New gadget combo from Garmin

A

Aurelia

New member
inReach Explorer®+

This will be something I consider closely when I am ready for tracking/messaging because it might do navigation well enough to serve that purpose as well.

Two of these on my wilderness trips would be a good resource. Right now we use three GPS units (two with mapping) plus VHFs and floating PLB.

Satellite messaging
Tracking
GPS navigation/mapping
Rugged with long battery life and USB rechargable

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/561269

Greg
 
Greg, That looks like a really cool, capable and complete device. It will require some satellite service and subscription but appears that can be a monthly service, or annual. Total global capability is great for those who need that. The tracking part is great. I used that with SPOT for a few years and found it to be helpful and reassuring for family. Texting back and forth from Canada's remote areas would be appreciated. I might have some concern about access back in some of the deep, (high walled) inlets.

Couldn't fine info on the satellite service fees but saw some on international plans. If you are using this in Canada, would you have to have an international plan or is that just based on your home address?

Garmin and "inReach" seem like a good pairing.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMGP1255.thumb.jpg
 
Harvey, It looks like the US plans are really based on necessary US fees and apply to global use for a US based account. Different communication fees for different countries when you sign a given contract.

The recreation plan at 25 bucks a month would work well for a summer of cruising/tracking/messaging and the option of weather could even be useful for areas with poor VHF availability.

Paying year-round gets more pricey but that global texting/tracking could be worth it for us in the future.

Greg
 
thanks for posting. Post any updates or reviews.

My family calls when we are boating bc have good service in our area but I know it is different story once we venture out in the Gulf
 
We use these on the job and replaced about eight SPOT messengers with four of these. They are absolutely worth their weight in gold. For the cost, this is absolutely the most capable and reliable satellite communicator. The greatest advantage it offers is confirmation that a distress call went out, and two-way communication with other members of your team and with rescuers in the event of an emergency.

Our SPOT units were able to send three generic messsages: OK, help, and 911. This was nice, but with our inreach units we can communicate details of a situation and make better plans, and understand what is happening with greatly enhanced clarity.

There are a couple of sat phones that offered inreach capabilities in the handset. I don't know if these units have been continued by Garmin in the transition. We never used one because we have a pile of sat phones it makes no sense for us to retire, so crews head into the field with an inreach and a sat phone for longer forrays into the bush, but that combo would have advantages. Of course separate units provide redundant batteries, and one unit can break and still allow comms with the other, but I'd give that combo sat phone a look if it came back around too.

Aside from that, the inreach cost much less to own/use over a year than the SPOTs did.

You won't regret one of these. It can save your bacon.
 
Last summer before I went north I bought an ACR RescuePlus PLB and paid for an enhanced cell plan to have communication access in Canada. I think the "inReach Explorer+" would be totally adequate, although there are differences in the Emergency monitoring and dispatch services.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMG_2814.thumb.jpg
 
hardee":3st1n80l said:
Last summer before I went north I bought an ACR RescuePlus PLB and paid for an enhanced cell plan to have communication access in Canada. I think the "inReach Explorer+" would be totally adequate, although there are differences in the Emergency monitoring and dispatch services.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMG_2814.thumb.jpg
Click to expand...

This is a great point, and something I failed to mention. I also carry a PLB on my person. They are tiny and have a stronger signal than any of the inreach or SPOT offerings, or similar. All about redundancy without bulk.
 
Don't confuse the InReach or Spot emergency services with the EPIRP Sat Sar, (which includes the PLB) We carry several PLB. The PLB service is tax payer provided--thus free. You have to have the InReach on an active plan for the SOS to work! Although there have been dramatic "saves" by both Spot and InReach--there have also been failures, where follow up was lacking.

I don't believe that there is anything new about the InReach, except it has been bought by Garmin about 6 months ago. They will probably market it more aggressively. My personal opinion is that the InReach is a better unit, and service than SPOT. If I was doing long distance or remote cruising, it would be high on my list of items to buy.

Here is the current Garmin Subscription plan scheme. Note that you can almost buy a PLB for the 4 month annual cost of the "Freedom plan" The Freedom plan costs $35 per month, plus $20 activation, plus $35 a month. An annual plan is $300 at the $25 a month. (McMurdo FastFind 220 PLB is available at $210.)
 
All true, but at least when DeLorme was on its own you could de activate the plan when you weren't using it. I haven't used SPOT in awhile, but they were 12 month contracts. You do need to pay for service using these.

EPIRB and PLB have no cost after you purchase, but you do need to register them with NOAA. I'm not sure whether they'd send SAR to an unregistered unit. Probably not.

Honestly, to me though they are apples and oranges. If you just need an SOS button an EPIRB or PLB would be the best choice. But if you want to do any communication you want an InReach, and you get SOS service along with that. I would not and do not carry an InReach with me when I don't need to communicate, even though I have a unit bought and paid for with year-round service. Sometimes it's an extra layer of bulk or an extra thing to lose or break and I'm traveling light. If I have my kid on our boat I have our InReach with me at all times. I know as a first responder it's good to have a heads up that there are kids on scene before you mobilize, and the InReach can provide responders with exactly that kind of info.
 
I never saw a DeLorme InReach plan for $12 a month! We bought a used DeLorme InReach SE from Jody Kidd, and activated it. The monthly fee was $25. We found we weren't using it much, so we deactivated it. We do plan to activate it again when we are on the Loop, both for posting to Facebook so our friends can follow where we are, and for the two way satellite texting capabilities. The InReach SE is controlled by a bluetooth connection to a smartphone and it really works very well with the InReach app on our iPhones. I hope when we reactivate we can do it for $12 a month, but it is worth $25 a month, and maybe way more if and when you really need it!
 
a side comment

PLB registration needs to be updated every 2 years and it is free! I added a calendar reminder to renew and check battery date.


For more info, go to
NOAA Beacon Registration website at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov to verify, update, or renew your registration.

They will mail you a new sticker

Take the time to update your info
_________________
 
Pat Anderson":1ag5ytds said:
I never saw a DeLorme InReach plan for $12 a month! We bought a used DeLorme InReach SE from Jody Kidd, and activated it. The monthly fee was $25. We found we weren't using it much, so we deactivated it. We do plan to activate it again when we are on the Loop, both for posting to Facebook so our friends can follow where we are, and for the two way satellite texting capabilities. The InReach SE is controlled by a bluetooth connection to a smartphone and it really works very well with the InReach app on our iPhones. I hope when we reactivate we can do it for $12 a month, but it is worth $25 a month, and maybe way more if and when you really need it!
Click to expand...

Pat, it's the "Safety" plan... https://explore.garmin.com/en-US/inreac ... s-only.pdf
 
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