I originally purchased my SPOT for emergency purposes, since I frequently hunt alone in areas where there is no cell phone coverage.
I found that the tracking feature rarely transmitted accurate data. When I used the "I'm OK" message mode, the transmission was only received approximately 40% of the time.
What good is a device that is supposed be used in a emergency to summon rescue personnel if the signal never gets through?
I followed all of SPOT's advice to the letter. I even went to sport field of my local school, so I was guaranteed a complete and unobstructed view of the sky.
RESULTS: No signal was received.
Yes, I had just installed a new set of batteries.
Yes, I left the unit on for 15 minutes before using it so that it "could acquire it's orientation."
No, I don;t have confidence that it would save my life in an emergency.
I have lost my confidence in this TOY. In a life or death situation, who has 15 minutes to wait while the unit orientates itself?
Coupled with an ANNUAL subscription plan that costs $150-250 PLUS ANOTHER annual $10 "network access fee" and I cannot see the value in these devices or their service.
A PLB does not carry an annual service fee, but the batteries do have to be replaced at the factory every 5 years for $150. But that only works out to $30 a year. And in an emergency it communicates directly with government military grade satellites, not through leased bandwidth on a commercial satellite and a human operator.
If you need a serious device that may need to save your life someday, an unreliable SPOT is not the device for you.
WARNING: 
