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Spot X Questions

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Started 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 3 hours ago #

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