Good News on Delorme InReach (2 min tracking and altitude vs. Spot w/10 min tracking and no altitude)

Ramy,

You got it! :-). DeLorme InReach appears to be night and day better when compared to Spot. I never liked Spot to be honest and suspect that many of you felt the same. It annoyed me how poor and out of date it's website was. The mobile app was poor. As you can see from my sample track, DeLormes website is of very high quality. It runs beautifully on PC, Mac, Android and IOS. I am able to easily access all functions on any device or browser.. The software is well thought out and complete.

Your followers do have the ability (if tracking is forgotten or off) to ping you at any time and see your location, speed and altitude within 1 min typically. They do this simply thru the website tracking page. They can also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the mobile app you can read it (note: having your cell phone on board during contest flight is currently illegal according to the SSA US contest rules :-( )

The costs are negligible for the aviation plans (2 min tracking interval) AND I still want someone to test if the regular plans provide altitude with 10 min updates. I suspect they do provide altitude as well but have not confirmed.

Sean

On 2/22/2013 9:16 AM, Sean F (F2) wrote:
They can also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the
mobile app you can read it (note: having your cell phone on board
during contest flight is currently illegal according to the SSA US
contest rules:-( )

It's not illegal to carry the phone in the glider. Cheez.

Further, not necessary to have a cell phone to read the text message, as
you can also use an iPad, iPod touch, Android device, or DeLorme PN-60w.

I'm thinking of carrying an iPod Touch anyway, loaded with sectionals
and a flight computer program (to back up my primary computer), and
perhaps as a remote viewer/controller for a video camera mounted on/in
the glider.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

Eric,

Isn't it illegal to utilize outside communications while flying an SSA contest? Things such as cell or satellite accessed weather? Communicating with outside parties such as ground crew via cell data networks? By using the non cell phone devices you mention instead of cell enabled devices, as I understand current US SSA rules, you would (remember here in the SSA pilots are assumed guilty until proven innocent :-)) still have the same (SSA ILLEGAL) ability to exchange digital communications with your crew or other outside parties. Or imagine having your position relayed every 2 minutes to other pilots via sneaky crews, etc. Almost as terrible as the myth of Flarm Leeching. :-). FYI you can secure your DeLorme tracking map with a simple password...so this is not a big deal.

We are talking about satellite based communications vs. cell phone or radio based. Wether or not you use a iPod touch or an data/cell enabled iPhone makes very little difference in the application of each system. Both are illegal as I understand the rules. I feel like Johny English with useless instead of effective gadgets (smart phone AH, etc), but illegal gadgets nonetheless.

My point is that the useful, safety aspects of the DeLorme system greatly outweighs the dark side cheating risks. Nevertheless this technology is currently, technically illegal. This should be addressed....soon....

The other obvious upside of quality satellite tracking adoption by US amd Candian pilots would be the marketing enjoyment of following contest and cross country tasks with far better detail! This could be leveraged into a website for tracking events with live chat or commentary. Now cool would that be! I have do doe this for sailing events and it is great fun for all involved.

O jeez! Now the rules committee is probably calling DeLorme and asks them to disable these features. Damn!!!!

:-)

On 2/22/2013 1:05 PM, Sean F (F2) wrote:
Eric,

Isn't it illegal to utilize outside communications while flying an
SSA contest? Things such as cell or satellite accessed weather?
Communicating with outside parties such as ground crew via cell data
networks? By using the non cell phone devices you mention instead of
cell enabled devices, as I understand current US SSA rules, you would
(remember here in the SSA pilots are assumed guilty until proven
innocent :-)) still have the same (SSA ILLEGAL) ability to exchange
digital communications with your crew or other outside parties. Or
imagine having your position relayed every 2 minutes to other pilots
via sneaky crews, etc. Almost as terrible as the myth of Flarm
Leeching. :-). FYI you can secure your DeLorme tracking map with a
simple password...so this is not a big deal.

We are talking about satellite based communications vs. cell phone or
radio based. Wether or not you use a iPod touch or an data/cell
enabled iPhone makes very little difference in the application of
each system. Both are illegal as I understand the rules. I feel
like Johny English with useless instead of effective gadgets (smart
phone AH, etc), but illegal gadgets nonetheless.

My point is that the useful, safety aspects of the DeLorme system
greatly outweighs the dark side cheating risks. Nevertheless this
technology is currently, technically illegal. This should be
addressed....soon....

The other obvious upside of quality satellite tracking adoption by US
amd Candian pilots would be the marketing enjoyment of following
contest and cross country tasks with far better detail! This could
be leveraged into a website for tracking events with live chat or
commentary. Now cool would that be! I have do doe this for sailing
events and it is great fun for all involved.

O jeez! Now the rules committee is probably calling DeLorme and asks
them to disable these features. Damn!!!!

When you said "cell phone", I took you literally. The InReach, as you
know, is not a cell phone.

