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Another strike against SPOT


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Guess I’ll be getting the new Garmin product:

 

Saved by SPOT

 

 

Hello Subscriber,

This email is to inform you of upcoming changes to your SPOT service plan(s):

We are continuously making network upgrades to ensure the best possible service for our SPOT customers. To help fund these efforts now and in the future, upon renewal a Network Maintenance Fee will be implemented on all SPOT subscriptions: Monthly $2.49/MO; Annual $24.99/YR; 2 Year $49.99/2YR.

If you have any questions please contact Customer Care at 855-769-6954.

Thank you for choosing SPOT.

SPOT LLC

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17 minutes ago, jetdriven said:

Seriously. They don’t have a viable product so they resort to gouging existing customers to fund their operation. Like B/K and Sandel. 

I've been a loyal Spot user for quite a few years. And still think it's a very useful product for a lot of different activities where remote locations are the norm. I started using them when I was flying long cross countries in Australia in a Hang glider. I would often land in very remote locations and need a driver to find me. The Spot was very useful.

But in our airplanes, there are just so many other options. I haven't used my Spot in some time now, and won't be renewing the service. Why pay for Spot when FlightAware will do it for free? The last time I used it was this summer flying to Churchill Manitoba. I knew I'd be out of radar coverage for hundreds of miles. But even then I was in contact with other pilots, and even ATC most of the time. So I agree, the Spot just doesn't make any sense for the type of flying we do, and the airplanes we fly.

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Yip, down in Southern Africa we use Spider trackers permanently installed. Great product, but expensive.  It's a necessity as there's no radar most of the time so you don't have the Flightaware hack.

http://spidertracks.webflow.io/en/hardware#spider-6

Similary countries like Botswana mandates 406Mhz ELTs.

 

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