inReach Mini: Ease of use and charging questions.

[Jerry Adams]

sorry, I can’t help being facetious : )

I think when you push the SOS button, someone will come to rescue you.  I have heard cases of people accidentally pushing the SOS button, people coming to rescue, the person being rescued didn’t know why they were there, it was a false alarm.

I think when you push the SOS button, they try to exchange text to determine the nature of your problem to know what rescue, if any, to provide.  If you have to be evacuated send helicopter.  If you’re lost but not in immediate danger maybe a couple people on foot or even tell you how to walk out yourself?  I don’t know the mechanics of this though.

Has anyone pushed the SOS button and exchanged text about it?

[Jerry Adams]

from website:

“Who will answer your SOS? GEOS will.
GEOS is the world leader in emergency response solutions and monitoring. They’ve supported rescues in more than 140 countries, saving many lives in the process. And they’re standing by 24/7 to respond to your SOS, track your device and notify the proper contacts and emergency responders in your area. Once you’ve triggered a distress signal, you can expect a delivery confirmation that help is on the way and be continually updated on the status of your response team.”

That would not require a smartphone.

They don’t say anything about you being able to send text back but I think I read that somewhere

[Jerry Adams]

from the owner manual which you can download:

“Initiating an SOS Rescue
NOTE: While in SOS mode, the device cannot be turned off.
1 Lift the protective cap À from the SOS button Á.
2 Hold the SOS button.
3 Wait for the SOS countdown.
The device sends a default message to the emergency
response service with details about your location.
4 Reply to the confirmation message from the emergency
response service.
Your reply lets the emergency response service know that
you are capable of interacting with them during the rescue.
For the first 10 minutes of your rescue, an updated location is
sent to the emergency response service every minute. To
conserve battery power after the first 10 minutes, an updated
location is sent every 10 minutes when moving, and every 30
minutes when stationary.
Canceling an SOS Rescue
If you no longer need assistance, you can cancel an SOS
rescue after it is sent to the emergency response service.
1 Lift the protective cap, and hold the SOS button.
2 Select Yes.
Your device transmits the cancellation request. When you
receive a confirmation message from the emergency
response service, the device returns to normal operation.”

It says you can reply to emergency response but doesn’t give specifics how that works

[Rusty Beaver]

Ha! I was being slightly facetious too. However, I don’t hang out here enough to learn the personalities of everyone… and these days, seeing what different people post all around the Net… one never knows. That said, I’m sure some have thought or think I’m an idiot…

 

 

 

[Rusty Beaver]

Thanks for the additional info, Jerry.

I ordered a Mini. $313.50 shipped. Assuming I have the patience to sift through all the Mini’s wizmos, I’ll be selling my ACR, the thing of simplicity. One function. One button.

[AK Granola]

This is all clear as mud. Maybe easier with device in hand? Thinking about getting one, since I’m doing a longer solo this summer. My husband is already worried. I know when he stops talking and sits there quietly that he’s concerned. Oy.

So what are the three preset messages people use to calm down those at home? I don’t really want to be constantly texting. Once per day, “I’m fine” seems more than adequate to me. What am I missing? This from someone who wandered around in Asia for nine weeks after getting married, and called my folks maybe three times.

 

[BlackHatGuy]

I don’t really use all three presets, only two: Stopping here for the night (which is pretty much saying all is fine and this is where I’m camping, since each message also sends coordinates to where you are), and Trip finished (it used to say Endex, but my former Ranger brother gave me a hard time about that one…:-)

[Jerry Adams]

yeah, you don’t really need all the presets

you can change the text of what the three presets are at home

when you first get it, just try it out at home.  Send a message.  See what happens on your partners computer – email with link to map and another link to send a reply.  See what happens on the mini when you get a reply.

I like the reply because if the house burned down or something I’d want to cut my trip short.

