Bit the Bullet: Bought a Gramin Inreach Explorer +

christopher · Feb 3, 2019

After having been a 10 year SPOT user today my son bought me a new Garmin Inreach Explorer + for my birthday!
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/561269

Now to see if we can get it to behave in a similar manner as we do with the SPOT and make it interface directly to the SnoWest server so users can post their rides to a real time map and let others follow them.

salmonbum · Feb 3, 2019

I have been using one this season. Best part is it's a two way communicator so not it can your recieve messages from friends, but if you ever have to use SOS, GEOS can text you and learn about the situation and send appropriate help.

christopher · Feb 4, 2019

salmonbum said:
I have been using one this season. Best part is it's a two way communicator so not it can your recieve messages from friends, but if you ever have to use SOS, GEOS can text you and learn about the situation and send appropriate help.

Ya, I am eager to see just what this device is capable of.

My last Garmin purchase was a pair of RHINOs, which were pretty sweet.
They had some great technology in them but I found my group using the BCA radios far more often than taking out the Rhinos, so they sat and didn't get nearly the use they should have. And those have gone through some MAJOR upgrades over the last several years.

salmonbum · Feb 4, 2019

christopher said:
Ya, I am eager to see just what this device is capable of.

My last Garmin purchase was a pair of RHINOs, which were pretty sweet.
They had some great technology in them but I found my group using the BCA radios far more often than taking out the Rhinos, so they sat and didn't get nearly the use they should have. And those have gone through some MAJOR upgrades over the last several years.

Easy solution is to buy $15 shoulder mic for the Rino. They work with the BCA's.

One of my businesses is doing marine electrics and I'm a Garmin Installer. I talked with them and asked for Inreach\Rino combo unit and how useful that will be. Nothing planned at this time, but they will look into it.

The Inreach can send its location to another Inreach if you cannot communicate via cell or radio which is a nice feature.

christopher · Feb 4, 2019

salmonbum said:
Easy solution is to buy $15 shoulder mic for the Rino. They work with the BCA's.

One of my businesses is doing marine electrics and I'm a Garmin Installer. I talked with them and asked for Inreach\Rino combo unit and how useful that will be. Nothing planned at this time, but they will look into it.

The Inreach can send its location to another Inreach if you cannot communicate via cell or radio which is a nice feature.

Ya, a COMBINATION UNIT combining the feature sets of those two units would be OUTSTANDING for what we do.

Scott · Feb 4, 2019

salmonbum said:
Easy solution is to buy $15 shoulder mic for the Rino. They work with the BCA's.

One of my businesses is doing marine electrics and I'm a Garmin Installer. I talked with them and asked for Inreach\Rino combo unit and how useful that will be. Nothing planned at this time, but they will look into it.

The Inreach can send its location to another Inreach if you cannot communicate via cell or radio which is a nice feature.

I have a Rino and BCA 2.0.
Will the Rino have a better range than the BCA?

christopher · Feb 4, 2019

Scott said:
I have a Rino and BCA 2.0.
Will the Rino have a better range than the BCA?

The Rhino is capable of transmitting at 5 watts.
The BCA at 2 watts

But the BIGGEST issue for both of them is NOT the power, its the ANTENNA.
They are both just "poor" antennas.
But using a "Great" antenna on a snowmobile is "problematic"...

smokindave · Feb 4, 2019

christopher said:
The Rhino is capable of transmitting at 5 watts.
The BCA at 2 watts

But the BIGGEST issue for both of them is NOT the power, its the ANTENNA.
They are both just "poor" antennas.
But using a "Great" antenna on a snowmobile is "problematic"...

In Canada the Rhino has a maximum of 2 watts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Clintmilt · Mar 20, 2019

InReach

InReach should be the first tool in your pack. As long as you can see the sky you have service. SOS and SAR at your fingertips. Also has texting capabilities with out cell service because it is iridium based. Cheap insurance towards your best chance of surviving an unfortunate incident. Also the battery charge life is impeccable, especially if the unit is turned off it will hold a charge for weeks and weeks.

christopher · Mar 20, 2019

Clintmilt said:
InReach should be the first tool in your pack. As long as you can see the sky you have service. SOS and SAR at your fingertips. Also has texting capabilities with out cell service because it is iridium based. Cheap insurance towards your best chance of surviving an unfortunate incident. Also the battery charge life is impeccable, especially if the unit is turned off it will hold a charge for weeks and weeks.

For me this is ONE of several tools I carry in the event of disaster

Coldfinger · Nov 27, 2020

Is it possible to download/overlay (whatever it is called) snowmobile trail maps on the Explorer so when you look at your location, you can also see the snowmobile trails on the same screen?

christopher · Nov 30, 2020

Coldfinger said:
Is it possible to download/overlay (whatever it is called) snowmobile trail maps on the Explorer so when you look at your location, you can also see the snowmobile trails on the same screen?

If it is, I haven't done that as yet.

salmonbum · Dec 1, 2020

Coldfinger said:
Is it possible to download/overlay (whatever it is called) snowmobile trail maps on the Explorer so when you look at your location, you can also see the snowmobile trails on the same screen?

Yes it is. Most of the time the cat tracks we use are basically summer roads which are included in the large inventory of dowloadable maps in Explorer App.

I use my Inreach for dirt biking as well. I can goto my states DNR site and download the gxp files of all the trails then upload them to my Inreach web pag which then syncs to the Inreach itself and the Explorer app.

But I think the best feature is the "Tracking". For snowmobiles and Dirt biking i can send a link via text to friends to follow me. If I don't text back at end of ride they can always be able to find me if the chance I can hit the sos button. This feature is also utilized in summer when I do Boat deliveries in Great Lakes. Owners can see where I am at with their $1 million boat, which puts them at ease.

christopher · Mar 8, 2023

After having carried this unit for several years now I can safely report that its been a WORKHORSE for me.
And now I am looking at a possible upgrade to what I think is its most current replacement..
So far as I can tell, Garmin is no longer manufacturing the InReach Explorer+ ??

Garmin GPSMAP 66i, GPS Handheld and Satellite Communicator, Featuring TopoActive mapping and inReach Technology

Garmin GPSMAP® 66i | Handheld Hiking GPS

Garmin GPSMAP® 66i is a handheld GPS satellite communicator with features that include TOPO mapping, two-way messaging, direct to device BirdsEye Satellite Imagery & more.

www.garmin.com

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I am going to reach out to Garmin today and see if this is the case or not, and enquire about obtaining a unit or two for a long term Eval and review here on SnoWest. I am most curious to see what the new unit brings to the table that its predecessor didn't have to offer.

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Bit the Bullet: Bought a Gramin Inreach Explorer +

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