inReach at Everest Base Camp

May 7, 2012

Toby and David, two self-proclaimed “run-of-the mill Texans” have accomplished an anything but run-of-the-mill feat by trekking to Mount Everest’s Base Camp as part of their Global Encounter world adventure.

They are using the DeLorme inReach to stay connected with their friends, family, and followers so check out their Twitter feed and Facebook wall for the latest messages from Toby and David.

https://twitter.com/#!/gencounter

https://www.facebook.com/gencounter

You can learn more about their Global Encounter trip at their website:

global-encounter.com

Follow them as they hike down from 17,000 feet and send Toby a belated Happy Birthday – he turned 30 the day they made it into camp.

Global Encounter Map Share

Congratulations to both of them, it’s been inspiring watching their world travels. I can’t wait to follow along on their next big adventure!

Chip Noble
Team DeLorme

2 Comments | Fun Stuff, GPS In Use, inReach | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Chip Noble - Design

Explorer Eric Larsen – Testing inReach in Subarctic

March 28, 2012

Eric Larsen, renowned Polar Explorer, is putting the inReach through it’s paces in Churchill, Manitoba while training and testing gear for his upcoming expedition. Eric is no stranger to DeLorme products having taken a previous DeLorme satellite communicator to the summit of Mt Everest in 2009 during the final leg of his Save The Poles expedition.

Eric and his team are sharing their experiences from Churchill with blog posts and YouTube videos. You can even send them a message using their Map Share page.

Here’s a picture Eric sent us showing him corresponding with people back home using DeLorme’s inReach and Earthmate PN-60w.

You can read more about the team’s inReach experience in a blog post from Eric’s tech guru Tim Harrincar titled Tech Talk from Tim. In his post Tim explains the purpose of their trip and how they evaluate gear like the inReach and other tech products they are testing.

“One of the major goals of the trip is to field test equipment for future adventures to insure that cost-benefit of that equipment justifies its place in the kit. The “cost” of any piece of technology equipment is weight and power consumption which means asking questions like can it do the job of an alternate, heavier piece of equipment? Can it do more than one job? Can it do its job faster or easier than an alternative? Does it improve safety? Is it something new and interesting?” -Tim Harrincar

Their YouTube update, Dispatch Day 5 | Home, has a nice clip of the inReach hanging in Eric’s tent while he describes the value of the gear that he selects for his expeditions and how all of it becomes his home when he’s in the arctic.

“…you’re traveling to all these new places and every night you’re in the same place and it’s all familiar. That’s that one constant in all that chaos and that’s home… Everything is within arms reach and if we can’t reach it we don’t need it.” -Eric Larsen

While I’ve never been to a location as extreme as the arctic, I can definitely appreciate Eric’s statement about the importance of the gear you carry having packed my own home on my back before during multi-day hikes. The planning and preparation that Eric and his team put into their expeditions is truly impressive.

I encourage everyone to check out the team’s blog posts and videos to learn more about Eric Larsen’s expeditions and why he has chosen to include the inReach among the equipment keeping him connected when traveling to the far corners of the earth.

While you’re there be sure to view his location on their DeLorme inReach Map Share page and send them a message. I know that Eric will love to hear from all of you interested in his adventures!

Chip Noble
Team DeLorme

1 Comment | GPS In Use, inReach, PN-60 News | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Chip Noble - Design

inReach Tips & Tricks

March 16, 2012

In the months since the release of the inReach two-way satellite communicator DeLorme has compiled a list of helpful notes for inReach users. I wanted to share these Tips & Tricks with everyone here. Check out the videos for more detail and feel free to request additional content, we’ll be making more videos as we go forward.

Take care,
Chip Noble
DeLorme

Account Setup:

  • Be sure to set up your contacts, Quick Text messages, and inReach messages before going on your first trip.
  • Don’t forget to sync your explore.delorme.com account after you make any changes to your contacts, Quick Text messages, or inReach messages. Earthmate app: Go to Menu > Sync to sync your device with explore.delorme.com.  PN-60w: Click the Sync PN-60w button on explore.delorme.com.
  • Be sure to send a MapShare link to friends before you start your trip so that they can see your location and send you a message from their computer while you’re on your trip.
  • Use the inReach to send friends and family a text or email message-they can reply to you while you’re out.

Pairing:

  • To enter pairing mode, make sure that you press and hold the Power button on the inReach until the LED changes from solid green to flashing green every 1.5 seconds and then release it. Then follow the instructions on the screen of your Android device or PN-60w.
  • If you’re having trouble pairing an Android device, use the device’s Bluetooth settings to discover the inReach and connect to it, rather than doing it from within the Earthmate app.
  • Test your device after completing the setup and pairing process by sending a message and replying to it. Visit support.delorme.com before your trip if you have any questions about using the device.

