SPOT Satellite

Medsker

2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Location
Herriman, UT
So I do a lot of driving out of the way. I put around 30,000 miles a year on my Jeep and I'm retired so most of those are either on road or off road drives. I decided to buy a SPOT device just in case I get in trouble with no phone service. It allows me to text anyone, anytime. When I text it sends the Latitude and Longitude of where I am. I almost had to use it when I was in the South Lake Tahoe area in February but I ended up being able to winch out with three resets of the anchor because I was so far down. Thank goodness there was plenty of trees. My first thought was "Who would I text?" The SPOT device has a SOS button on it that you can push but I think I would have to be in a lot of trouble to use it (life threatening).

So this whole paragraph is to ask "Who should I text?" I know there is the "Utah Off Road Recovery Team" but the only way I can see to talk to them is through Facebook. I could text my wife and walk her through where to find there Facebook page (I have it bookmarked) and have her message them but I'm wondering if they, or someone else that does rescues have a number I could text. I think posting on here with "EMERGENCY" in the subject line would round some people up but again I'd have to walk my wife through it over texts and she's never been on a forum before.

Any ideas?
 

UNSTUCK

But stuck more often.
If I were you I’d teach your wife now how to start a thread on here. Then she’ll have no problem starting one when the times comes for a rescue. I think enough people are on here regularly that could help coordinate a rescue along with your wife.
 

Medsker

2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Location
Herriman, UT
That's a good idea. The forum isn't that hard to use. I think if she took good notes she would remember how to do it. Sounds like a good weekend project.
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
A thread here and contacting the Utah Off-Road Recovery Team through FB are good ideas.

I am on the UORRT, and I think they are talking of expanding beyond FB, but I am not on the board so not in the know. @Maverick is the President. You have any insight Brett?

It’s on the list... but baby steps. :D We all agree FB isn’t the perfect solution BUT it’s our current solution. We are investigating others.



This question comes up often. My recommendation, select a friend or family member that is on and proficient with Facebook or IG (Or can log into our website). Preferably one that doesn’t travel a lot or leave service often. Instruct them how you will be contacting them and what to do if contacted. If they have FB or IG, it’s very easy for them to cue up the team.
 

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wyoming
Does the spot send a text with the lat/lng included as part of the message?

It wouldn't be too difficult to setup a service that accepts texts then transcribes that to a forum post, fb post, or any other digital dissemination that groups like UORRT could use.
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Does the spot send a text with the lat/lng included as part of the message?

It wouldn't be too difficult to setup a service that accepts texts then transcribes that to a forum post, fb post, or any other digital dissemination that groups like UORRT could use.

Integration like that would be cool. There are some guys building a nationwide 'recovery assistance' website that I believe will have the ability to accept incoming spot messages and SMS. I've been chatting with the lead guy as they would love to integrate the UORRT into it. Our struggle is this, we won't go on a recovery if it's been posted all over various forums, Facebook etc. They can post it, get referred to us and then we ask them to delete all the other places they have posted the message.

This only because we've wasted a great deal of resources going to a recovery we were directly contacted about, only to find out other groups were heading out too.

Last summer there was a kid and his girlfriend stuck in some Mud off a dirt road on the west side of the GSL. We drove 1.5 hrs out to the spot and just as we rolled up a couple Jeepers were pulling the kid out. Turns out he had been posting it all over FB and beyond (even though we specifically ask). We were upset but whatever. As we drove out, another truck comes down the road asking if we had seen a stuck car. These dudes loaded their OHV on a 1-ton dually and drove down from Ogden, an hour on the highway and an hour of nasty washboard. They were far more upset than we were :D
 

Medsker

2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Location
Herriman, UT
Great ideas people! I'm pretty sure the spot sends lat/long with a message. I know it does when I send a message to an email address. It even sends a link to Google maps of where you are. I'll have to play with it some more. I've only sent one "check-in" text and e-mail to my wife and I'm pretty sure it sent the lat/long to both the text and the email. That was a few months ago when I first got it and I don't remember for sure. I'll get it out and play with it and figure it out.

Also I didn't know you could message on Instagram to get a hold of of the Utah Off Road Recovery Team. That's good to know.
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Great ideas people! I'm pretty sure the spot sends lat/long with a message. I know it does when I send a message to an email address. It even sends a link to Google maps of where you are. I'll have to play with it some more. I've only sent one "check-in" text and e-mail to my wife and I'm pretty sure it sent the lat/long to both the text and the email. That was a few months ago when I first got it and I don't remember for sure. I'll get it out and play with it and figure it out.

Also I didn't know you could message on Instagram to get a hold of of the Utah Off Road Recovery Team. That's good to know.

You can also communicate here:
https://www.uorrt.thomascarlisle.net/
* THIS IS TEMPORARY. You can communicate sans IG/FB accounts via this page BUT if you close down the page (and chat box) you won't see our reply and we won't know who you are. It works, but less than ideal.
 
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