dmiller, I got an email from the marketing manager of spot. He says they will have an automatable way to get the data real soon.
Wade
Wade
If you have loved ones, get SPOT! keeps whe wives happy!
- Thread starter Weekday Warrior
- Start date
A
Ancient Sledder
Member
You can get your SPOT in Canada at www.Glentel.com
they have it on there now, 3 different ways to pull your spot messages
I need to figure out how to plug them into google earth now
I sent a letter to GEOS, I want more information on how they activate 911, do they just dial up the nearest 911 dispatch and say "go get him"?
what if there is no local SAR??
will they send a chopper if your really way the hell out and gone?
I want more info on 911, a play by play if you will.
Weekday Warrior, thanks, hadn't seen that yet.
To load it into Google Earth, just select all the messages you want, then push the KML at the top. That will make a KML, which is the format Google Earth uses.
GPX is a standard for the whole GPS industry. It can be loaded by google earth.
KML was bought by google and is now their standard for google earth. Lot more options. This is the one you want.
CSV just means data that is in a text file and is comma separated. Like you would load into and excel spreadsheet.
The only problem I see is that the data is not a line, like most people might expect to see. It's more of a bunch of flags displayed on google earth. You could probably use GMapToGpx program to put lines in. It also doesn't let you easily download the data from what I can tell, without an operator manually pushing the buttons, and loading the data.
Later.
To load it into Google Earth, just select all the messages you want, then push the KML at the top. That will make a KML, which is the format Google Earth uses.
GPX is a standard for the whole GPS industry. It can be loaded by google earth.
KML was bought by google and is now their standard for google earth. Lot more options. This is the one you want.
CSV just means data that is in a text file and is comma separated. Like you would load into and excel spreadsheet.
The only problem I see is that the data is not a line, like most people might expect to see. It's more of a bunch of flags displayed on google earth. You could probably use GMapToGpx program to put lines in. It also doesn't let you easily download the data from what I can tell, without an operator manually pushing the buttons, and loading the data.
Later.
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Who was the snowmobiler that used SPOT? The story was they were digging victims out, and his spot message got through. It wasn't in time to save the last guy, but the rescuers got there.
SPOT Snowmobiler
SPOT Snowmobiler
So I went digging for more information on SPOT, specifically how the 911 feature works.
I sent an Email to GEOS (email is cut paste with some addys omitted, read bottom up)
Chris
Sorry for the delay in replying. The optional search and rescue benefit that you purchased covers yourself only. If you press the 911 button to summon assistance of the emergency services on behalf of someone else then SPOT will provide lat. and long coordinates to them and assist as much as possible. The rescue remains the responsibility of the emergency services and additional private resources will only be provided for those persons with the sar benefit. The additional private resources will, in any event, only be provided in full consultation with the commander of the emergency services at the scene. If they request GEOS to provide those extra resources we will do so and pay the bill for covered members. In the event that the person to be rescued does not have the Geos sar benefit he/she will be billed for the services provided. You may reproduce my answers for a non commercial purpose, unedited.
Regards Bob
Bob Davis
Chief Executive Officer
GEOS - Travel Safety Group
Box 144 University Crossing 130 St Leonards Rd
13401-9 Summerlin Rd Northampton
Fort Myers NN4 8DW
FL 33908 USA United Kingdom
Tel: +1 239 415 0958 +44 1604 874764
Fax: +1 413 431 0958 +44 8712 533099
Cell: +1 239 823 6999 www.geosalliance.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 4:35 PM
To: Bob Davis
Subject: Re: SPOT
Do I have permission to re-post this reply in a public forum? I am getting a lot of questions from other snowmobile riders.
I have purchased the optional insurance, I am glad I did as many of the areas I ride are very rural and not covered by an active SAR team.
This raises another question, if I am riding with a group of other snowmobile riders and use the 911 button for someone other than myself and GEOS responds with resources based off my insurance will my insurance be voided and I be held financially responsible for costs incurred? Or will GEOS charge the person that has been hurt?
Thank you for your reply
~Chris
Bob Davis <bobdavis@geosalliance.com> wrote:
Chris
If you hit the 911 button the GEOS Response Center will immediately receive your latitiude and longitude co ordinates from a satellite, together with your position on a digital map. After following certain protocols,such as contacting the secondary contacts registered by yourself, to gather information of possible use to the emergency services, the Response Center staff will contact the Public Service Access Point (PSAP) for that area. PSAP's receive all 911 calls in a particular region and they co ordinate rescues etc. If you have the optional SAR benefit GEOS will fund up to $100,000 of additional resources to carry out a successful sar if they believe that it is necessary and that they are short on resources. This will cover extra helicoptors etc privately sourced, and could replace sar teams on the ground if necessary to preserve your life or health.Geos pays the bill; direct without any need for a 'claim' by yourself
If you come across a road or other accident where there is cell phone coverage then the normal 911 service should be contacted. If no cell coverage and you wish to declare a serious emergency necessary to preserve health or life then by all means use the SPOT device. The emergency services will be contacted with exact location etc as above.
