Any user reports on Delorme Inreach?

[Steve Koerner]

The Inreach unit has been out for awhile. Anyone using it in gliders?

[Morgan[_2_]]

On Tuesday, March 13, 2012 9:04:52 PM UTC-7, Steve Koerner wrote:
> The Inreach unit has been out for awhile. Anyone using it in gliders?

Hi Steve,

I've got one.

I participated in their Beta Program with the intent of giving a glider pilot POV to the beta program. Non-disclosure agreements kept me from piping up during the beta program.

Delorme was nice enough to give the Beta users a device and year of service as a thank you for all the feedback and bug reports.

Here is my glider centric view of the device.

It's a bit bulky when you compare it to a SPOT 2, but roughly the same as the SPOT 1 that I use. It uses 2 Lithium AA batteries and the battery life during the beta program wasn't bad, but wasn't great. Certainly good enough for several flights, but nothing like my SPOT that lasted probably 2 years on a set of batteries with nearly weekly flights.

The interface of the device in standalone is pretty straight-forward. It has a dedicated tracking button which makes it easy to activate. Power and SOS are also abundantly obvious. In standalone mode (not connected to an Android device) you can still send one of 3 custom messages.

I have 3 messages set up.

Still flying
Landed Safely
Landed out, need a retrieve

There is only a single button on the device for sending these three messages. Using it is straight-forward enough. Hold the button down for a few seconds, the light blinks once and if you let it go, it'll send message one. Hold it longer and 2 flashes or 3 flashes will indicate which message is being sent. It's still up to you to remember what your custom messages are.

One really nice thing is that there is a satellite status indicator. If the device has a satellite in view to send a message, you get a green light. Red light and no messages will get out until it goes green.

Performance of message sending has always been fantastic. Press the message button and within a minute the text message arrives on your phone assuming you've got a green light.

The map that messages show on is pretty good. The beta version had limited zoom capability, but the new map system is quite good and let's you zoom in pretty tight on terrain. When tracking is enabled, it's much like the spot with 10 minutes between points. So far, it's been pretty consistent in delivering on time and without gaps. I haven't had the chance to get any long flights in with the production system.

One thing pilots will enjoy is that the track points include position info, but also speed, altitude and heading which is nice when you're wondering where someone is at and if they are making progress.

I only used the android app a little bit during the beta period since I am an iPhone user. You've got quite a bit of capability to send and receive custom messages.

They are working on an iPhone compatible version I believe. At least, that's been alluded to on their blog.

There are a few issues with it. The interface in standalone mode is limited with the message button doing multiple duties, but it's not hard to work with it.

The messages that are sent as TXT to a phone, don't include the lat/lon coordinates. So anyone receiving your text needs to have a phone with a browser in order to determine your actual location on a map. I filed a bug/feature request on that issue, but I guess they didn't have time to implement it before General Availability.

Overall it is a pretty good first device to bring to the market. It can be improved, made smaller, made compatible with more devices like iOS devices for messaging.

The real drawback is the cost of the subscription for it. It's a fair bit more expensive than a SPOT in order to provide the same level of service. Of course, it can do much more than a basic SPOT, but unless you need that, you'll pay more for it than a SPOT.

Here is my public Map. No track points in the last month on it though. But you can play around with the features of the map.

http://share.delorme.com/(S(kfz3xqquyfkuwgz1tdhax345))/?MapId=be770ae73e5a41b89b6906314d332640

If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them..

Morgan

[Steve Koerner]

Thank you Morgan. Some reviewers on Amazon have had negative remarks
about the cell phone pairing process as well as some negative remarks
about the ability to reliably receive inbound text messages. Any
observations in those areas?

Maybe one way to keep the subscription cost down might be to buy the
low end $10/mo subscription and not use the tracking every 10
minutes. Instead sending occasional track reports by pushbutton say
after leaving a thermal or when low. Is it possible to send
individual track reports or do they have to be at the programmed
intervals?

The other way to keep the subscription cost down would be to change
from the $25/mo to the $10/mo mode in the off-season. Of course, here
in AZ there isn't much off-season.

[Morgan[_2_]]

Hi Steve,

I'm an iPhone user so aside from some tests on a borrowed android device during Beta, I only ever currently use it in stand-alone mode and can't really speak to the pairing problems or inbound messaging.

I think you pretty much need to be on the $25/mnth plan to get the level of functionality we are all used to with Spot. You can change plans if you have an off season, but generally speaking for Glider Pilot needs, it is roughly twice the cost of a Spot subscription with tracking.

If spot just added GPS Altitude to their message, they'd pretty much have everything we need in the Spot2 package and really altitude is just nice for when you're on the sidelines watching someone fly from your office.

Morgan

On Wednesday, March 14, 2012 11:28:53 AM UTC-7, Steve Koerner wrote:
> Thank you Morgan. Some reviewers on Amazon have had negative remarks
> about the cell phone pairing process as well as some negative remarks
> about the ability to reliably receive inbound text messages. Any
> observations in those areas?
>
> Maybe one way to keep the subscription cost down might be to buy the
> low end $10/mo subscription and not use the tracking every 10
> minutes. Instead sending occasional track reports by pushbutton say
> after leaving a thermal or when low. Is it possible to send
> individual track reports or do they have to be at the programmed
> intervals?
>
> The other way to keep the subscription cost down would be to change
> from the $25/mo to the $10/mo mode in the off-season. Of course, here
> in AZ there isn't much off-season.

