lol@spot tracker, yeah I read that yesterday on their website, in fact it reads very suspicious to me. Clearly states only "Energizer" lithiums, cannot be rechargable lithiums, cannot be powered by electric outlet, cannot increase tracking interval from every 10 minutes etc.

So you have to buy recommended Energizer lithium disposables only. WOW. Sounds like they created it inconjuction with this brand to sell batteries :-)

1. check to see if you can switch it on once per 24 hours to ping the tracker, or 48 hours or per 72 hours, to register your location. That at least can save some power. If once per day for 10 seconds, that's fine. However it if absolutely must be on all the time to inorder to track that this bullshirt. Clearly designed to suck batteries dry.

2. the Inmarsat sailormate can do the same thing automatically. Ping GPS coords. Plus it is on and run by electricity on the boat. No battery nonsense. However I do not know if they have similar integrated web tracking setup or if it can be incorporated with one of these free ones out there. I would ask the supplier or thrane directly (pretty sure those circumnavigating teens in recent years all used the same thrane system and they all had tracking via google on their sites).

Spots good for last resort emergency but if it insists to use up lithium battery 24/7 in order to track, total polution when expired and heavy little things in quantity.

I think you can use either the only difference is how long they will last I have used both in camera equipment if you cut down the tracking updates it will save your batteries

Yeah, in their FAQ section you can read that it is actually possible to use alkaline batteries in "emergency situations":

"SPOT highly recommends that you use only non-rechargeable Energizer™ Ultimate 8x AAA Lithium Batteries to achieve reliable performance.

If you are in an emergency situation and you have alkaline or a different type of non-rechargeable AAA lithium battery with you, SPOT may be able to intermittently transmit messages but you may experience the low battery light and sharply degraded performance and battery life.

Always carry extra Energizer™ Ultimate 8x AAA Lithium batteries with you."

Sounds indeed like they're having a deal with Energizer to sell more of those specific batteries.

Will def use the alkalines from now on.

Hi Taru, you need to get a bird book so you can spot all the exotic wildlife on your travels! The black birds don't really look like cormorants - not sure what they are but the white one is definitely a gannet. We get loads of these round the west of Scotland - just amazing to watch them diving from great heights!

Good luck with your battery searches

Sammi
x

Thanks Sammi! Yes it was beautiful watching them all diving in for food. We're definitely in need of a bird book.

Black bird looks like a juvenile gannet to me.

Hate to tell you but 15'C is NOT 48'F. The easiest way to convert is to multiply the C X 1.8 + 32 + F. Therefore 15'C X 1.8 + 32 = 59'F...or look it up on a conversion table!

We have snow and -3'C today.

Not sure why you can't use rechargeable batteries?

I have a number of electronic tools (OK, some are toys) that call for non-rechargeable batteries, yet in some I have used my rechargeable for years (example, my GPS)

I agree... seems like a marketing thing. Perhaps you should contact SPOT and ask them the technical reason?

"...we have not much more than 15°C (48°F)...so similar to Scandinavian weather ..."

... and you mean at summer time?

This black bird was much larger than the gannets so I doubt they were juveniles.

OOps, fahrenheit went wrong there. Usually I always get it right with the converter..

Yeah, a Swedish spring or autumn night/after noon is around 15°C. There are only 2-4 months which are possible to spend in Sweden/Finalnd and it is between May-Aug - the rest of the months are too cold for my taste. Now, for example they have to deal with minus degrees (C) and snow already.

All the birds in your pictures are Gannets, the white bird is an adult, the rest are this years young.

Ok, the bird experts have spoken. Thanks! The Gannets were all very beautiful and great divers/hunters.