Spot Messenger Providing Adventure Race Tracking
Jun 23, 2008
GPS World

Tracking for competitors in distance racing continues to be an evolving application for GPS technology. Spot LLC announced today that it is providing real-time tracking of the 60 teams participating in this year's Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race.

Primal Quest 2008 is taking place in Montana's Big Sky Country today through July 2, 2008. The race is a 10-day, 500-mile, coed team adventure race; it is the largest human-powered, multi-discipline, multi-day event of its kind in the world, according to race organizers.

Followers of the race can track the progress of the teams with real-time GPS tracking and custom leader board technology provided by Spot via Google Maps and MyTopo Maps. Spot is also naturally using the opportunity to promote its new combo messenger and personal locator beacon; adventure race fans can register to win a Spot Satellite Messenger signed by the winner of Primal Quest 2008.

Spot LLC first unveiled its Spot Messenger in October 2007. The company is a subsidiary of Globalcom Satellite Communications, the company that provides the Gobalstar satellite telephone and related data services. The unit can pinpoint a user's location to within 20 feet, and enable him or her to contact as many as five people to receive an e-mail or text message to their cellular phone when the user activates the Spot's OK or Help features. The device can also be configured to contact emergency search and rescue personnel directly as an option.

While the use of GPS tracking for athletic training isn't new, its use for viewers and fans to track race athletes during competition is, and is likely to spread. GTX Corp.'s GPS tracking device, gpVector, got a 26.2-mile test in April in the Boston Marathon, for example. MyAthlete, which had licensed GTX's gpVector GPS Personal Location Service (PLS) for its own athlete tracking service, was testing the system and beta production hardware from GTX on the Boston racecourse following similar tests in other marathons. It made beta production units available at no charge to a limited group of athletes competing in the marathon.

The testing proved successful; MyAthelete subsequently placed an order for 1,000 tracking units from GTX. That order also prompted GTX to expand its operations as it put gpVector into production.