If something happened and your were going to be delayed, that’s when it’s nice to be able to compose text and send it back.  Or if you were injured and needed help, you could describe the problem so they could send the help required for that situation.  Or if you ran across someone else that needed help.

I have been out many hundreds of nights, and never had to be rescued or was delayed.  But loved ones worry about me so the mini has value for that.

[Graham F]

For the unlimited ‘free’ set (which as stated, can be of your own creation or keep the ones there already) messages Add any phone numbers (SMS) and emails to your contacts and your message will go to all of them.

In the case of email recipient a map will also be sent with the message.Tap on box on map to reply. Counts as message.

SMS recipient-you can follow the link to a map-tap on the map to reply for sender, Counts as message. Sweet as.

[Jerry Adams]

I was playing with my mini a bit.  Trying to make it a little more clear:

When you first turn it on, press the down button 4 times to “location”.  It says “wait for GPS”.  After about 5 minutes it finds enough satellites and displays the latitude and longitude.

Press the up button three times to “messages”.  Press “ok” button.  it lists the messages sent and received starting with most recent.  Press down button to get to a message and press “ok” and it will display the text of that message.  The display is small, but the messages are limited to a small number of characters (160?) so it can display all of them.

Back at “messages” press the up button to “message” and you can enter text for a message.  The letters are listed “A” to “Z”.  Use the up and down buttons to get to a letter.  Press “ok” to select that letter for the message.  Repeat for each letter of the message.  Kind of a pain but doable.  I assume if you pressed the SOS button you would communicate to them similarly.

Back at “messages” press the up button twice to “preset messages”.  Press “ok” to select preset message.  Press down button to get to the desired preset message.  Press “ok” to select it.  Press “ok” again to say you really want to send it.  Then it appears at the top of the list of messages with an arrow in front of it to show it hasn’t gone through to the satellite yet.  When it does go through, it makes a tone and the arrow goes away.

When I get a message back, it makes a sound like a retro telephone ring and that message appears at the top of the list of messages where I can read it.  It takes maybe 30 minutes of power on time on the mini to do the entire sequence if my wife immediately responds.

You can also pair your smartphone to the mini which makes it easier to type in messages and there’s a better display of messages.  It uses bluetooth.  The more I think about it, there’s no need for this, I’ll just use the mini by itself and the three preset messages.

Maybe that makes it more clear.

[Jerry Adams]

one last thing (I’m testing this out so I’l know how to use it in the future, may as well put it here)

If I send a message and wait for it to be sent (arrow goes away and it makes a small tone) I can then turn the unit off without waiting for a reply.

If, in the meantime, my wife replies, and then later I turn the mini back on, it’ll take about 5 minutes to find the satellites, then the reply will appear in the list of messages and it’ll make that retro telephone ring sound.  I don’t have to leave the mini on waiting for a reply.  I do have to leave it on long enough for the message to be sent though.

[Rusty Beaver]

Thanks for the additional info, Jerry. It does however further illustrate my frustrations with technology… particularly with a safety device that is supposed to be life saving. In my humble opinion, these type of devices should be dead simple! They should be simple enough that anyone can use them effectively with very little instruction or practice. Their use should be intuitive. The LAST thing I want to be faced with in an emergency dire enough that I’d reach for this devise… the last thing I want is uncertainty. If the emergency is bad enough I reach for this thing, my mind may not be at its full capacity. I want it to be easy and quick to use.

I see all these sales pitches… all these justifications from users, why all the features are neater than peanut butter, and “needed”. I could care less about sending a message to have a pizza ready at the end. I could care less about checking in to see who won the playoffs. If I want to know where I am, I will look around…and pull out a paper map if needed (I study map & Google Earth prior and write down notes). If I want to know the weather, I will look towards the sky (& I always check the forecast prior to leaving). I go backpacking to get away from technology. I go to get away from screens and buttons. I go to disconnect from technology and connect to nature. I want to spend my time out there looking around, not looking into a screen. But to each their own as they say…

Remove all the fluff, save me some weight, space, AND money… and give me simplicity… a device that’s easy to use in emergency situations. Are you manufacturers out there listening??!!!

