SPOT Satellite Communicator recall

[BroncoHauler]

Bought a Delorme PN-60w SE that is paired with a SPOT Satellite Communicator a little while back, more or less for a mini-excursion/roadtrip with my five year old son. The wife was a little concerned that we'd be in some locations where communication would be poor/non-existent, so I picked up this neat combo to make the wife feel more secure, and it's an interesting new toy.

Thought I'd go ahead and activate the SPOT even though I'm not leaving for another 10-12 days, just to work out any kinks and get familiar with the operation of this combo (with an extra service, you can type and send custom, not just pre-formatted messages). When I tried to activate the SPOT, I was redirected to a SPOT Communicator recall page. This only applies to the SPOT Communicator that comes with the Delorme PN-60w, and "This does not impact any other SPOT products including SPOT Personal Tracker, SPOT Messenger, SPOT IS, SPOT HUG, or SPOT Connect. "

I do appreciate SPOT correcting a potential problem (evidently one of their suppliers provided an inferior part), but I have to wait 5-7 business days to receive the shipping material to send it back to them, and then another 5-7 business days before I receive a replacement. I have an e-mail into them to see if there are other faster options, even if it means sending it back at my expense. Even with the more optimistic 5 business days each for both parts of the above process, I'll be left without the safety and security of having a SPOT along for the ride.

I'll post any response I receive, but I just wanted to provide a heads-up in case someone else might be in a similar situation. FYI, SPOT is stepping up and extending the basic service package from 12 to 18 months for any of their systems caught up in this recall.

http://www.findmespot.com/replacement/



Herb

 

[85CUCV]

I saw your post and tried to activate my Delorme/Spot today and got the same message. I purchased mine last year and have yet to activate it.

 

[BroncoHauler]

Well, my fingers are crossed things will work out properly. Unfortunately, I never received any sort of reply to the e-mail I sent SPOT. Why is it that so many companies have the "Contact Us" e-mail addresses just go into a giant black hole that never get responded to? That said, Monday I left on a business trip to the east coast, but asked my wife to call up SPOT and ask the same questions that I had asked in the e-mail. My wife had no trouble getting hold of a real person on the phone and she explained the situation.

Once SPOT was satisfied that they had the ESN number (a unique serial number, something like a cell number), they offered to send out a replacement at the same time they sent out the return packaging material and post paid address label. I guess with the ESN number, there's little risk I could keep the original unit and ever activate it. The replacement is supposed to be on it's way, and it supposed to be here in the next day or two, so my fingers are crossed.

Aside from not responding to my e-mail, I've been very satisfied, so far, with the way SPOT has been handling this issue.


Herb

 

[BroncoHauler]

Received my postage-paid return box and label today.

I would have thought they'd ship out the new SPOT along with it and kill two birds with one stone, but they must have their own bureaucracy to deal with, and need to deal with each issue separately. Sending a box with the only contents being a return shipping label seems rather silly to me.

My wife talked to them on the phone today, and they are shipping the replacement today, and it "should be" here by COB Tuesday.


Herb

 

[BroncoHauler]

I saw your post and tried to activate my Delorme/Spot today and got the same message. I purchased mine last year and have yet to activate it.

Here's some of the fine print you may want to be aware of regarding the free service extension from your paid 12 months to 18 months.

"This service extension is available to any customer affected by the recall that registers for the SPOT recall replacement by June 1, 2011. Please call 1 (866) 727-7733 if you have questions."


Herb

 

[BroncoHauler]

Received my SPOT Communicator replacement yesterday afternoon. With everything else going on, I couldn't get to it until last night, and then I couldn't get the SPOT to pair with the GPS. To add to last minute chaos before a trip, it turns out that the Delorme PN-60w needed a firmware update. A large, isn't-this-down-yet, firmware download.

Long story short: SPOT service is established and paid for, SPOT Communicator & GPS are paired. I haven't had the time to type and send any test messages, so I need to ensure that's working properly before heading out.

The lesson learned here is to allow plenty of time before you head out with this combo to make sure all these elements, beyond your control, and properly working and synchronized.


Herb

 

[Fireman78]

Received my SPOT Communicator replacement yesterday afternoon. With everything else going on, I couldn't get to it until last night, and then I couldn't get the SPOT to pair with the GPS. To add to last minute chaos before a trip, it turns out that the Delorme PN-60w needed a firmware update. A large, isn't-this-down-yet, firmware download.

Long story short: SPOT service is established and paid for, SPOT Communicator & GPS are paired. I haven't had the time to type and send any test messages, so I need to ensure that's working properly before heading out.

The lesson learned here is to allow plenty of time before you head out with this combo to make sure all these elements, beyond your control, and properly working and synchronized.


Herb

Agreed 100% I had the same issues with my Spot Connect. Took better part of a day to get everything set up how I wanted it. Now if I can only remember to bring my Goal Zero solar panel to keep my Droid phone charged.

 

[AmericaOverland]

Yes, always remember, for the sake of the adventurer about to head out and the sales person put into the position of helping someone who is about to fly out that night, shows up at the store, and says, "I need to get a backpack for my daughter (she's in another country at present)." It is a nightmare to help someone who waits until the last minute, and either the person who needs to be properly fitted isn't there, or I don't have the cross-selling products to offer to fit the customer's needs. At that point, all I can do is refer them to another business (usually, it's too late, and they fly out that night or the next morning).

My personal response in private is, "This is a lesson that she will learn, and hopefully never forget."

Also, make sure that the GPS and SPOT actually DOES work in the region of the world you're going into. I've read here that SPOT doesn't work in certain parts like the near east in north Africa and elsewhere where there might be lack of data for national security reasons.