RobFromRedland:

I found a VERY interesting note in a backpacker.com test report, one which may explain the wide variety of results:

OK, I can't post the text due to the dreaded "filegroup full" error, but you can see the full post here.  Look for "Does SPOT work?"

 

This is by and large a much more accurate portrayal of the experience I have personally had with this device.  I also discovered that when it says press for 5 seconds, I press for 10...and viola, no more problems. 

[cont]

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"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." -Lao Tzu

In answer to your previous question, I have transmitted 3 times from my home (tests...determining button holding length, seeing how long to receive "okay messages", etc), 5 times from my vehicle while driving (the unit sitting on my passenger seat, mostly in Portland metro, but also twice in the gorge on 84), from high bridge on Eagle Creek, from Tunnel Falls on Eagle Creek, from the summit of saddle mountain, from the Grouse Trailhead of Silver Star Mountain, from the summit of Hamilton Mountain, from my place of work in Clackamas, from Mount Hebo, from Angel's Rest and from Devil's rest.

Obviously, these are all just my personal tests to see if I liked the unit for use over the summer when I plan on a couple of PCT sections and more than a few solo overnights.  Each one went through no problem (although I realize that I wasn't exactly in any deep canyons).  As stated in the link provided by RobFromRedland, each time I probably had a bit more patience than some of the testers, and three of those times I was on a cell phone with someone seeing how long it took them to get the message...each time was 5-10 full minutes.

I don't own stock in this thing BTW, and I am much less interested in its life saving capapbilities than its communication.  I just think that for what it DOES do and the price point it comes in at, it doesn't deserve some of the negativity that it has received. 

I'll be keeping mine!

-aaron

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"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." -Lao Tzu

I would be very interested in your results from more typical Pacific NW hiking terrain--dense forest and/or down in canyons, rather than on mountaintops. This is where the testers reported significant problems. If your SPOT works for you in those areas, then the problem might be one of uneven set quality rather than poorly developed technology.

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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.--E.Abbey

A general "help" message from a SPOT won't tell your contact if you need to bail out and be picked up at XX trailhead or if your car won't start or if you forgot your stove and want your contact to meet you with it at xxx. A lot of reviewers would like to see text messaging incorporated into the next generation of SPOT for this reason. Until then, a satellite phone might be a better answer if your need is to "phone home."

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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.--E.Abbey