Spot Check III

Well, I'm starting to get the hang of Spot. I have written a few times about this device already and it's mostly been negative. Now that I'm getting into the upper reaches around town, I decided to call the company and visit with them about a few pointers. The guy said only hold the OK button down for a brief period and watch the lights afterwards. Also, he said if putting in track mode, hold the OK button down longer until it briefly goes out. I tinkered around the house last night and had it working great. It sent the OK whenever I tried to and I had to wait until about 24 or so flashes until the right light froze indicating an OK had been sent. Then I put it in Track mode and it was sending tracks (from the back deck) every ten minutes. I dropped the data via gpx into Topo no problem too. The key was to keep the thing so the label was pointing at the sky and to watch the lights when sending an OK.
So, this morning I took it for two loops up Sheep to below Blue Point, then to Wallman, and then to Stuart to the snow line. Sheep is a mess above the last bail out junction. I counted over 20 tree portages up to the above photo, not too far below Blue Point (Box 4-ok) on the Google Atlas above. I had the device on track the whole way up on my shoulder strap and I guess because it was not "pointing to the sky," I never had one track get received on these climbs. I also had it on track all the way over to and up Wallman and never got a track. The only received tracks were in the Rattlesnake parking area and the Rattlesnake road. Use the Edge 305 for reliable tracking (your friends just can't follow your tracks). Use the OK for your friends and family.
I sent an OK from just above the below and above photos and it said it went after 70 flashes, but I must have not given it enough time prior to heading down to where I took these shots and tried to send another OK (OK Box 6 on above Google Atlas). It's pretty funny, even up at 6500 feet I can hear the notification e-mail and text msg hitting my cell with a link to where I am. Not sure what cell towers are working at 6500 feet, but I could hear them none-the-less. I do feel like I have a pretty good handle on Spot now. The tracking feature is still subject and not for mountain biking, unless you can figure a way to keep it on top of your shoulder. It did stay on the shoulder strap on the Wallman descent and through the creek. My wife and kids now have a little better feeling by the OKs being sent (when I stop to do so) and that is worth something for sure (like my being able to ride deep into the mountains). The Stuart trail is in great shape and almost clear (snow) to the boundary. Dispite carrying pepper spray, refurbed Canon, first aid kit, phone, Spot and other junk, I had a great morning! It does make one work harder.