Good news and bad news about SPOT 2 devices

[Frank[_12_]]

The good news:

As has already been reported, is the new SPOT 2 devices have a nice
'check-in while tracking' feature that lets you send an OK message
while in TRACK mode. The OK message temporarily interrupts the TRACK
message mode, sends the message, and goes back to tracking.

The new SPOTs have a more powerful transmitter and slightly better
patch antenna, for more reliable transmissions.

Smaller size, lighter weight.

Much easier to get the device into TRACK mode (the old SPOT 1 devices
require a very non-intuitive procedure, but once you know the trick it
isn't too bad)

The bad news:

The higher power transmitter and smaller form factor reduces
advertised battery life significantly. The old SPOT 1 devices (2 AA
lithiums) will go several weeks/months between battery replacement. I
think I replaced mine twice last season, and I flew 9 contests and 250
hours. The new SPOT 2 devices (3 AAA lithiums) appear to only last
about a week in TRACK mode, so you might have to replace them about
every contest.

Any SPOT 2 users out there with actual battery life data?

TA

[Westbender]

Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?

One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.
I have a replacement unit, but I haven't used it yet. Just curious.

[Darryl Ramm]

On Apr 29, 10:27*am, Westbender > wrote:
> Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?
>
> One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.
> I have a replacement unit, but I haven't used it yet. Just curious.

To be anal-retentive clear on this, I don't believe that the issue was
power consumption per se, but rather an incorrect low battery warning
so people would be lead to change batteries earlier than necessary.
AFAIK there was no mod to improve actual battery consumption (just the
apparent consumption). See for example Doug Ritter's comments at
http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=172

If somebody knows for sure else wise speak up...

It is a pity with the SPOT 2 that the hiker/general user etc. goal of
making the device smaller overrode long tracking battery life. I've
still got the original SPOT and never really had significant dropped
tracking message problems and am not sure I'll upgrade.

Darryl

[Ramy]

My SPOT1 batteries need replacement after more than a year (over 300
hours). So even if SPOT2 needs more frequent battery replacement it
may not be a real issue for most pilots.

Ramy

Darryl Ramm wrote:
> On Apr 29, 10:27*am, Westbender > wrote:
> > Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?
> >
> > One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.
> > I have a replacement unit, but I haven't used it yet. Just curious.
>
> To be anal-retentive clear on this, I don't believe that the issue was
> power consumption per se, but rather an incorrect low battery warning
> so people would be lead to change batteries earlier than necessary.
> AFAIK there was no mod to improve actual battery consumption (just the
> apparent consumption). See for example Doug Ritter's comments at
> http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=172
>
> If somebody knows for sure else wise speak up...
>
> It is a pity with the SPOT 2 that the hiker/general user etc. goal of
> making the device smaller overrode long tracking battery life. I've
> still got the original SPOT and never really had significant dropped
> tracking message problems and am not sure I'll upgrade.
>
> Darryl

[Frank[_12_]]

On Apr 30, 5:44*pm, Ramy > wrote:
> My SPOT1 batteries need replacement after more than a year (over 300
> hours). So even if SPOT2 needs more frequent battery replacement it
> may not be a real issue for most pilots.
>
> Ramy
>
>
>
> Darryl Ramm wrote:
> > On Apr 29, 10:27*am, Westbender > wrote:
> > > Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?
>
> > > One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.
> > > I have a replacement unit, but I haven't used it yet. Just curious.
>
> > To be anal-retentive clear on this, I don't believe that the issue was
> > power consumption per se, but rather an incorrect low battery warning
> > so people would be lead to change batteries earlier than necessary.
> > AFAIK there was no mod to improve actual battery consumption (just the
> > apparent consumption). See for example Doug Ritter's comments at
> >http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=172
>
> > If somebody knows for sure else wise speak up...
>
> > It is a pity with the SPOT 2 that the hiker/general user etc. goal of
> > making the device smaller overrode long tracking battery life. I've
> > still got the original SPOT and never really had significant dropped
> > tracking message problems and am not sure I'll upgrade.
>
> > Darryl

Hmm, I have no direct experimental evidence regarding SPOT 2 battery
life. However, Fernando Silva had a new one at Perry, and he had to
replace the batteries after just a few days. The SPOT website quotes a
battery life of between 3.5 and 7 days in tracking mode, and the SPOT
customer service representative I spoke to acknowledged that the SPOT
2 devices do have shorter battery life 'due to the stronger
antenna' (which I interpret as higher transmit power).

