On Thursday, June 13, 2013 4:09:08 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Does the Spot talk directly to a satellite or can it connect to the cell

system when your phone can't?





wrote in message

...

On Thursday, June 13, 2013 2:35:58 PM UTC-4, wrote:

One of the more interesting uses of the new ssa sailplane tracker is

getting to follow some of our fellow pilot's adventures when they drive

around and forget to turn the spot off. Someone went from Mifflin to get a

glider out of Baltimore today, and some how got in and out of the port in

about 10 minutes. (It took two days the last time someone from our club

tried) http://ssa.org/sailplanetracker/default.asp?



Wait till the bosses learn about this.

Hookie? Me?

LOL

Dan, Spot is a sattelite messenger device, it only connects through satellites.
I urge you to get one, even before powerflarm...
As for leaving the spot on, I know of at least one pilot who leaves his spot on when driving home so his wife can time the dinner with his arrival, although, with the typical 10-30 min delay I doubt this is working well for him :-)

Speaking of tracking, at least on the ground, iphone users can use the free "Find Friends" app which shows real time location as long as there is cell service. According to my wife it is also working in the air reasonably well, I guess when I am low enough. Works perfect for ground retrieve, as both the crew and pilot can tell where each other is.

Ramy