Sat Messenger rescue services

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Koda
Posts: 3466
Joined: June 5th, 2009, 7:54 am

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by Koda » April 4th, 2021, 6:12 pm

yeah the tracking and messaging feature is whats worth the cost for anyone who spends time solo. Id imagine SAR wishes everyone had some form of comms even if basic messaging.
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2

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RobFromRedland
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by RobFromRedland » April 4th, 2021, 7:33 pm

I have the annual safety plan - I send a canned message when I get to the trailhead saying I'm heading out (so my wife knows I made it safely), I leave it on while I'm hiking so I can receive messages and can get pinged if needed, and I send another canned message after I get back to my truck (so my wife knows I made it out of the woods).

If something were to happen during the hike, my wife could ping my unit and as long as I had visibility they would know where I was. Worse case is she would know I would be somewhere on the trail. I almost never use my 10 custom messages a month - I use almost all canned messages any longer. You can change them any time you want - the only restriction is that you can only have 3 at any given time.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW! What a ride! - Hunter S. Thompson

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Koda
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Joined: June 5th, 2009, 7:54 am

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by Koda » April 4th, 2021, 10:26 pm

Thats also an interesting idea... if you knock yourself out a location is worth more than a track. Except for no satellite reception but Ive always found those arguments over rated Ive never had serious reception issues even in heavy trees or canyons.
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2

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retired jerry
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by retired jerry » April 5th, 2021, 6:59 am

or, forget tracking, just send a preset message every once in a while, that's free, it only costs 50 cents if she sends a reply

annual safety is $12, recreation is $25

safety you get 10 free messages, then 50 cents a message over that. Recreation is 40 free messages, then 50 cents.

if you do the math, only above 36 messages in a month is the recreation plan cheaper

I've never used more than my 10 free messages in a month.


"I wish the manual was more clear on this"

yeah, everything about the inreach is confusing


you compose your 3 free preset messages at home on your PC. With a confusing piece of software. Currently, the text I composed doesn't match what's shown on my mini. I'm too lazy to figure out how to sync it. I've done this before so I know it's possible :)

if you compose messages on the inreach mini, you have to scroll through a list of the letters in the alphabet and then click the enter button, one at a time. Or you can connect it to your phone and it's a little easier, but connecting to phone is confusing.

You can view messages sent to you on the mini with a slightly confusing interface, or with your phone that is better once you figure out how to connect it


everything about the mini is a pain in the aaa, but it does successfully send and receive messages when I have no cell phone coverage

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mjirving
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Joined: July 5th, 2011, 10:40 am

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by mjirving » April 5th, 2021, 7:24 am

Yeah definitely sync it when you change your messages or they won’t match on the device. They also do software updates pretty regularly, so I always sync it regardless before a long backpacking trip to make sure I have the most current update. I agree that their website is kinda confusing. I think they might have recently done a refresh on it though so hopefully it’s better.

Funny story, many years ago I changed my preset messages on my Spot (which has to be synced to the device as well). I always send a preset that says I’m starting my hike and then another one that I’ve reached my destination and all is good. At the time I had another one that said that I was lost and to send assistance. Since I hadn’t synced, I inadvertently sent the one that said I was lost when I meant to say that I was starting my hike. I was standing right behind Timberline Lodge. Fortunately I was in cell service so my dad called me to check in as he thought it odd that I was “lost” standing right behind Timberline Lodge. Haha. So the moral of the story is...sync your device! Haha.

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Koda
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Joined: June 5th, 2009, 7:54 am

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by Koda » April 5th, 2021, 9:14 am

one reason I liked the tracking feature is because Im the type that doesn't like to communicate from out there, I don't really want to set that precedence either. I could try no tracking and just check in with presets but Id probably forget till the end of the day. Since Im solo and off trail a lot I still like the idea of the tracking feature in case I cant hit the panic button.
Device is synced... I think :P you all have been helpful discussing the setup and figuring it out. I think folks like us should write the owners manuals or something. My first Garmin device in maybe 20 years and nothings changed on their end.
Someday I should tell you how much I hate my GPS watch tho... its like these companies dont actually hike.
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2

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retired jerry
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Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by retired jerry » April 5th, 2021, 9:21 am

when you first turn on the mini and it checks messages, it displays the number of unread messages

normally, when I read any messages, the count gets reset, nominally to zero

except, sometimes it doesn't take and it says there's still unread messages

currently, it says I have 5 unread messages

I could figure out how to get that reset, but it's easier to just ignore. Fine, it says I have 5 unread messages but there aren't actually any. whatever...

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mjirving
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Joined: July 5th, 2011, 10:40 am

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by mjirving » April 5th, 2021, 12:21 pm

If you haven’t already, I recommend you go through every combination of screen on your device (multiple times...not THAT many) to get familiar with it while you’re at home. I didn’t do that at first and followed up with that some time after I got it and learned several new things/options that I didn’t realize were in there. And a better mental map of how it was organized...BEFORE I actually needed it in a situation.

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Crusak
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Joined: August 6th, 2009, 7:33 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by Crusak » April 9th, 2021, 2:22 pm

mjirving wrote:
April 2nd, 2021, 7:59 pm
On that plan it will cost you 10 per ping to track you every 10 min. If you go up to the next plan you get free unlimited tracking pings. And also I think 40 messages per month included for free. If you are knocked out your contacts can check your location with a ping as long as you are in an area that you’re able to have satellite coverage. If you’re in very heavy, heavy tree coverage or in a slot canyon would be areas where you might not have coverage. In those cases, they could at least see where you were on your track and your trajectory before you went out of coverage. It’s a pretty rare chance, but it is a small chance.
That's the plan I have - unlimited track points (at the once per 10 minutes rate) and 40 messages per month. Costs me like $26 /month. Nice thing has been that when I'm out it puts down a track point every 10 minutes. With the Garmin explore link my family has access to my exact location in case something happens and I don't check in or come home.
Jim's Hikes

Solvitur Ambulando

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mjirving
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Re: Sat Messenger rescue services

Post by mjirving » April 9th, 2021, 2:46 pm

Exactly. I’m on the same plan for the same reasons. I like using “messages” to get the weather forecast on multi day hikes when out of cell range too.

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