I was recently at a retailer show in Utah for Snowmobilers where I was working for ORTOVOX as a tech rep standing at the ready to sell & /or explain how beacons work. There is a lot of bad information being spread around by those guys who aren't staying on top of technology advances and in general are lying about the how and what is real within the avalanche beacon industry. While I was there, back aching from standing and throat hoarse from correcting lies and defamation spread by the competition I had the chance to connect with SPOT. As I am slow to buy gear, because it always costs more then I have, but I have been a huge fan of this technology since it was first released last year. Already I have benefited from my friends who use this tool when their wife called asking me to check on the where abouts of her husband, Honza, who was well on his way to setting the Idaho state open distance record (139.5 miles). It was a simple task of checking the live tracking and relaying the info to her so she could be johnny on the spot when he landed. Which she was, saving him much headache and hassle finding a ride from somewhere east of Kilgore, Idaho. Having been involved in the Red Bull XAlps in 2007 where live tracking gave me soo much information about the who is where and what might be the best route to follow, i can tell you that this spot tool is the best device any pilot choosing to go XC can have. The safety of having the ability to call in the emergency crew if injured upon reconnection with the earth manually or automatically, plus your significant other having the ability to check in on your where abouts from the computer relieving their concern about where you might be is huge! Now when u cut away and go for it, someone can always know where you are and come and find you if you get into trouble. Dare I say that those lost to the wilds would have been found almost immediately w/o extensive and costly searches if they had only been using this device.In a small handheld unit I now have the ability to "phone home" with the push of a button. It reminds me of the old EPIRB I carried during an extended canoe expedition, which was twice the size of a #10 tin can(coffee can) and when the button was pressed in came the royal canadian airforce to save the day. That was more then 20 years ago! Thankfully technology has come a long way since then.
It is safe to say that buying this unit and subscribing to its service will ultimate save your life, in the field or from the wife as she can no longer freak out not knowing where you are.
