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Spot Derby Again

(7 posts) (4 voices)

Started 3 years ago by Bones
Latest reply from MisterMoon

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Bones
Member

Saturday I was on the water for almost 7 hrs. The Spot log, over parts of two pages, show me with a check-in at 0821 hrs and the 1st track entry at 0839 hrs.

Yet the first mark on the map system shows me in the middle of the lake at 1129 hrs which is the start of the 2nd page not the 0839 hrs that it should be. What happened? Did I do something wrong or did Spot choke on the day?

My very simple enquiring mind is not as concerned about derby points as trying to get my Spot under control.

Thoughts?

Posted 3 years ago #
ZeroTheHero
Member

I was having issues a little while back that sound sort of similar and here is what I have been doing differently to help fix it. The minute I get to the boat ramp I turn on the Spot. I let it just sit on top of my truck for about 10 minutes or so. Then I go over and push the tracking button. Again I leave it alone for a bit. Then I open the spot app on my phone, check to see if it is picking up the tracking. After 10 or so minutes I hit OK. I wait a little more. I have a trailer launched boat so I have this kind of time to kill, btw. I again check the app and my email as I have OK mesages delivered to it. If I get an email, I know I am good to launch. Usually there is less than 5 minutes from hitting OK to launching. During the sail I check the app every so often. When I arrive back at the dock I sort of reverse the steps till I know I can shut it down. If at any point in the pre launch sequence I have an issue I start over. Better to get in 8 miles on the tracker than 10 that never show up. Chief tells people to do it this way at the EC. When you get to your boat Saturday morning start your spot. Then a little before the start push tracking. Then about 10 minutes to 7 push OK. My Spot has survived three EC's and I never had an issue till this fall. Since following the above it has been fine.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bones
Member

Thanks Hero.

I appreciate the helpful comments. Apparently part of the problem is I am a reluctant Luddite. I say that because when my phone rings, I answer it. It does not tell me where to go or how to get there, (I have a wife who does that), nor does it supply me with net connectivity. I did not think I needed a smart phone, (see wife comment again), what with a floating hand held gps, VHF radio that Apparently whines, and dog paddles after the boat if I drop it in the water. A Spot which knows where I am but wants to be begged to tell anyone. A PLB that calls for help but should never be activated under penalty of law and a brand new just out of the box electronic flare that does not work to replace the five year old WET, soggy flares recovered from the forward hatch of my new AI.

I guess one more piece of electonics smarter than me cant hurt especially if it can talk to the other stuff. Maybe I should buy a new smart phone and designate it as Chief of Staff for all the other electronics and have it form a protective barrier around me like a big plastic ball with pedals. I can sit in it and provide the power for the electronics, yeah, I can be the human battery for the electronics which will direct the route, time and speed I need to pedal for them to win the Everglades Challenge.

Uh oh. My wife and the electronics just yelled at me to take out the trash. Wait, I think they mean I am the trash!

Zero the Hero, I may need your help here.

P.S. ok, ok, I'll get a smart phone this week.

Capt Bones

Capt Bones and Miss Lynn's Excellent Adventure:

Posted 3 years ago #
lugnut
Member

Bones: Which map page are you looking at? The Spot site or the WaterTribe tracking map? We were out for about 8 hours on Saturday and when I looked at the Spot page, nothing from the first 3-4 hours showed up and I don't think any OK messages registered. My page only shows the last 25 tracking points if that's what's available (not sure if that can be changed). If the tracker is constantly on, that covers just over 4 hours. However, when I went to register derby points, all the OK and tracking points were listed; I didn't actually look at the WT tracking map but I assume they were there as well. Your Spot page may be like mine, only the last 25 tracking reports show on the map although everything is on the listed part. But everything was registered with the WT system.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bones
Member

Lugnut,

Me thinks you could be right. The previous Wed I was out a much shorter time yet seemed to have acquired more points on time then I did on Saturday.

Truth be told the points are insignificant, except as a comparative measurement and personal benchmark, compared to learning the boat and the interface of systems with the single unknown and untested element...me. I will get it sorted out soon enough.

Bones

Posted 3 years ago #
ZeroTheHero
Member

Keep the faith Bones! I am a techno disaster! Ask Mistermoon. Even my flashlight rebelled against me. Yet I somehow have made it to the finish three times. It can be done, and you will do it too! Lugnut seems to be on to something. I would follow his lead.

BTW, the average triber has more electronics power than my Dad's 50 footer had in it's day. In addition to the Spot, two PLBs and the VHF, GMG and I will have two smart phones (with a tone of relevant aps), a GPS, and a tablet. Of course there are the tried and true charts and compass too. Of course all of that is mostly not needed. Keep the land to port and go like hell!

Posted 3 years ago #
MisterMoon
Member

The Spot site only shows so many tracking points per page. I don't know how many though. If you have a lot of tracking points in a seven day period, it can take many pages to show. There is link somewhere on your Spot tracking that says "Page X of Y" and little arrows to navigate. At least that's what I rememeber since I loaned my Spot to my daughter and don't have any tracks to look at. The WT site captures all of those pages and shows them on one.

ZTH is right that you don't need all that stuff, keeping the shore to the left and going like hell does mostly work. It is nice however to have a good GPS track to follow if you want to go out Chokoloskee or Rabbit Keys Passes on a dark, dark, moonless night.

Posted 3 years ago #

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