Sean-
I generally agree with your analysis of tracking options. You must admit, though, that SPOT was first to offer satellite tracking coupled with SOS capability. Unfortunately, they implemented this service without altitude information, slow updates, no two-way communication and a "secondary" set of satellite receivers. That being said, they do deserve kudos for at least opening the door for enhanced technology, which is now becoming available.

I have been using SPOT for several years, and while the technology is not up to today's standards as offered by DeLorme (now Garmin), it has served its intended purpose; witness the number of rescues initiated and completed utilizing their services. Simply rating SPOT as "Crap" denigrates the valuable service they provided for several years prior to the introduction of more sophisticated devices. I doubt that the bush pilot down in B.F. Alaska was complaining about inferior technology when the rescue pilot showed up within two hours of the SOS signal.

Remember that these services are not intended primarily for real-time tracking. They are meant to be emergency locators, and like your car's spare tire, they are meant to be used in an emergency. Tracking is a secondary function, as most users (hikers, bikers, sailors, etc.) travel much slower and do not have the capability to move long distances from the last reported position, even with a 10 minute signal spacing. Sailplanes can travel a very long way in 10 minutes, and that tracking interval is not very helpful to rescue responders when it comes to our capabilities. Indeed, a pilot who went down a couple of years ago from Moriarty was not found for two days, even with SPOT. It was a medical incident and violent impact that rendered the scene barely recognizable as a crash site, but his SPOT transmissions at least gave searchers a general area to examine.

SPOT led the way, as did a variety of other Personal Locator Beacons (PLB). Now that the new generation of trackers (DeLorme InReach Explorer in particular) are available, with batch uploading of position (1 minute interval) on a 10 minute basis, with the addition of altitude information and the invaluable capability of two-way text communication through the truly global Iridium satellite constellation, it is obvious that the world has changed once again.

I have switched to InReach, even at the higher subscription price for the same reason I upgraded from a CAI302 to something more modern. Tracking is a benefit, but to tell you the truth, I grow weary of everybody knowing where I am all the time unless I want them to know where I am.

I checked into a hotel in Werribee, Victoria, Australia three weeks ago and Google was asking me to take some photos of the place and give a review before I got my bags into my room.