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Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:50 |
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Here are a few tips to make sure that your SPOT Messenger will be ready to go when you need it because the last thing you want to be this summer is unprepared. GPS Fix Tips Spot strongly recommends that you send and verify an OK/Check message before using your SPOT each day, and at minimum anytime you have traveled more than 600 miles, have changed the batteries or have not used the unit for over two (2) weeks. List your own cell phone (if you have text capability) in your OK contacts. To run the check:
1) Press the ON/OFF button
2) Wait 2 seconds
3) Press OK
4) Wait until the LED above the OK button goes off (can be up to 20 minutes). You have now completed the GPS Fix / System Evaluation cycle. If after 4 minutes, the LEDs above the ON/ OFF and OK button start to blink out-of-synch instead of in unison, you still do not have a GPS fix. If you haven’t used your unit recently it may still be updating the almanac or it might not see the 3 GPS satellites required to obtain a GPS fix, so it is highly recommended that you MOVE to a different location with a clearer view of the sky in order to get a GPS fix, and repeat Steps 1) through 4). The LEDs above the ON/OFF and OK button should blink at the same time until they go out if you have successfully obtained a GPS fix. Optimally, you run the test in cell phone range and can ensure that your cell phone received the text message with your lat/long location.
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