I ride alone, too, many times in remote areas. Invariably there is no cell service. I am a amateur radio operator and often carry a hand held vhf/uhf transceiver. However, many times there is no repeater accessible.

So, I also carry a SPOT.

This is unrelated, TNC, but you may find it interesting:

Every year some of the male family members do a ten day fishing/camping/beer drinking trip at Lake Powell. The area we camp in is about 75 miles up the lake, extremely remote. It's about a 6 hour boat ride to get there (and 6 hours to get out).

My brother in law, who is not in the best of health, went this year. I already had a SPOT and convinced him to get one.

We arrived and set up camp. That night about 10:00 p.m. he began complaining of internal pain. It got worse. In fact, it got so bad that he didn't think he would make it through the night. It would have been impossible to try to take him out at night by boat because of the water hazards. To wait until morning and then still be faced with a 6 hour ride to get to Page was not an option.

So, we punched the SOS button on the SPOT. A helicopter was sitting in camp in one hour. Pretty amazing, I thought. He was flown to the hospital in Flagstaff.

BTW, he's OK.

Ron

 

Good story there, Ron. Glad it ended well. If it's not being too nosey, could you tell us what the helicopter ride cost for a deal like that if you happen to know?

Talking about getting help in remote areas, someone I was speaking with about a SPOT brought up that guy who had to cut off his own hand to escape that rock in that slot canyon in Utah. They said he probably wouldn't have been able to send a SPOT message from down within that narrow canyon, and that's very likely. But...if he had sent a message or two along the route, and then definitely before going into a relatively hazardous slot canyon, people on his alert list would have received an e-mail as to his last location before entering the canyon. Of course his main failure was not alerting anyone about his location or when he'd come out of the canyon. Major mistake. No device is much good if you don't properly use it, I guess.

 

I don't know if he's seen the invoice for the helicopter ride. I'll have to ask. He did have the $13.00 rescue insurance.

Ron

 

good story Ron

 

How much is the service?

 

http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=101

Basic unit is $99.99 and basic service is the same for 12 months. The rescue service insurance is about $13 a year. I got a Messenger unit which is the next step up from the basic unit. Big 5 Sports had a storewide 20% sale and I got a 15% off of the yearly service subscription coupon with the higher unit. The basic $100 yearly subscription fee is really all one needs, but the other features are optional and very useful depending on circumstances.

 

For a bunch of guys who used to walk 40 miles to school in a blizzard, uphill both ways everyday while fighting off grizzly bears with your bare hands you are bunch of sissys.

 

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dude now that was funny right there!

I ride by myself 95% of the time, and I have thought about getting a device like the ones mentioned. I guess I'm too cheap to pul the trigger although $100.00 a year seems too cheap to pass up. Hmmmmmm

 

your 2 minute commute to work doesn't count

 

Dont make me ban you..... Oh wait you control my work internet....nevermind.... STAND DOWN!!!!