SPOT not spotting

Ed.

Premier Member
#1
Has anyone had their SPOT serviced or repaired? Mine can't find any satellites when I turn it on and obviously can't send messages. Spoke with tech help line and they suggested it was at the end of it's life (apparently 5-8 years!)

It is a 2 if that makes any difference.
 

Nev..

#44764
Premier Member
#3
Not sure what response you expect from the tech support for a presumably out of warranty, superceded model.
The round trip postage cost back to the manufacturer alone probably makes it uneconomical to repair. Also, as per most solid state electronic items, (particularly those designed for rough outdoor use) they probably do have a realistic shelf life measurable in single digit years.
I would take it to a tv/radio/cb radio repairer (if these even still exist where you live) and have them open it up and just poke around for any obvious loose/broken solders. If it's a connection failure, you might get it going again, if it's component failure yo might be able to find the replacement GPS components on alibaba for a couple of dollars, but you'd probably have to buy 100 of them just to get 1.
 

Ed.

Premier Member
#4
Yeah the price of a new one isn't really that much, but it just bugs me that something like this is pretty well considered a disposable item. The number I rang was an Australian mobile number that goes straight through to the Spot techline - it wasn't listed as a Tech line, just as the contact on the spot Australia page, I was actually hoping to speak with the Australian importer to see if they had any suggestions. As to what help I was expecting for an out of warranty, superceded model; Oh, I don't know...calling me crazy but perhaps a little product support with information! It's not like I said I wanted it fixed gratis or was expecting them to replace it for me.

The very sudden way in which it died without any warning out dropping in and out would certainly make me think twice about how long I had owned one if I was going to be relying on it for either helping to document a ride or more importantly as an emergency help device.
 
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Skidoo

Premier Member
#5
. . .
The very sudden way in which it died without any warning out dropping in and out would certainly make me think twice about how long I had owned one if I was going to be relying on it for either helping to document a ride or more importantly as an emergency help device.
There tough little blighters, I have had one kiss the bitumen on two occasions, the last saw the front edge grind away somewhat but it hasn't missed a beat. That of course is excluding the battery springs requiring periodic stretching.
 

Tele

Premier Member
#6
I have a 12 month old Spot gen 3 and I have nothing but trouble either connecting or keeping it connected. It seems real hit and miss. No apparent rhyme or reason.
I am about to throw the damn thing .....
 

Vlad

Premier Member
#7
I have a 12 month old Spot gen 3 and I have nothing but trouble either connecting or keeping it connected. It seems real hit and miss. No apparent rhyme or reason.
I am about to throw the damn thing .....
Agree with that Tele I also have issues with mine. The Spot website it self is no problem but spotwalla is a different story.
 

Tele

Premier Member
#8
I find Spotwalla OK, but only when I can get the Spot3 to connect. It's all set up at Findmespot, but getting it to pick up a GPS signal and keep it is another matter. As an example, last week I left home at 03:30 for a ride. Turned on Spot and pushed all the right buttons. Lights on an away I went. GPS light didn't stay on, so when I got up the road to Tamworth I tried the old "switch off switch on" routine. All reset. Into Uralla for fuel and lights not blinking. Off and on again. Noticed while riding across Fossickers Way toward Inverell that lights were off again. I thought "stuff it" and didn't touch the damn thing again. Put it out of my mind.

When I get home some 1100 kms later, I check Spotwalla and Findmespot to see what was recorded. For some unknown reason, it all kicked into gear at Warialda and then recorded perfectly all the way home! So, half the trip with several re-boots and no action. 2nd half, ignore it and it comes to life and tracks perfectly.

I rang the SPOT tech team today on their "Australian" contact number. An American voice answered. Very polite, listened intently and then said basically that I should give it another go and get back to them if I need further help ...........:confused:
 

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
I've been lucky. About 200,000km on my SPOT 2 so far and apart from the odd red light due to flat batteries and missed 'track' dots when in forested twisties mine has been trouble free.

I only visit Findmespot on occasion to make sure my account is ok, otherwise create a new trip in SPOTWALLA and ride off.
 

FazerPhil

President IBA UK
Staff member
Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#10
I've had a Spot 1 for years . It even survived after I found it in a ditch after wrecking my Fazer 1000. I now have a Spot3 as back up and both work faultlessly. I think you have just been unlucky.
Just a thought. Did you give it time to locate the satellites before hitting other buttons.
 

Reader57

Well-Known Member
#11
I've had a Spot 1 for years . It even survived after I found it in a ditch after wrecking my Fazer 1000. I now have a Spot3 as back up and both work faultlessly. I think you have just been unlucky.
Just a thought. Did you give it time to locate the satellites before hitting other buttons.
I also have a SPOT1 with no trouble. Batteries last a long time, over a week. I even found it on the side of the road using Spotwalla on my phone.
 

Grey Gentry

Premier Member
#12
Ed, had a word to my electronics whiz, didn't say no, but he asked. a few questions. With your unit, all the led comes on, but the red led, stay's on, and doesn't chance to green, right? Is that the only symptom?
 

Tele

Premier Member
#13
I've had a Spot 1 for years . It even survived after I found it in a ditch after wrecking my Fazer 1000. I now have a Spot3 as back up and both work faultlessly. I think you have just been unlucky.
Just a thought. Did you give it time to locate the satellites before hitting other buttons.
I am sure I did Phil ..... but now, second guessing myself I cannot be totally sure. I turned it on initially whilst finalising the bike packing. Hit the Spot "on" button to get it started and then left it whilst I put the rest of the stuff in the top box. Then came back a short time later to hit the "track" button to give it a positive 'start' signal to work with. The power light blinked the whole trip, there was no "red" GPS light to suggest a lack of connection, but there was no periodic green flash to suggest it was operational. Day off again this week, so I'll just have to force myself to ride again and see how it goes. Thank's for your kind input from the other side of the world!

Ian
 

Ed.

Premier Member
#14
Ed, had a word to my electronics whiz, didn't say no, but he asked. a few questions. With your unit, all the led comes on, but the red led, stay's on, and doesn't chance to green, right? Is that the only symptom?

Pretty much Ron. And if course no tracking going through to the system/websites.
 

Abe

Active Member
#17
I have a 12 month old Spot gen 3 and I have nothing but trouble either connecting or keeping it connected. It seems real hit and miss. No apparent rhyme or reason.
I am about to throw the damn thing .....
I'm having the same problem at the moment with my Gen 3. Thinking........
 

Nev..

#44764
Premier Member
#18
The power light blinked the whole trip, there was no "red" GPS light to suggest a lack of connection, but there was no periodic green flash to suggest it was operational.
Electronics Helpdesk 101.
If it's not operating correctly - Turn it off and turn it back on again.
If that doesn't fix it, - Pull the batteries out. Wait 15 seconds. Reinstall the batteries and try again. (If it's hard wired I would remove all power and try again). Many modern electronics just enter a standby low power mode when you hit the power button, so they can restart quickly the next time (aka a soft reboot). Removing all power forces a hard reboot the next time it powers up.
 

Tele

Premier Member
#19
Thanks Nev. I'll give that a try next time. I was previously advised to turn the SPOT on the night before a ride to give it a chance to "wake up" and recognise that it was being put back into action.
I did that before this ride. Left it on for 20 mins or so the night before. Then off again until the next morning. I'll try the battery remove/install trick before the next ride. :)
 

Ed.

Premier Member
#20
I do know if you haven't used spot for a while then spotwalla doesn't poll the link page with the same frequency, but that should only effect the spotwalla page. It should still appear on the findmespot page, as I understand it.