Whew! Now that I have that off my chest…

 

[J R]

^That’s called a PLB. One button, one function.

You want to communicate with people back home, record and send tracks, have onboard GPS, get backcountry weather reports, etc? Yeah, gets more complicated.

[Rusty Beaver]

I do want the communication capabilities … in an emergency situation. The rest of the fluff though…

I think I mentioned this previously but I wish the manufacturers would offer options. Give the tech geeks all the bells, whistles, and shiny parts. But give us Luddites the basic necessities.

[AK Granola]

I’m with Rusty 100% on this one. Get me away from the darned screens. Give me a device that I can say “I’m fine” or “I need rescue” and ditch the rest. And cut the price in half! I’m still debating even bothering. My husband may have to suck it up and deal with three weeks of anxiety!

[Stan B]

Karen,

If you only use the preset messages, it’s not very complicated at all. I have one of the original ones, but will probably upgrade to the mini this year. If you are near Anchorage, you are welcome to look at mine if you want to see how easy it is to operate.

It really helps my wife feel comfortable that i haven’t been eaten by Yogi while I’m out backpacking or fishing.

Stan

[Rusty Beaver]

Karen,

Doesn’t appear my Mini has been sent… but I assume it will be soon. Hoping by this time next week, I will have had it for a couple days and have it somewhat figured out. I can then give you a Luddite’s perspective.

 

[Rex Sanders]

Karen wrote:

Give me a device that I can say “I’m fine” or “I need rescue” and ditch the rest. And cut the price in half!

Your ideal device doesn’t exist, but you can get close a few different ways.

inReach mini:
“I’m fine” – Set it up once for 6-hour tracking (or other interval), turn it on when you start a trip, and someone at home would see a new position on your tracking map at least daily, knowing you are still fine, without you doing anything.
“I need rescue” – SOS button builtin
Ignore the other features.

Spot Gen3: https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100
“Fine” – Check in button builtin, or set up tracking as above
“Rescue” – SOS button builtin
Ignore the other features.
Some of the tradeoffs vs inReach mini:
– One-way communications only. You can’t get a message back.
– According to many reports, less reliable.

Yellowbrick YB3 Standard: https://www.ybtracking.com/products-yb3
“Fine”/”Rescue” – Same scheme as inReach mini. Ignore the other features.
Some of the tradeoffs vs inReach mini:
– Heavier, but crazy long battery life
– Pay-by-the-message-credit in UK Pounds
– More than twice the price of an inReach mini

Used DeLorme inReach SmartPhone – without the SmartPhone (eBay):
“Fine”/”Rescue” – Same scheme as inReach mini. Ignore the other features.
Some of the tradeoffs vs inReach mini:
– Heavier
– Uses replaceable AA batteries instead of built-in rechargeable (or is that a feature?)

Hope this helps.

— Rex

[Jerry Adams]

or, with the mini, figure out how to send preset messages, not very difficult

“and ditch the rest. And cut the price in half!”

that’s just the way tech is.  it’s cheaper to have just one model.  it would be more expensive to add another model with some of the features removed.

[Rusty Beaver]

Got my Mini in the mail yesterday. Ran through the directions quickly last night. Looks like I have to pay for a subscription just to set it up. Not surprising but aggravating. Not having an aptitude for screens and buttons… or the inclination, this may take me some time to figure out and learn how to use (foolish to carry without being intimately familiar with its use). So…..I’ll probably have to pay for a month just to learn it. (sigh…)

Here’s something else that leaves me shaking my head. From the manual Initiating SOS Rescue: “For the first 10 minutes of your rescue, an updated location is sent to the emergency response service every minute. To conserve battery power after the first 10 minutes, an updated location is sent every 10 minutes when moving, and every 30 minutes when stationary.”

