A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Soaring
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

SPOT messenger



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old May 24th 08, 04:43 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 46
Default SPOT messenger

On May 15, 9:05*am, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
I did and I love it! I'm just waiting for them to create a public side
to findmespot.com so I can share my tracks. Right now you have to give
out the admin password to your account (which includes your credit
card on file, etc) for people to see your tracks.


They've done that already, and it works well. Take another look at the
site to see how you can create public pages.


Thanks to all for posting. I'm gathering responses to several posts
here. First, on the sharing option, they say it's a beta and in my
experience (and that of three people who tried it on various
computers) it does not work. While it may work some of the time,
that's not good enough for the S&R application, so I've had to share
my account password with my backup people.

Second on Eric's post re zipper on top vs. the bottom (#13 in this
thread), I emailed Allen Silver and, not surprisingly, there is a
logic to the zipper location. Here's his response:

"There actually is a reason why I mounted it on the bottom. One is to
protect it from getting snagged and accidentally opened and the other
is about gravity. If you left the snap that secures the zipper to the
pack undone and you had to bailout the zipper could unzip during the g
forces of opening. Not likely to occur, but you know about Murphy's
Law."

Thanks for the posts on vertical vs. horizontal. I'll have to try it
in the SMAK PAK and see what happens.

Martin
WT

  #22  
Old May 24th 08, 07:34 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
Ramy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 746
Default SPOT messenger

On May 24, 8:43*am, wrote:
On May 15, 9:05*am, Eric Greenwell wrote:

Robert M. Gary wrote:
I did and I love it! I'm just waiting for them to create a public side
to findmespot.com so I can share my tracks. Right now you have to give
out the admin password to your account (which includes your credit
card on file, etc) for people to see your tracks.


They've done that already, and it works well. Take another look at the
site to see how you can create public pages.


Thanks to all for posting. I'm gathering responses to several posts
here. First, on the sharing option, they say it's a beta and in my
experience (and that of three people who tried it on various
computers) it does not work. While it may work some of the time,
that's not good enough for the S&R application, so I've had to share
my account password with my backup people.

Second on Eric's post re zipper on top vs. the bottom (#13 in this
thread), I emailed Allen Silver and, not surprisingly, there is a
logic to the zipper location. Here's his response:

"There actually is a reason why I mounted it on the bottom. One is to
protect it from getting snagged and accidentally opened and the other
is about gravity. If you left the snap that secures the zipper to the
pack undone and you had to bailout the zipper could unzip during the g
forces of opening. Not likely to occur, but you know about Murphy's
Law."

Thanks for the posts on vertical vs. horizontal. I'll have to try it
in the SMAK PAK and see what happens.

Martin
WT


I don't have any problems with the share page, it is working the same
as the account page, and much more intuitive. the only issue with it
is that currently it only displays the last 24 hours, so if you need
to track someone longer you need to logon to their account.

Ramy
  #23  
Old June 1st 08, 05:28 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
Paul Remde
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,691
Default SPOT messenger

Hi,

I've been selling a lot of SPOT units and I'm very curious about the SMAK
pak from Allen Silver. Can you please send me contact information. Does he
have a web site?

Thank you,

Paul Remde

wrote in message
...
On May 15, 9:05 am, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
I did and I love it! I'm just waiting for them to create a public side
to findmespot.com so I can share my tracks. Right now you have to give
out the admin password to your account (which includes your credit
card on file, etc) for people to see your tracks.


They've done that already, and it works well. Take another look at the
site to see how you can create public pages.


Thanks to all for posting. I'm gathering responses to several posts
here. First, on the sharing option, they say it's a beta and in my
experience (and that of three people who tried it on various
computers) it does not work. While it may work some of the time,
that's not good enough for the S&R application, so I've had to share
my account password with my backup people.