I am sticking with my old SPOT 1clunker - I know how to get it into
track mode reliably, and I only have to change out batteries once or
twice per soaring season ;-).

TA

[Ramy]

On Apr 30, 7:34*pm, Frank > wrote:
> On Apr 30, 5:44*pm, Ramy > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > My SPOT1 batteries need replacement after more than a year (over 300
> > hours). So even if SPOT2 needs more frequent battery replacement it
> > may not be a real issue for most pilots.
>
> > Ramy
>
> > Darryl Ramm wrote:
> > > On Apr 29, 10:27*am, Westbender > wrote:
> > > > Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?
>
> > > > One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.

[Ramy]

While I can't report yet on battery life, I can report after a couple
of 4-5 hours flights with SPOT2 that I have zero misssing
trackpoints, although it is strapped to my parachute and do not have a
complete clear view of the sky. I used to see at least 10% drop with
my original spot. I can't tell if this is thanks to the better
transmission/antena, or thanks to sending multiple trackpoints with
each transmission.

Ramy



On Apr 30, 9:57*pm, Ramy > wrote:
> On Apr 30, 7:34*pm, Frank > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Apr 30, 5:44*pm, Ramy > wrote:
>
> > > My SPOT1 batteries need replacement after more than a year (over 300
> > > hours). So even if SPOT2 needs more frequent battery replacement it
> > > may not be a real issue for most pilots.
>
> > > Ramy
>
> > > Darryl Ramm wrote:
> > > > On Apr 29, 10:27*am, Westbender > wrote:
> > > > > Are you using the "replacement" or the "original" Spot 2?
>
> > > > > One of the reasons for the replacement program was power consumption.
> > > > > I have a replacement unit, but I haven't used it yet. Just curious.
>
> > > > To be anal-retentive clear on this, I don't believe that the issue was
> > > > power consumption per se, but rather an incorrect low battery warning
> > > > so people would be lead to change batteries earlier than necessary.
> > > > AFAIK there was no mod to improve actual battery consumption (just the
> > > > apparent consumption). See for example Doug Ritter's comments at
> > > >http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=172
>
> > > > If somebody knows for sure else wise speak up...
>
> > > > It is a pity with the SPOT 2 that the hiker/general user etc. goal of
> > > > making the device smaller overrode long tracking battery life. I've
> > > > still got the original SPOT and never really had significant dropped
> > > > tracking message problems and am not sure I'll upgrade.
>
> > > > Darryl
>
> > Hmm, I have no direct experimental evidence regarding SPOT 2 battery
> > life. *However, Fernando Silva had a new one at Perry, and he had to
> > replace the batteries after just a few days. The SPOT website quotes a
> > battery life of between 3.5 and 7 days in tracking mode, and the SPOT
> > customer service representative I spoke to acknowledged that the SPOT
> > 2 devices do have shorter battery life 'due to the stronger
> > antenna' (which I interpret as higher transmit power).
>
> > I am sticking with my old SPOT 1clunker - I know how to get it into
> > track mode reliably, and I only have to change out batteries once or
> > twice per soaring season ;-).
>
> > TA- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> I just upgraded to Spot 2 so I'll be able to report on it later, but
> my manual says 7 days in track mode which is 168 hours, or 30 flights
> averaging about 5 hours per flight. for someone who fly mostly
> weekends this means replacing once or twice per season. I hope in
> reality it will be at least as good as the manual says, in the case of
> Spot 1 it was even better than the manual.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -