I'm off across Russia next year then USA, the question is who has used one to travel so you can log your route and the family back home can keep up with my progress, I've looked at some on eBay but there that many and I've red some poor results how some don't work,
So if you have used a gps tracker or other devices can you post some info how it worked and where I can find one
Thanks

We use the Delorme inReach Explorer satellite tracker. It offers two way messaging (email & text messaging), satellite tracking, SOS and you can even upload posts to facebook and twitter.

It has world wide coverage and uses the iridium satellite network and boasts 100% global coverage. I've got mine mounted in a powered RAM mount and love it.

The subscription is more expensive than some but you get what you pay for. It even connects to my iPhone to unlock more features and to allow easier messaging.

We are using it now on our trip from UK to Oz, our family can log on to a website to track at any time and can even send messages to the device.

We looked at the Spot tracker but read too many reviews about undelivered messages and not knowing if messages were delivered so decided to pay the extra for the Delorme.

Cheers
Jaime

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I used Spot messenger and Delorme InReach during my 3 year RTW.
Spot messenger worked ok for the most part of the trip (track and SOS), InReach added messaging capability (which my girlfriend loved )

InReach service is more expensive.

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I've just looked at inReach that seems to be the way to go, nice and neat, the I know the battery lasts a least 100 hours I will be looking at a cradle so might as well get the power cradle, are the cradles secure when traveling off road, I use a Montana 650 and a garmin 660 for navigation both cradles have power and you can't pull them off the bike never mind off road.

I looked at the Spot and the InReach and decided that you definitely get more for your money with the InReach - and I reckoned their billing was fairer and more flexible too. As well as the obvious SOS feature, it has worked great for posting ad hoc location updates to Facebook and, as others have said, the two way text messaging service (although a bit cumbersome in this age of smart phones) is an excellent fall back when no other communication is available.

But why use a cradle? Both the Spot and the InReach are designed as 'personal trackers'. You can't use them very well oh the move, and they work just as well in a breast pocket. If it's bike security you are after, try the Road Angel Bike Trac. They provide an event page so people who are following you can see your whereabouts on their website. They use Google Maps and the level of detail is excellent almost everywhere. The only downside is that they work on cellphone technology rather than satellite.

Here's my MapShare page, showing our current location - Mariinsk Municiple Hospital - after my husband broke his leg on the road to Tomsk and we had to backtrack: https://share.delorme.com/BrigidRynne (Word of advice for Russia - practice your off-road riding skills, even if you don't intend to deviate from the highway! )

Having sat nav and gps on the front of the bike is simple you can see them when you are on the trails, live lost to many items out of pockets panniers when you tend to stuff this in,

Off road is what I do best, I've done some fairly big enduros with my bmw1150gs on this trip I'm looking at taking my xt600z with wolfman soft luggage so I can do loads of trails, with out pushing the bike to its limits.
The mileage will end up the best part of 15000 miles across Russia then USA tat,