Do the rules prohibit having a communications device other than a com
radio? Or just prohibit the use of the device? Communication with your
crew is allowed via the radio, so it's not clear to me that
communicating with your crew via InReach is prohibited.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

Hi Eric,

I have a slight correction to your note below. The DeLorme PN-60w does not
work with the inReach for smartphones. There are 2 different versions of
the inReach - one for smartphones and one for the PN-60w. I only plan to
sell the one for use with smartphones.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
___________________________

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message ...

On 2/22/2013 9:16 AM, Sean F (F2) wrote:
They can also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the
mobile app you can read it (note: having your cell phone on board
during contest flight is currently illegal according to the SSA US
contest rules:-( )

It's not illegal to carry the phone in the glider. Cheez.

Further, not necessary to have a cell phone to read the text message, as
you can also use an iPad, iPod touch, Android device, or DeLorme PN-60w.

I'm thinking of carrying an iPod Touch anyway, loaded with sectionals
and a flight computer program (to back up my primary computer), and
perhaps as a remote viewer/controller for a video camera mounted on/in
the glider.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

That was copied off the InReach site. I didn't realize there were two
versions. In any case, the smartphone version will work with non-phones
devices like the iPod Touch and iPad.

On 2/22/2013 2:19 PM, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Eric,

I have a slight correction to your note below. The DeLorme PN-60w does
not work with the inReach for smartphones. There are 2 different
versions of the inReach - one for smartphones and one for the PN-60w. I
only plan to sell the one for use with smartphones.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
___________________________

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message ...

On 2/22/2013 9:16 AM, Sean F (F2) wrote:
They can also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the
mobile app you can read it (note: having your cell phone on board
during contest flight is currently illegal according to the SSA US
contest rules:-( )

It's not illegal to carry the phone in the glider. Cheez.

Further, not necessary to have a cell phone to read the text message, as
you can also use an iPad, iPod touch, Android device, or DeLorme PN-60w.

I'm thinking of carrying an iPod Touch anyway, loaded with sectionals
and a flight computer program (to back up my primary computer), and
perhaps as a remote viewer/controller for a video camera mounted on/in
the glider.



--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

Sure would be great I'd it was not illegal to have a useful satellite based tracking system onboard. But based on the recent RC behavior and current rules, I have doubts. It would not surprise me in the slightest to hear complaints AND a rule against this technology...

Tell me I am wrong. Anyone.

Is a dim light starting to flicker in your minds....... Anyone?

Sean
F2

Have used the InReach for a few more trips and it has been flawless. Only issue Inhabe is drilling down to detailed information (point data, altitude) on the public map page on an iPhone can be tricky. I have recommended to Delorme an iPhone specific page be created. Seems to work better on larger Android screens.

Hi Sean,

I have one small correction to your note below. It is my understanding that
when your unit is pinged from your shared tracking page the reply is sent
out at the same interval as the unit is setup for tracking. If you have the
tracking interval set to 10 minutes, the ping will get a reply after up to
10 minutes.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
____________________________

"Sean F (F2)" wrote in message
...

Ramy,

You got it! :-). DeLorme InReach appears to be night and day better when
compared to Spot. I never liked Spot to be honest and suspect that many of
you felt the same. It annoyed me how poor and out of date it's website was.
The mobile app was poor. As you can see from my sample track, DeLormes
website is of very high quality. It runs beautifully on PC, Mac, Android
and IOS. I am able to easily access all functions on any device or browser.
The software is well thought out and complete.

Your followers do have the ability (if tracking is forgotten or off) to ping
you at any time and see your location, speed and altitude within 1 min
typically. They do this simply thru the website tracking page. They can
also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the mobile app you
can read it (note: having your cell phone on board during contest flight is
currently illegal according to the SSA US contest rules :-( )

The costs are negligible for the aviation plans (2 min tracking interval)
AND I still want someone to test if the regular plans provide altitude with
10 min updates. I suspect they do provide altitude as well but have not
confirmed.

Sean

Hi Sean,

To answer a question below - Yes - The standard "consumer" plans with 10
minute (or longer) tracking also report altitude, groundspeed and heading.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
___________________________

"Sean F (F2)" wrote in message
...

Ramy,

You got it! :-). DeLorme InReach appears to be night and day better when
compared to Spot. I never liked Spot to be honest and suspect that many of
you felt the same. It annoyed me how poor and out of date it's website was.
The mobile app was poor. As you can see from my sample track, DeLormes
website is of very high quality. It runs beautifully on PC, Mac, Android
and IOS. I am able to easily access all functions on any device or browser.
The software is well thought out and complete.

Your followers do have the ability (if tracking is forgotten or off) to ping
you at any time and see your location, speed and altitude within 1 min
typically. They do this simply thru the website tracking page. They can
also very easily send you a text message and IF you have the mobile app you
can read it (note: having your cell phone on board during contest flight is
currently illegal according to the SSA US contest rules :-( )

The costs are negligible for the aviation plans (2 min tracking interval)
AND I still want someone to test if the regular plans provide altitude with
10 min updates. I suspect they do provide altitude as well but have not
confirmed.

Sean