Read again:  “…..an updated location is sent every 10 minutes when moving”

Ok. Seriously. I must be from a different planet. If I’m in bad enough need to push the SOS button….if I’m in true need to have the rescue team come rescue me, I’m not going to be moving. For poops sakes!…….If I could move locations, I wouldn’t need to push the SOS!

 

 

[Jerry Adams]

yeah, but people being people, some people will push the SOS button frivolously.  or, give the befit of the doubt, accidentally

when the SOS button is pressed, they have to initiate a rescue

it’ll be easier to locate them if they update every 10 minutes

[Rusty Beaver]

I recall reading an article some place about the frustrations rescue agencies have on SOS being needlessly pushed. Was in a big publication, as I recall. Outside mag, maybe? Doesn’t matter. I can only imagine.

I was invited on a river trip with a small group of rafters last yr. As a kayaker, they wanted me to be their safety boater. It was a hard to get on lottery river that I wanted to do. After talking to one of the guys though, and hearing more about the group, I declined. As suspected, the trip was a cluster. Reportedly, one decided to do a morning hike down river, on the trail. When he was 30 mins late, a couple others had their rescue thingy in hand ready to push the SOS button… being 30 mins late….without having stepped foot out of camp to look for the guy. The one guy with reason had to threaten the yahoos to keep them from pushing the button. Turns out the “lost” guy was sitting along the river and lost track of time.

But I digress… sorta…….

[Rex Sanders]

If I could move locations, I wouldn’t need to push the SOS!

I’ve read many stories where people triggered a rescue and kept moving. That confuses SAR and makes their job much harder. They usually recommend staying put if it’s safe. Most people (including me) don’t always act rationally under severe stress. So in the real world, devices need to continue sending your position.

I can also imagine several scenarios where staying put is a bad idea, or moving toward help is a good idea. With PLBs and SPOTs using one-way communication, you don’t know when or where help might show up, making the choice tougher.

Also, sending one message through a satellite can fail for many reasons. Automatically repeating the SOS with your position means the alert should get through eventually.

That’s three reasons SOS devices continue sending your position. There’s probably others.

— Rex

[Rusty Beaver]

“Also, sending one message through a satellite can fail for many reasons. Automatically repeating the SOS with your position means the alert should get through eventually.”

Thanks, Rex. That reason makes the most sense to me.

Thanks for the link to your article too. I remember reading that before. Don’t recall seeing part 2 and 3 though. Sorry if I overlooked them but are they available?

[AK Granola]

I don’t think of myself as a Luddite, and I know I can learn any technology, including this one. But my going out to hike is to truly leave all that crap behind. Sitting out on some mountainside, watching a sunset, listening to birds and then getting a text that something is wrong at work. Bleah! Of course I’d want to know if a family member needed me, and be able to send a request for help if something awful happened that required immediate summons, like a snakebite. But the fact that the mini will let people text me with nonsense, that’s a big risk in bringing something like this along.

Much as I enjoy other people’s photos and blogs and videos, I never ever take a camera on my trips. I’ve watched people futz around with their crap, getting angry or impatient or trying to get the best shot, while they’re missing something happening right in front of them. A bear nursing three cubs; I saw a tourist on a bus once messing with loading film in a camera, while the rest of us got to see these delightful bears. It’s nice to have some pictures, but ten years later, how often do you really look at them any more? And trust me, your kids won’t want all that stuff when you’re gone. One or two, but not thousands or even hundreds. They’re going to pitch all your crap into a dumpster.

I like being totally in the moment, 24/7 for days on end, and backpacking is perfect for that. Just focusing on the one thing I’m doing or not doing, with zero distractions. Maybe I’ll find some compromise that will keep me safer (???) and keep family calm. Or maybe not. Let me know how it all turns out Rusty, and thanks for taking one for the team.

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