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Spot X Questions

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Started 5 months ago by TinyTanks
Latest reply from AkaAka

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TinyTanks
Member

Tribers,

I recently purchased a spot x to replace a lost and trusty gen2. If you have one would you give me your thoughts on a couple questions and observations...

1 The screen stays on all the time which seems like a waste of batteries but the directions don't instruct how to turn off. Anyone have the secrets to turn off the display.

2 My tracker shows a pause from time to time suggesting I am not moving. In a fews tests I have been underway and I can't explain the pause. The results is my tracking crumbs are spread out. Anyone else experience that.

3 I have been orienting it vertically as the directions say antenna up. I have been clipping it to the side of a cooler. Any better ideas.

4 I hate that it doesn't have replaceable batteries. I have not drained it completely but i loose a bar in one day. Same for others? I will say the bar seem to come back.

Thanks for any input an looking forward to next month.

TinyTanks

Posted 5 months ago #
Conchistador
Member

I have the spot x also and i'm not satisfied. i have had to return it numerous times for warranty due to the battery door falling off and the salt water corroding the charging area. i keep mine in a phone bag now. it is spotty in the transmission - way worse than gen 2 or 3. it is nice to be able to text out adn receive text for sure but the thing is nothing but frustrating. it seems to take forever to send out the ok checkins and etc. i do keep it vertical which is also way more trouble than the old gen 3. i have yet to get more than 3.5 days out of a charge requriring recharging during the EC

Posted 5 months ago #
AkaAka
Member

Three days ago, I ordered a new battery door. Knocked it off somehow.
Don't believe screen can blank ( other than off ), but I believe screen uses very little power. I mean, LCD watches last years on a rather small battery.
I also have had tracking "lock up" on me as well. Sure, I understand it goes to "pause" in tracking when it senses no movement, but, not going back to tracking for, say, 30 minutes, before I turned off tracking, and turned it back on.

Posted 5 months ago #
JollyRoger
Member

I tried the spot x and after much frustration I am using it for text only and only where I can not get cell cover ac ve so I will end up using it maybe one month ac year at best. Went back to Gen 2 but they did discount it $65 per year. Not happy with tracking x at all, Check in ok but tracking is useless.

Posted 5 months ago #
TinyTanks
Member

So I really appreciate the input and decided to return the Spot X. The core function (tracking) is more important than the features (two way comms). Add it replacable batteries and I think the choice is obvious for the Gen 3.

One note for the tribe is that I want to sing the praises of West Marine. They took the return without a box which I thought was awesome.

See everyone in a couple weeks.

Posted 4 months ago #
AkaAka
Member

I really want my SpotX to work well and be happy with it, but....

I needed a replacement charging port cover a while back. Spot customer care was good, and agreed to send me one. As I believe the port cover is weakly constructed, I asked, really forcefully, to be mailed (2), in case I lost the replacement. Well, they did mail me two, but the first one would not close adequately. Thankfully, the second on closes "well enough", but not like the original. I can live with that, as Spot wants my money, and if this one dies, I seriously doubt they wont fix it.
Went sailing the other day, with a friend. He asked me to send him my Spot tracking map. Well, apparently, it stopped tracking 30 minutes into the sail. Customer care chalked it up to "no sensed motion, or vibration". I wanted to balk, but it was indeed only 5 kts of wind, and a smooth evening with most of the propulsion from mirage sweat. Apparently, I am too Smooth of a Sailor. I plan on attaching it to the downhaul line, so that it will repeatedly smack on the mast constantly.
I expect more from what I paid, and am continuing to pay.

Posted 4 months ago #
AkaAka
Member

SpotX problems again.
I really wanted this SpotX to work, but it fell short. Left the beach at Ft Desoto and had an incredible exciting time crossing Tampa Bay. No tracks to be found on the Tribes tracking site. To make matters worse, was pulled over by a Coast Guard vessel, who was looking for me. Apparently, my SpotX got damaged, the internal screen was unreadable although the external screen showed no signs of damage. I surmise the SpotX, in the Hobie seatback bag, was pinned between the seat and the Ama bar as we were kicked around crossing the bay. I can't completely fault Spot, but just saying the unit is delicate. When the unit got damaged, it conveniently sent out an SOS, hence the Coast Guard. I was unable to turn off the device, as you need to Confirm on the screen to power off, and the screen was unreadable.
As it uses an internal battery pack, I could not power it down that way either.
I am following the lead of some other Tribers, and exchanging this for the Spot 3rd Gen. which is more robust, and has removeable batteries.

Posted 3 months ago #
WaterScout
Member

My Spot X said I was at 30% after 3 days. I used my solar/ battery system to recharge it at night.

Posted 3 months ago #
JoeWildlife
Member

AkaAka, the problem was with the Watertribe tracker, not your SPOT, at least until CP1. If you go to Raceowl you can see your track until CP1 but no further.

Was it your Hobie that took on water and you got picked up during the EC?

I was very unimpressed with the SPOTx reviews when I decided to get a two-way text capable tracker. I got a Garmin InReach instead. If Chief doesn't get the InReach working with the Tracker, then I will just use my Spot3 next EC I do, for tracking and bring my InReach for two-way communication with my ground crew. I really like the InREach and believe it is a much more robust unit and system than Spot has going.

Joe

Posted 3 months ago #
JoeWildlife
Member

AkaAka, I will say you had some big gaps crossing Tampa and Sarasota bay, then it looks like it started working correctly until CP1.

Joe

Posted 3 months ago #
AkaAka
Member

Hello JoeWildlife,

Thanks for the info. The Spot mapping site also showed me up until CP1. I didnt want to regharge it as the CG said I was SOS(ing). So, letting it run out was my only option other than crushing it.
The short story is that I made a bad decision to go outside at Gaspirilla. We gave Boca Grande pass a wide birth to avoid the shoals, and found myself taking big waves over the bow as we turned SE towards Redfish pass. Outside Captiva, we reconsidered and just wanted to make shore. As the wind and waves picked up, the boat ( Hobie TI ) filled up, and became a real pig. Zero progress towards shore, we were close hauled just holding station, maybe loosing a little ground. As my Spot was dead, and shore 3 miles or so away, wind and waves not subsiding, I made a judgment call to call for help before we went outside VHF range. As it was, range of transmission and reception from the height of a waterlogged Hobie is shorter than standing on any power boat. Only heard every other word. In hind-site, just calling SeaTow may have been a better option, as we were not in any real danger of sinking, only of drifting further West. Calling for help was humbling, but, it was the safest thing to do at the time.
Currently installing additional floatation in the form of NRS bags. Also, a bilge pump with a through hull fitting so I can pump out with decks awash. Also, an electric bilge pump.
Learning from many mistakes. I'll be back next year.
AkaAka

Posted 3 months ago #

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