Spot GPS locator/messaging device--anyone use it?

The wife wants me to get one for my mountaineering and kayak fishing adventures--especially since I tend to head out alone for solitude. A broken ankle in High Sierra cross-country peak climbs can be real trouble if you are solo. Same with ocean fishing on a kayak.

Ocean Kayak has a promotion where you get the device free using a coupon code you get by entering your hull number on the web. As the owner of a new T-15, I got the code, but I still have to buy the service.

Wondering if anyone uses it and finds it useful or otherwise.
It should come with an NKCA coupon for 1,000 WAF points but I didn't see one. 

Promotion link: http://www.findmespot.com/jow/

I don't have one yet, but its still not "free"

Spot sells the units on their site for over 300 bucks.  The coupon code brings that down to 150.  The same price EVERYONE sells it for.  Add in the 150 in mail in rebates, and then its free.  Pretty much the same deal everyone has

My dirtbike buddy has one and we attempted to use it recently to track the route of one of our rides in the forest. It didn't do as well as my buddy had hoped. It seemed to only mark our position every 15 minutes or so. I guess that would be o.k. if you were stuck in one place waiting for help to arrive but it's not like a full featured g.p.s. jim

I recently got one through the OK promo offer. I got the bundle which included the SPOT device + 1 Yr Basic Service & 1 Yr Tracking Service...

Sub-Total: $319.97
Free Shipping (UPS Ground): $0.00
Instant Online Coupon: -$169.99
Estimated Tax: $15.37
Total: $165.35
Mail-In Rebate: $150.00
Revised Total: $15.35

Not a bad deal at all.

Jeff (a.k.a. Steelerhead)

Spot sells the units on their site for over 300 bucks.  The coupon code brings that down to 150.  The same price EVERYONE sells it for.  Add in the 150 in mail in rebates, and then its free.  Pretty much the same deal everyone has

They are only giving $50 off--not $150 now--that expired August 8th according to their site. But in this economy I'd expect them to start another promotion quickly. And I didn't see the mail-in rebate either. Their business model is like that of cable tv or mobile phone companies--give away the device and subsidize its cost with the subscription fees--

My dirtbike buddy has one and we attempted to use it recently to track the route of one of our rides in the forest.It seemed to only mark our position every 15 minutes or so.

Remember the SPOT is using a low-speed satellite data messaging channel with a small payload per message. Real-time tracking of high-speed travel isn't what it was designed to do with that infrastructure. It isn't tracking movement that is the real goal of the device any way. It is a low-cost EPIRB that the vendor decided to add a premium tracking service to utilizing the web. The unusual condition is not slow movement but rather it would be showing no movement over a long time which might indicate incapacity of the traveler. If you are kayaking or hiking I think the tracking sample period is adequate--just to show where you are and that you are moving a bit.

I have had a Spot for several months now, my wife wanted me to get one for when I am in areas that have no cell service and I am usually solo on my adventures.  the neat thing about the Spot is that if you use the track me feature my family can see where I am at when I am in the sticks.  I went squirrel hunting in a alfalfa field near Cedarville California and it showed the field I was in, the ranch where I stayed at, etc.  the Spot seems to have problems with very heavy cover (trees, canyons, etc.)  but so far we are happy with it.  I attach it to the front lid of my Hobie Pro Angler whenever I am on the water and I put the Spot on my dash when traveling.  be sure and get the extra search and rescue coverage and the tracking coverage instead of just the basic coverage.
I sent in the rebate and have gotten an email stating that my rebate was accepted and a check for 150.00 will be sent within 8 to 10 weeks.  I bought mine at West Marine.