Device Use:

  • To power on an inReach, press and hold the Power button and release it as soon as the Power LED comes on. The LED will flash once every 3 seconds during normal operation. If you hold the Power button down until the LED starts flashing every 1.5 seconds you have entered pairing mode and need to pair your device again.
  • When you start a trip, send a message or start tracking when you park your vehicle so that your family and friends know where you started. It also gives you a reference point to find your way back and lets you know your system is working.
  • Keep an eye on the status fields in the Earthmate app telling you if your inReach is unavailable, connected, or sending.
  • To increase battery performance when using your Android device, exit the Earthmate app when you are not sending a message.
  • For best battery performance when you are using the inReach in standalone mode, clear the pairing info from the inReach. To do this, enter pairing mode by holding down the Power button until the Power LED starts flashing every 1.5 seconds and then release it. When no other devices are detected your existing pairing info is cleared, preventing the inReach from continuing to search for a device. You will need to unpair your PN-60w or Android device from the inReach and then pair again to use the devices together.

8 Comments | Android, inReach, PN-60 News, Tips & Tricks | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Chip Noble - Design

inReach Testimonial…

March 6, 2012

Normally I’d caution you about a testimonial from a product manager when the subject is their own product. Of course I’m going to tell you how cool the inReach is (and trust me, it is!) but I’m far from impartial from where I sit here at DeLorme. Well the facts behind this testimonial are straight forward and can’t be manipulated with Photoshop, voice over, or video editing so you can feel safe reading further…

First some background – DeLorme had a great opportunity to send two of our inReach devices to San Diego for an evaluation with a well connected yachtsman from Maine who is currently sailing on the 60 foot trimaran LoeReal. The LoeReal is the fastest ocean racer on the west coast, an ORMA 60 style tri that was actually built as a prop for the movie Waterworld staring Kevin Costner.

2012 Vallarta Race - Day 2 Starts
(Photo courtesy of Bob Betancourt and SDYCSailing on Flickr)

The boat and her crew are racing in the San Diego Yacht Club’s 2012 Puerto Vallarta Regatta and are currently poised to be the first to cross the finish line some time tomorrow! The LoeReal has been tracking her location with points being sent to the LoeReal Sailing MapShare website every 10 minutes since they started last Friday. The following screenshot was taken from their MapShare page shortly after the start of the race.

The crew has also been using the device to update their Twitter account with posts throughout the trip.

Many fast miles since yesterday 500done moon is brite wind easing 1200-6

Sunshine glassy pacific ocean boatspeed 6knots on rhumb line 275miles to finish in pv mx team loereal moving along just fine in drifting conditions cheers

Moonlight bright tonight 200 miles to barn been fast 4 last few hours

So why is this a product manager’s testimonial you ask? Good question, allow me to continue… prior to starting the race I asked our yachtsman to send me some photos of the LoeReal sailing in crystal waters under blue skies in sunny California while I was shoveling my driveway here in wintery Maine. Our marketing department liked the photos and wanted to use them in a Facebook post but needed me to verify permission with the owner… who at the time was 55 nautical miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas with 302 nm left in his race before reaching the finish line and shore in Puerto Vallarta!

Fortunately the LoeReal was inReach! …and yes, I’ve been waiting this entire project for a chance to use that line.

I sent a message using the LoeReal MapShare page and had my answer within 10 minutes along with an additional link for more photos!

2012-03-05 10:06:04 – Marketing is requesting permission to use the photos you sent me in a Facebook post about your race. Do you approve? We’ll be sure to give credit!

2012-03-05 10:18:00 – Use pix 4 sure see www.<clipped>.com he may give u 1or 3pix fr start

The ability to check in with a user during their product evaluation when they would otherwise be out of communication – I can’t think of a better testimonial for the inReach and Iridium’s satellite communications!

And now, here are some additional photos taken during the team’s practice runs in San Diego last week – with permission from Cameron Lewis and the rest of the crew on the sailboat LoeReal.

Be sure to check out the LoeReal Sailing MapShare page and send Cameron Lewis a message. I can’t guarantee how responsive he will be since they are nearing the end of the race and could be pretty busy handling the boat. Last updates from the team were that they would be finishing Tuesday night.

Here’s to fair winds and following seas for the LoeReal and her crew, safe travels to the finish line of the Puerto Vallarta Regatta!

Chip Noble
Product Manager
DeLorme

1 Comment | Fun Stuff, GPS In Use, inReach | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Chip Noble - Design

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