Delorme InReach

[s/v Faith]

I have been looking at the Delorme InReach communicator.

It costs $250, and has service plans from $10 - $50 a month.  It uses Irridium satalites to send and recive text messages and position reports like SPOT.  It also has a 'track' feature like SPOT and a type of emergency signal button (of course not an EPIRB replacement, but a nice feature anyway).

I already have a SPOT and a Magellan GSC communicator, but the idea of using the Ipad to type out the text's is pretty attractive.

Here is a link to their site; http://www.inreachdelorme.com/

Have any here purchased one, or used one yet?  Any impressions?

[s/v Faith]

I just learned of a 'hack' delorme has provided on their website that changes the operating permeates to allow use of regular alkaline batteries.  I am sure this still will cause a shorter life, it just takes a fair amount of current to get the signal to the satellite...

  I will report back after using this one for a while.  Good to not have to buy the expensive lithium batteries, hope this works out.

https://support.delorme.com/kb/articles/65-managing-inreach-battery-profiles