Delorme "InReach"

Does any of the brethren gathered have any experience with one of these gadgets?

The propaganda looks real good and the sales people are quite convincing.

Short end of the story:

Sat communication and GPS so no internet access required

Bluetooth connection to your smartphone

send e-mail and text messages

Little tracking feature so the folks at home can follow your movements during your hunt/trip (might help loved ones locate the body or erect the memorial)

and finally after you have been gored by a rhino, mauled by a lion and the natives are just about to throw you in the pot, there is a single button you can push that sends an SOS and summons rescue to your GPS location

All of this for something like 25 cents a message (160 characters)

Frankly, I thought it might be cool to send electronic postcards from the field so to speak

So, anyone got the straight dope on this widget

Never heard of it but now you have my attention.

Originally Posted by RichKn

Never heard of it but now you have my attention.

+1!

Second Wind

This is your lucky day. I used to test and train fellow employees on how to use such a thing. Mine was to find locations where it did not work and where it did work. With use and self training you can pinpoint to with in a foot or 2 an exact location based on satellite coverage over head where you are standing.

While i have used Delorme, it does not work every where. Our company used the military system to map our entire system. and we used the Delorme equipment to fine pinpoint spots. The military system will reach spots that the system you are talking about will not. I was impressed...

It works off of satellites overhead and you need to have at least 3 to get a positive fix on your location (sometimes you would have up to 16) this depends on time of day or night and where the satellites are stationed overhead.

They provide a pinpoint fix with 3 satellites to with in 1 to 3 feet, with 2 satellites you could be off 50 to 100 feet.

Now with 1 satellite and depending on when you exited the 2nd satellite your coverage could be from 3 to 100's of feet.

At times of the day while traveling you will drop to as little as 1 to 3 satellites. The biggest issues i have found are in mountains where you are in the valleys the satellites coverage does not reach the bottoms

Your location on the ground will determine how exact your position will be. top of a mountain will be great. Deep valleys could be touch and go.

The question would be how many satellites are in coverage over the area where you will be. The USA has many satellites over head and delorme will show military satellites however you are not able to use them.

My Question to you sir, If in the USA in Washington, Northern California, Oregon and Idaho where i worked and at times the coverage would be at 0, 1, 2 to 3 usable satellites during the day. what kind of coverage is available in the parts of Africa where you will be traveling to.

Now if you are in a valley and hit your button a signal to nowhere is useless...

That's a really cool system James. Your point is, if you get all in a mess, just don't do it in low country, use the high road my freinds.