Second on Eric's post re zipper on top vs. the bottom (#13 in this
thread), I emailed Allen Silver and, not surprisingly, there is a
logic to the zipper location. Here's his response:

"There actually is a reason why I mounted it on the bottom. One is to
protect it from getting snagged and accidentally opened and the other
is about gravity. If you left the snap that secures the zipper to the
pack undone and you had to bailout the zipper could unzip during the g
forces of opening. Not likely to occur, but you know about Murphy's
Law."

Thanks for the posts on vertical vs. horizontal. I'll have to try it
in the SMAK PAK and see what happens.

Martin
WT


  #24  
Old June 1st 08, 05:35 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
sisu1a
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 569
Default SPOT messenger

On May 31, 9:28 pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,

I've been selling a lot of SPOT units and I'm very curious about the SMAK
pak from Allen Silver. Can you please send me contact information. Does he
have a web site?

Thank you,

Paul Remde

http://www.silverparachutes.com/
  #25  
Old June 1st 08, 01:55 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
Paul Remde
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,691
Default SPOT messenger

Hi,

Thanks for the link to the SMAK Pak. It looks very nice.

If pilots want a simpler option for holding the SPOT only. I just placed an
order to Para-Phernalia (makers of Softie parachutes) for a batch of their
"Pocket for PLB" (personal locator beacon) pouches - made to match the
dimensions of the spot. I will stock them in the orange color (to match the
SPOT) but I can also get them in colors to match your parachute. They sell
for $50.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com

"sisu1a" wrote in message
...
On May 31, 9:28 pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,

I've been selling a lot of SPOT units and I'm very curious about the SMAK
pak from Allen Silver. Can you please send me contact information. Does
he
have a web site?

Thank you,

Paul Remde

http://www.silverparachutes.com/



  #26  
Old June 16th 08, 11:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
Ramy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 746
Default SPOT messenger

I had a 7 hours flight last Saturday in Nevada, during which my spot
was tracking normally, with the occasional missing transmissions here
and there. However there was a period of one hour with no track
reports. The only thing I can tell which was different from tthe rest
of the flight is that I was flying under solid overcast and OD during
this period, once I got back to the sun the tracking resumed.
Any thoughts if this was just coincidence or the clouds blocked the
transmissions?
In any case, I'f affraid that currently it is not safe to assume that
a glider will be within 10 minutes distance of the last track, can be
much longer.

Ramy

On Jun 1, 5:55*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,

Thanks for the link to the SMAK Pak. *It looks very nice.

If pilots want a simpler option for holding theSPOTonly. *I just placed an
order to Para-Phernalia (makers of Softie parachutes) for a batch of their
"Pocket for PLB" (personal locator beacon) pouches - made to match the
dimensions of thespot. *I will stock them in the orange color (to match theSPOT) but I can also get them in colors to match your parachute. *They sell
for $50.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.http://www.cumulus-soaring.com

"sisu1a" wrote in message

...



On May 31, 9:28 pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,


I've been selling a lot ofSPOTunits and I'm very curious about the SMAK
pak from Allen Silver. Can you please send me contact information. *Does
he
have a web site?


Thank you,


Paul Remde


http://www.silverparachutes.com/- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


  #27  
Old June 17th 08, 04:19 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 29
Default SPOT messenger

Hi Paul
Spot does not attach to glider straps because the Spot clip is too
small and I thank you Paul for making available the pouch. I have had
a Spot for about a month now and have used it on most flights. It
mostly works well but as with most items not designed for aviation it
is not perfect for that application. Soaring from Parowan to Minden
today the girls were monitoring my flight using the tracking mode and
well into the flight the received tracks, instead of being close to
real time, stopped coming for an hour and the girls started to worry.
About 1 hour later the system caught up and the missing tracks
appeared. Regardless the Spot is a very useful device and I will not
fly without it. I am sure the bugs will be worked out.
Dave


  #28  
Old June 17th 08, 04:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring,rec.aviation.piloting
Darryl Ramm
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,403
Default SPOT messenger

On Jun 16, 3:36*pm, Ramy wrote:
I had a 7 hours flight last Saturday in Nevada, during which my spot
was tracking normally, with the occasional missing transmissions here
and there. However there was a period of one hour with no track
reports. The only thing I can tell which was different from tthe rest
of the flight is that I was flying under solid overcast and OD during
this period, once I got back to the sun the tracking resumed.
Any thoughts if this was just coincidence or the clouds blocked the
transmissions?
In any case, I'f affraid that currently it is not safe to assume that
a glider will be within 10 minutes distance of the last track, can be
much longer.