Regards Bob
Bob Davis
Chief Executive Officer
GEOS - Travel Safety Group
Box 144 University Crossing 130 St Leonards Rd
13401-9 Summerlin Rd Northampton
Fort Myers NN4 8DW
FL 33908 USA United Kingdom
Tel: +1 239 415 0958 +44 1604 874764
Fax: +1 413 431 0958 +44 8712 533099
Cell: +1 239 823 6999 www.geosalliance.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris
To: questions@geosalliance.com
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 4:32 PM
Subject: SPOT
I am looking for more information on a typical 911 response.
I like to go snowmobiling, if I hit the 911 button will a helicopter come? What if there is no SAR active where I go?
Local 911 responders will take a very long time to get to some of my locations, how can GEOS speed this up?
If I am on a highway and come across a traffic accident where there is no cellular coverage, will GEOS call out a traffic specific distress to my local 911 operations center?
For what it's worth, it would seem if you activate 911 they will not send a helocopter just off the bat no matter what you tell your SPOT team (peeps on the other end of SPOT)
They will have a SAR person of some sort make contact with you, then call in services as needed. I'm not entirly happy with this, it's better than nothing!
If I am sledding in REVY with a group of sleddars I will contact Selkirk helicopters and include them in my SPOT team (I'll plug them into the HELP button) they will get a text message with GPS coords and Email if I need a helicopter....this is of course if Selkirk agrees.
I sent an Email to GEOS (email is cut paste with some addys omitted, read bottom up)
Chris
Sorry for the delay in replying. The optional search and rescue benefit that you purchased covers yourself only. If you press the 911 button to summon assistance of the emergency services on behalf of someone else then SPOT will provide lat. and long coordinates to them and assist as much as possible. The rescue remains the responsibility of the emergency services and additional private resources will only be provided for those persons with the sar benefit. The additional private resources will, in any event, only be provided in full consultation with the commander of the emergency services at the scene. If they request GEOS to provide those extra resources we will do so and pay the bill for covered members. In the event that the person to be rescued does not have the Geos sar benefit he/she will be billed for the services provided. You may reproduce my answers for a non commercial purpose, unedited.
Regards Bob
Bob Davis
Chief Executive Officer
GEOS - Travel Safety Group
Box 144 University Crossing 130 St Leonards Rd
13401-9 Summerlin Rd Northampton
Fort Myers NN4 8DW
FL 33908 USA United Kingdom
Tel: +1 239 415 0958 +44 1604 874764
Fax: +1 413 431 0958 +44 8712 533099
Cell: +1 239 823 6999 www.geosalliance.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 4:35 PM
To: Bob Davis
Subject: Re: SPOT
Do I have permission to re-post this reply in a public forum? I am getting a lot of questions from other snowmobile riders.
I have purchased the optional insurance, I am glad I did as many of the areas I ride are very rural and not covered by an active SAR team.
This raises another question, if I am riding with a group of other snowmobile riders and use the 911 button for someone other than myself and GEOS responds with resources based off my insurance will my insurance be voided and I be held financially responsible for costs incurred? Or will GEOS charge the person that has been hurt?
Thank you for your reply
~Chris
Bob Davis <bobdavis@geosalliance.com> wrote:
Chris
If you hit the 911 button the GEOS Response Center will immediately receive your latitiude and longitude co ordinates from a satellite, together with your position on a digital map. After following certain protocols,such as contacting the secondary contacts registered by yourself, to gather information of possible use to the emergency services, the Response Center staff will contact the Public Service Access Point (PSAP) for that area. PSAP's receive all 911 calls in a particular region and they co ordinate rescues etc. If you have the optional SAR benefit GEOS will fund up to $100,000 of additional resources to carry out a successful sar if they believe that it is necessary and that they are short on resources. This will cover extra helicoptors etc privately sourced, and could replace sar teams on the ground if necessary to preserve your life or health.Geos pays the bill; direct without any need for a 'claim' by yourself
If you come across a road or other accident where there is cell phone coverage then the normal 911 service should be contacted. If no cell coverage and you wish to declare a serious emergency necessary to preserve health or life then by all means use the SPOT device. The emergency services will be contacted with exact location etc as above.
Regards Bob
Bob Davis
Chief Executive Officer
GEOS - Travel Safety Group
Box 144 University Crossing 130 St Leonards Rd
13401-9 Summerlin Rd Northampton
Fort Myers NN4 8DW
FL 33908 USA United Kingdom
Tel: +1 239 415 0958 +44 1604 874764
Fax: +1 413 431 0958 +44 8712 533099
Cell: +1 239 823 6999 www.geosalliance.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris
To: questions@geosalliance.com
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 4:32 PM
Subject: SPOT
I am looking for more information on a typical 911 response.
I like to go snowmobiling, if I hit the 911 button will a helicopter come? What if there is no SAR active where I go?
Local 911 responders will take a very long time to get to some of my locations, how can GEOS speed this up?
If I am on a highway and come across a traffic accident where there is no cellular coverage, will GEOS call out a traffic specific distress to my local 911 operations center?
For what it's worth, it would seem if you activate 911 they will not send a helocopter just off the bat no matter what you tell your SPOT team (peeps on the other end of SPOT)
They will have a SAR person of some sort make contact with you, then call in services as needed. I'm not entirly happy with this, it's better than nothing!
If I am sledding in REVY with a group of sleddars I will contact Selkirk helicopters and include them in my SPOT team (I'll plug them into the HELP button) they will get a text message with GPS coords and Email if I need a helicopter....this is of course if Selkirk agrees.
Last edited:
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