New SPOT messenger allows custom messages

It's only $550, and it lets you send custom text messages through
space to cellphones back home.

It also lets you update your facebook status while soaring. "ZOMFG, I
just got passed in a thermal by a plastic shopping bag!"

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/...-60w-with-spot

(Updating facebook by satellite while acting as P1 isn't actually
recommended)

On Jan 6, 7:19*am, "Rob.Russell" wrote:
It's only $550, and it lets you send custom text messages through
space to cellphones back home.

It also lets you update your facebook status while soaring. *"ZOMFG, I
just got passed in a thermal by a plastic shopping bag!"

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/...earthmate-pn-6...

(Updating facebook by satellite while acting as P1 isn't actually
recommended)

You're right, Facebook is not recommended while gliding. It's very
passe. It was
OK at the beginning, but now all these old people are on it. It's much
better now to use
Twitter.

On Jan 6, 7:19*am, "Rob.Russell" wrote:
It's only $550, and it lets you send custom text messages through
space to cellphones back home.

It also lets you update your facebook status while soaring. *"ZOMFG, I
just got passed in a thermal by a plastic shopping bag!"

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/...earthmate-pn-6...

(Updating facebook by satellite while acting as P1 isn't actually
recommended)

First prize to somebody who hacks this to send altitude. I wonder what
the restrictions on message rates are. I'd expect them to be fairly
brutal.

Darryl

On Jan 6, 2:08*pm, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Jan 6, 7:19*am, "Rob.Russell" wrote:

It's only $550, and it lets you send custom text messages through
space to cellphones back home.

It also lets you update your facebook status while soaring. *"ZOMFG, I
just got passed in a thermal by a plastic shopping bag!"

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/...earthmate-pn-6...

(Updating facebook by satellite while acting as P1 isn't actually
recommended)

First prize to somebody who hacks this to send altitude. I wonder what
the restrictions on message rates are. I'd expect them to be fairly
brutal.

Darryl

It appears from the advertising material that this device is a
combination of GPS engine, map display, and SPOT transmitter. If so,
the texting and 'custom messaging' feature is just what a current SPOT
unit allows, i.e. they are 'custom' in the sense that you can set them
up to send whatever text you want, but they are *not* dynamic - the
message text is set by editing your account information on the SPOT
site.

A typical SPOT unit costs less than $200 (not including the $150-200/
year subscription costs) and includes the GPS engine and the SPOT
transmitter. I'm not real convinced that adding a display increases
the value 250% ;-).

We have been nagging SPOT to include altitude, but so far no
progress. I think it will come, but I don't know when

Regards,

TA

We have been nagging SPOT to include altitude, but so far no
progress. *I think it will come, but I don't know when

Maybe once the Gliding community nags enough for them to move in it,
they can call they're new altitude equipped units 'G-SPOT'... which
might even make them come quicker.

-Paul

On Jan 7, 4:49*pm, Frank wrote:

It appears from the advertising material that this device is a
combination of GPS engine, map display, and SPOT transmitter. *If so,
the texting and 'custom messaging' feature is just what a current SPOT
unit allows, i.e. they are 'custom' in the sense that you can set them
up to send whatever text you want, but they are *not* dynamic - the
message text is set by editing your account information on the SPOT
site.

From the press release:

“For the first time, people will be able to type custom text messages
using the Earthmate PN-60w internal keyboard and then transmit
wirelessly to the unique DeLorme SPOT Communicator for sending
satellite messages around the globe,” said Caleb Mason, DeLorme Vice
President.

Also:

"Users can send freeform text messages using the PN-60w’s keyboard to
select individuals or groups from the field even from remote areas
world-wide."

So, now we're left with a couple of questions:
- Is "transmit wirelessly" legal for cockpit use in your jurisdiction?
- Is this wireless protocol documented and open enough that other
devices (say, the theoretical upcoming LX69000, or maybe even XCSoar
if the wireless protocol is 802.11 or Bluetooth) would be able to also
send the text messages?
- Can we buy this wireless-capable SPOT messenger without buying the
Delorme gizmo?

On Jan 8, 7:10*am, "Rob.Russell" wrote:
On Jan 7, 4:49*pm, Frank wrote:

It appears from the advertising material that this device is a
combination of GPS engine, map display, and SPOT transmitter. *If so,
the texting and 'custom messaging' feature is just what a current SPOT
unit allows, i.e. they are 'custom' in the sense that you can set them
up to send whatever text you want, but they are *not* dynamic - the
message text is set by editing your account information on the SPOT
site.