[Ramy]

On Wednesday, March 14, 2012 12:26:41 AM UTC-7, Morgan wrote:

> I have 3 messages set up.
>
> Still flying
> Landed Safely
> Landed out, need a retrieve
>
> There is only a single button on the device for sending these three messages. Using it is straight-forward enough. Hold the button down for a few seconds, the light blinks once and if you let it go, it'll send message one.. Hold it longer and 2 flashes or 3 flashes will indicate which message is being sent. It's still up to you to remember what your custom messages are.
>

This is be biggest problem IMHO. You press too long or too short, and the wrong message went through. Especially in the air when you need to keep your eyes outside, and you try to send a 'Still Flying' message but instead send the 'Landed Safely' message, or worse the 'Landed out, need a retrieve' message.
The Spot 2 has dedicated button for each message. I wonder why Delorme couldn't do the same. Lack of critical thinking. I am staying with Spot2 for now...

Ramy

[Morgan[_2_]]

Yeah Ramy, I know we've discussed this before on different threads and I agree about Spot2 being the leader for gliding.

I've never actually sent an OK from my SPOT while in the air since my Spot1 doesn't let you change modes from tracking to sending an OK without powering it off first.

Nor have I actually sent a "Still Flying" message from the Delorme while in the air, it was just a test message that I set up to test the three different messages. Although their solution while kludgy does work. Additionally, after you have set the message to send, the blinking light indicates which will be sent. So you can cancel it. To your point, not what you want to be focusing on in flight.

I would agree that it is a sub-optimal stand-alone messaging solution. As a product I think it's much better than the Spot Connect since spot connect won't even really do the job in stand-alone mode. So it might be a better fit for someone that wants Android integration with two way messaging. That really trims down the number of glider pilots that would be interested.

For stand-alone use the Spot 2 is still the clear winner on both value and functionality.

Another issue with the InReach is that they haven't opened up an API to access data from the track points. So tools like the Hawketracking multi-spot maps won't be able to get InReach data.




On Wednesday, March 14, 2012 2:28:54 PM UTC-7, Ramy wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 14, 2012 12:26:41 AM UTC-7, Morgan wrote:
>
> > I have 3 messages set up.
> >
> > Still flying
> > Landed Safely
> > Landed out, need a retrieve
> >
> > There is only a single button on the device for sending these three messages. Using it is straight-forward enough. Hold the button down for a few seconds, the light blinks once and if you let it go, it'll send message one. Hold it longer and 2 flashes or 3 flashes will indicate which message is being sent. It's still up to you to remember what your custom messages are.
> >
>
> This is be biggest problem IMHO. You press too long or too short, and the wrong message went through. Especially in the air when you need to keep your eyes outside, and you try to send a 'Still Flying' message but instead send the 'Landed Safely' message, or worse the 'Landed out, need a retrieve' message.
> The Spot 2 has dedicated button for each message. I wonder why Delorme couldn't do the same. Lack of critical thinking. I am staying with Spot2 for now...
>
> Ramy

[Morgan[_2_]]

I took my InReach on a mountain bike ride this evening, so there are now a few track points to check out on the map.

http://share.delorme.com/(S(ay2dnz55tsngfu55kyqjey55))/?MapId=be770ae73e5a41b89b6906314d332640

I also sent one of each type of message and interestingly, those don't reflect on this map view. I picked specific points on the ride to send the messages and they aren't showing in this list.

Here is the email from my "OK" message:

Checking In OK

View the location or send a reply to Morgan Hall:
REMOVED THE ACTUAL LINKBACK HERE

Morgan Hall sent this message from:
Lat 35.30021 Lon -120.862935

Do not reply directly to this message.

This message was sent to you using the DeLorme inReach two-way satellite communicator with GPS. To learn more, visit http://www.delorme.com/inReach/

[JohnDeRosa]

On Mar 14, 4:28*pm, Ramy > wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 14, 2012 12:26:41 AM UTC-7, Morgan wrote:
> > I have 3 messages set up.
>
> > Still flying
> > Landed Safely
> > Landed out, need a retrieve
>
> > There is only a single button on the device for sending these three messages. *Using it is straight-forward enough. *Hold the button down for a few seconds, the light blinks once and if you let it go, it'll send message one. *Hold it longer and 2 flashes or 3 flashes will indicate which message is being sent. *It's still up to you to remember what your custom messages are.
>
> This is be biggest problem IMHO. You press too long or too short, and the wrong message went through. Especially in the air when you need to keep your eyes outside, and you try to send a 'Still Flying' message but instead send the 'Landed Safely' message, or worse the 'Landed out, need a retrieve' message.
> The Spot 2 has dedicated button for each message. I wonder why Delorme couldn't do the same. Lack of critical thinking. I am staying with Spot2 for now...
>
> Ramy

Cost of the second/third buttons I would think. The work around would
be to send the same message multiple times. Last one counts!

[weersch[_2_]]

Morgan
you wrote: "my Spot1 doesn't let you change modes from tracking to
sending an OK without powering it off first. "

I have a Spot 1 too.
I don't send OK messages during flight either, but I do switch off the
tracking mode at the end of flight and send another OK message without
powering off.
My standard procedure is as follows:
During pre-flight I power on the Spot1 and initiate an OK message. It
will blink the LED until the message has been send (message will be
transmitted 3 times I believe).
Before take-off, when the LED has stopped blinking for the OK message,
I push the OK button long to initiate the tracking mode. Push as long
until the green LED comes on.
After landing, I again push the OK button long to stop the tracking
mode. I push as long until the RED LED comes on. Then it takes a few
seconds for the Spot 1 to terminate the tracking process and then the
LED is off.
A short push of the OK button then initiates the final OK message.

The problem I have is that I cannot terminate the OK message without
powering off to get to the tracking mode.
This is relevant when there is too little time between pre-flight and
launch, i.e. when to OK message LED has not yet stopped blinking and
you want to switch to tracking mode (you are not sure if the OK
message really completed).

3U