GPSOZ

How does the ability of SPOT to get a GPS fix under adverse conditions (eg rugged terain, damp vegetation canopy) compare with a Vista HCx or similar handheld device?

David H

I would say as good as, but I would be more interested how good the outbound transmission would be. Something I can't answer.

cheers
brian

It also has a lot to do where you carry your SPOT. SPOT works best lying flat on its back. Problem is when you are hiking or MTBing and you carry your SPOT in a back pack, it is very difficult to keep it flat. We run our SPOT with it sending automatic positions every 10 minutes. We find that heavy vegetation does affect its ability to send a signal, but it probably has a lot more to do with not keeping our SPOT flat.

One option may be to fit it to the MTB handle bar, but as this option doesn't give the rider any useful data for travelling, so we haven't gone down that path. Also it is quite large for handle bar mount in addition to a GPS. We run a Garmin Edge 705 and have no problem with holding a signal for all of our rides. Our GPs is mounted on the handle bar.

However, out in the open, SPOT works fine. I agree with Brian, it's not the GPS signal thats the issue, it is the Sat Phone signal that struggles in heavy vegetation.

Laurie

We have been using SPOT in our helicopter, it does suffer from signal loss! sometimes we lose tracking for over an hour, the helicopter has moved 200km in that time.
Cloud will reduce the amount of track plots and massages that get through.
Also there are places in Australia were the satellite coverage is limited.
As we are in the air we don't suffer from tree canopy losses like you can in thick forest, which will also lose you signal.
A very good product for its price though.