From the press release:

“For the first time, people will be able to type custom text messages
using the Earthmate PN-60w internal keyboard and then transmit
wirelessly to the unique DeLorme SPOT Communicator for sending
satellite messages around the globe,” said Caleb Mason, DeLorme Vice
President.

Also:

"Users can send freeform text messages using the PN-60w’s keyboard to
select individuals or groups from the field even from remote areas
world-wide."

So, now we're left with a couple of questions:
- Is "transmit wirelessly" legal for cockpit use in your jurisdiction?
- Is this wireless protocol documented and open enough that other
devices (say, the theoretical upcoming LX69000, or maybe even XCSoar
if the wireless protocol is 802.11 or Bluetooth) would be able to also
send the text messages?
- Can we buy this wireless-capable SPOT messenger without buying the
Delorme gizmo?

For now, the answer to the last question appears to be "no". I wonder
whether Delorme has an exclusive deal to sell the SPOT "puck". I like
the idea of using Bluetooth, if that's what they use to communicate,
to connect the puck to a glide computer. If so, it would be a simple
software change to be able to send a stream of position AND altitude
reports to ground observers, at least for those of us who have a
Bluetooth-equipped computer - in my case a PDA. Maybe one of you
software developer types could test this out when the Delorme units
start shipping.

It won't be long before soaring becomes a virtual spectator sport for
most contests, not just the Grand Prix events - pretty neat.

9B

On Jan 7, 1:49*pm, Frank wrote:
On Jan 6, 2:08*pm, Darryl Ramm wrote:



On Jan 6, 7:19*am, "Rob.Russell" wrote:

It's only $550, and it lets you send custom text messages through
space to cellphones back home.

It also lets you update your facebook status while soaring. *"ZOMFG, I
just got passed in a thermal by a plastic shopping bag!"

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/...earthmate-pn-6....

(Updating facebook by satellite while acting as P1 isn't actually
recommended)

First prize to somebody who hacks this to send altitude. I wonder what
the restrictions on message rates are. I'd expect them to be fairly
brutal.

Darryl

It appears from the advertising material that this device is a
combination of GPS engine, map display, and SPOT transmitter. *If so,
the texting and 'custom messaging' feature is just what a current SPOT
unit allows, i.e. they are 'custom' in the sense that you can set them
up to send whatever text you want, but they are *not* dynamic - the
message text is set by editing your account information on the SPOT
site.

A typical SPOT unit costs less than $200 (not including the $150-200/
year subscription costs) and includes the GPS engine and the SPOT
transmitter. I'm not real convinced that adding a display increases
the value 250% ;-).

We have been nagging SPOT to include altitude, but so far no
progress. *I think it will come, but I don't know when

Regards,

TA

I do not believe that is the case, they say "free form" and apparently
mean it.

Gloabalstar carries these pager type messages all the time. There is
no reason why a SPOT branded device cannot also do that. Clearly SPOT
needs to modify some of their ground software infrastructure/web
services.

If the puck talks BT or similar to the handset then it's only a matter
of time until it is hacked.

Darryl

If the puck talks BT or similar to the handset then it's only a matter
of time until it is hacked.

Unless the link is properly encrypted.

Steve

On Jan 8, 10:03*am, Steve Koerner wrote:
If the puck talks BT or similar to the handset then it's only a matter
of time until it is hacked.

Unless the link is properly encrypted.

Steve

Why would that be a problem? :-)

I've not heard for sure that the link is Bluetooth, but that makes the
most sense. On a new current device like this I'd expect Bluetooth 2.1
SSP with automatic pairing for ease of use.

ANd I'd guess the link protocol is likely just serial over Bluetooth.
You send known text from the keyboard unit over the link to the SPOT.
That makes reverse engineering the key relatively easy. Once you have
that it is just a matter of sniffing the control protocols for getting
the device to do stuff. You can also hack the initial paring exchange
with a man it the middle attack. Once you have their protocols for
sending text messages you go implement that in software on your
favorite PDA etc. and you can have that link equally encrypted as the
original device is.

I expect Gloablstar to be very careful about limiting transmission
rates and that kind of thing is embedded pretty deep inside the "puck"
not something you can mess with over bluetooth.

Like I said I expect this to be hacked. All kinds of folks might want
to play with this.

Darryl