you tried in some old growth Douglas Firs that are 200ft+ tall and where the forest floor is dark and gloomy?. |
And add a narrow ravine, valley or canyon to that for a real test...
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dla Member
Joined: 13 May 2012 Posts: 185 | TRs | Pics
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dla
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Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:42 pm
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I'd love to, but I don't live near any old growth like that. But it would be a good test to try sending a HELP message from down in a ravine. SPOT will transmit a HELP regardless whether or not it can receive a GPS signal.
Although the SPOT usage model kindof precludes needing to be able to signal from the bottom of a ravine.
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Doppelganger
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