PDA

View Full Version : Sat Tracking & Outback Messaging



glend
19-02-13, 10:21 AM
I have been looking for a sat tracker device so that my kids can know where I am when I go out on tour (where there is no phone coverage) . After looking at EPIRBs, SPOT, and a couple of others I bought a DeLorme inReach device that runs on the Iridium sat network. It's about the size of a cigarette pack and provides programmable tracking, sat text messaging to (and from) your contacts, and an SOS function to alert authorities and your emergency contacts if you get into trouble. While it can be used as a standalone device, there are both Apple IOS and Android apps for interfacing to iphones, iPads, and Android smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth. The IOS and Android apps facilitate the 2 way messaging and provide a way to read the messages coming back to you (as the inReach device itself has no display), it also allows the use of your standard contact lists and holds the Australian maps.

It also seems to be useable as a geo-cacher or track mapper if you turn the tracking pings to short timeframes. I'm still coming to grips with all the features, but the details are all here:

http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/inreach-smartphone.php

or via retails like here:

http://satphoneshop.com/delorme-inreach.html