Ramy

On Jun 1, 5:55*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:

Hi,


Thanks for the link to the SMAK Pak. *It looks very nice.


If pilots want a simpler option for holding theSPOTonly. *I just placed an
order to Para-Phernalia (makers of Softie parachutes) for a batch of their
"Pocket for PLB" (personal locator beacon) pouches - made to match the
dimensions of thespot. *I will stock them in the orange color (to match theSPOT) but I can also get them in colors to match your parachute. *They sell
for $50.


Good Soaring,


Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.http://www.cumulus-soaring.com


"sisu1a" wrote in message


...


On May 31, 9:28 pm, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi,


I've been selling a lot ofSPOTunits and I'm very curious about the SMAK
pak from Allen Silver. Can you please send me contact information. *Does
he
have a web site?


Thank you,


Paul Remde


http://www.silverparachutes.com/-Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


Ramy

Spot uses the Globalstar L-Band simplex links. L-band is relatively
immune to rain attenuation, rain/water droplets suspended in storm
clouds are likely the worse case scenario. A guess for bad rain
attenuation might be something like only a dB or so at L-band. The GPS
signals are in the same frequency bands and will have similar
attenuation. So my first guess is clouds, even storm clouds are not
likely to be the issue.

So the next question is did anybody else flying in the genral area
have the same problem? I was flying in the Mendocinos at the same time
and had no SPOT problems but that is probably far enough away to not
count, except to exclude more systemic problems. The next question is
did the unit have a full view of the sky or are you still mounting it
on your parachute harness? I'm not sure if this is on your shoulder -
in which case your head (hopefully opaque at L-band :-) ), RF opaque
parts of the fuselage/canopy frame area, etc. will be obscuring lots
of the sky, or vertical on your harness in which case far more of the
sky will likely be obscured. Both of these will affect coverage as
Global star satellites fly into and out of the now fairly restricted
sky view or as you turn the direction of the obscured antenna to bring
Globalstar or GPS satellites into view.

I think SPOT is fantastic, fly with one all the time in SPOTcast mode,
but I'm not giving up on my 406MHz PLB on my parachute harness.

Darryl
  #29  
Old June 17th 08, 05:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Greg Arnold[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 148
Default SPOT messenger



Ramy

Spot uses the Globalstar L-Band simplex links. L-band is relatively
immune to rain attenuation, rain/water droplets suspended in storm
clouds are likely the worse case scenario. A guess for bad rain
attenuation might be something like only a dB or so at L-band. The GPS
signals are in the same frequency bands and will have similar
attenuation. So my first guess is clouds, even storm clouds are not
likely to be the issue.

So the next question is did anybody else flying in the genral area
have the same problem? I was flying in the Mendocinos at the same time
and had no SPOT problems but that is probably far enough away to not
count, except to exclude more systemic problems. The next question is
did the unit have a full view of the sky or are you still mounting it
on your parachute harness? I'm not sure if this is on your shoulder -
in which case your head (hopefully opaque at L-band :-) ), RF opaque
parts of the fuselage/canopy frame area, etc. will be obscuring lots
of the sky, or vertical on your harness in which case far more of the
sky will likely be obscured. Both of these will affect coverage as
Global star satellites fly into and out of the now fairly restricted
sky view or as you turn the direction of the obscured antenna to bring
Globalstar or GPS satellites into view.

I think SPOT is fantastic, fly with one all the time in SPOTcast mode,
but I'm not giving up on my 406MHz PLB on my parachute harness.

Darryl


I have a SPOT on order. Where is the best place to mount it so it has a
full view of the sky (excluding the top of the glare shield)? Will it
work under a fiberglass glare shield?
  #30  
Old June 17th 08, 05:48 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,403
Default SPOT messenger

On Jun 17, 9:14*am, Greg Arnold wrote:
Ramy


Spot uses the Globalstar L-Band simplex links. L-band *is relatively
immune to rain attenuation, rain/water droplets suspended in storm
clouds are likely the worse case scenario. A guess for bad rain
attenuation might be something like only a dB or so at L-band. The GPS
signals are in the same frequency bands and will have similar
attenuation. So my first guess is clouds, even storm clouds are not
likely to be the issue.


So the next question is did anybody else flying in the genral area
have the same problem? I was flying in the Mendocinos at the same time
and had no SPOT problems but that is probably far enough away to not
count, except to exclude more systemic problems. The next question is
did the unit have a full view of the sky or are you still mounting it
on your parachute harness? *I'm not sure if this is on your shoulder -
in which case your head (hopefully opaque at L-band :-) ), RF opaque
parts of the fuselage/canopy frame area, etc. will be obscuring lots
of the sky, or vertical on your harness in which case far more of the
sky will likely be obscured. Both of these will affect coverage as
Global star satellites fly into and out of the now fairly restricted
sky view or as you turn the direction of the obscured antenna to bring
Globalstar or GPS satellites into view.


I think SPOT is fantastic, fly with one all the time in SPOTcast mode,
but I'm not giving up on my 406MHz PLB on my parachute harness.


Darryl


I have a SPOT on order. *Where is the best place to mount it so it has a
full view of the sky (excluding the top of the glare shield)? * Will it
work under a fiberglass glare shield?


Greg

People are mounting them on their harnesses and apparently getting
them to work, but the problems that Ramy reports may show this is not
as reliable as a less obscured location. I'll remind people of Allen
Silvers' (experienced parachutist/parachute rigger) warning against
mounting them on the shoulder area of a parachute.

Ideally you just want it mostly flat and not obscured. I mount mine on
the right canopy rail of my ASH-26E using 3M dual-lock tape. You can
see it here http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrylramm/2082630811 The
glareshield should not present a problem for RF signals but you need
to unit where you can press buttons, check LEDs (flat batteries etc.).
On the canopy rail I have to pop the unit off to check the LEDs etc.
This may not work on all gliders but even on my DG-303 with a thin
rail I would have just installed a mounting plate on the narrower
canopy rail.

If you do need to end up mounting on the glareshield area the bright
orange color/reflections are likely to be a distraction. A black cloth
covering could work. SPOT also make a sturdy looking black nylon bag/
holster for the SPOT (purchased separately, does not come with it). I
saw a Holster for sale at at Williams Soaring but have not seen them
elsewhere, I think they had a SPOT logo on them. You might be able to
mount that holster on the glareshield and slip the spot unit into it
for use. Hopefully it won't get too hot in the sun. Braver people
could disassemble the SPOT (disassembly is easy) and paint it with
Krylon Fusion flat black paint, but I'd be worried of the paint
scratching off over time or the unit getting too hot in the Sun.

This all assumes you care mostly about use in flight, I do, and thing
the SPOTcasting/tracking feature is the best thing. If you mostly care
about the "911" feature and the SPOT unit going with you in a bailout,
then put it on your parachute harness with a Silver Parachute SMAK
pack (the large size, see http://www.silverparachutes.com/smak_pak.html
) or similar.

Darryl

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
SPOT messenger [email protected] Piloting 19 June 17th 08 04:42 PM
SPOT Satellite Messenger [email protected] Soaring 9 January 3rd 08 07:30 PM
SPOT Satellite Messenger Marc Ramsey[_2_] Soaring 7 October 3rd 07 10:30 PM
Lawrence Sperry's Messenger biplane landing in front of the US Capitol Building, Washington DC Dave Kearton Aviation Photos 1 May 10th 07 07:48 AM
Dont shoot the messenger Jeff Piloting 5 February 11th 04 10:12 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.