Tassie - North to South Solo Run - 02nd November 2010

[Ultrarunner]

Thought I might move this to a more appropriate Topic Heading


I will run approximately 450+kilometres (solo) from the north coast (Penguin) of Tasmania to the south coast (Cockle Creek) of Tasmania utilizing walking tracks where possible. Unfortunately some minor roads will have to be utilized, though these will be kept to an absolute minimum. It is anticipated that I will complete the run in 6-8 days.

I will be raising money for the Black Dog Institute - The Black Dog Institute is a not-for-profit, educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in depression and bipolar disorder. http://www.everydayhero.com.au/gary_burgess

Thanks to PWS Tasmania for their support and assistance and those who have made donations (big and small) and those that have offered encouragement and donations of gear to help me.

[ILUVSWTAS]

A noble cause indeed! I truly wish you all the best! Having somone close to me who suffers from bi-polar disorder I do truly respect and appretiate anything that will raise awareness.

Will you be carrying a spot or anything that we can monitor your progress??

[bluewombat]

Gary, thanks for taking this on. Like ILUVSWTAS I have someone dear to me affected by bi-polar. Happy to donate, hope everyone else gets behind you
bw

[Ultrarunner]

I will be carrying a spot 2, my biggest concern is that when the tracking is enabled the following may occur -

Spot system 'only reliably works when using the Iridium satellite system. If using the Globalstar satellite system based on previous field experience it has proven unreliable and due to lack of coverage can either cause initiation of SAR when no emergency exists, or inability to inform contacts of real emergency when in window of no coverage'.

The above is information from the Tasmanian PWS.

I would like to hear from anyone that has used the SPOT devices in the SW of Tas and any issues they have encountered with it.

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/gary_burgess

[photohiker]

Spot system 'only reliably works when using the Iridium satellite system. If using the Globalstar satellite system based on previous field experience it has proven unreliable and due to lack of coverage can either cause initiation of SAR when no emergency exists, or inability to inform contacts of real emergency when in window of no coverage'.

The above is information from the Tasmanian PWS.

With all due respect to the Tassie PWS, this sounds like hogwash.

The Spot system does not, has not, probably will not, ever use iridium.

Can the Spot Globalstar network suffer messaging failures? Of course it can. I'm sure SW Tassie is worse than other more open and more northerly areas of Australia, but your scenario relies on total failure of communication. With tracking on, and the spot being carried through the terrain, even if you lose 90% of the messages you would still get maybe 5 messages through in an 8 hour period.

How can the Spot cause 'initiation of SAR' if there is no coverage?

Of course there is a risk that an emergency beacon may not get out if you are in an area of no coverage. This could apply to a PLB using iridium as well. If this concerns you, perhaps you might need to take one of both...

[Ultrarunner]

My own research has indicated that the Globalstar network actually has excellent coverage in th SW of Tas. The SPOT limitations/reliability are no different to any other device that utilises satelites.

My wife has worked with geographic information systems for years, she also says that the claims from PWS appear to be 'strange', my only real concern was the claim that a 'false' SAR may be activated/initiated.

I would really like to hear from anyone that has used these devices - especially in Tas.

[photohiker]

I've used one, but not in Tas yet.

2 weeks walk across Scotland at latitude of 56-57 degrees north, using the 'Ok' button upon breaking camp in the morning and again when setting up camp at night. Tracking activated at the start of each day's walk. Several of the 'Ok' messages failed to arrive, and various tracking messages disappeared into the aether. The worst examples meant that the track appeared to have a 30 minute gap. I mounted the Spot2 high on my backpack shoulder harness to maximise coverage. Bear in mind that while Scotland has plenty of rugged terrain and its share of deep valleys that might inhibit satellite access, it has relatively little by way of overhanging tree canopy compared with Tasmania.

The original batteries lasted until mid morning on day 10.

Compared with a Spot1, the Spot2 appears to have better aerials. It certainly locks onto GPS quicker and in less ideal situations than Spot1. I would recommend using and becoming familiar with the use of the device before taking it on your actual run.

I'm guessing that the PWS thinks that the 'false SAR' is not initiated by the device, but by friends and family calling them because the messages have stopped. The only way to generate a SAR request from the Spot is to press the button, and in the Spot2, this button is protected to prevent an accidental activation. I believe this was a failing of the Spot1 (accidental activation)

Search this site for Spot, and you will find many lengthy discussions on the relative benefits of Spot and PLB, not worth repeating here.

Hope that helps...

[Ultrarunner]

Only a bit over 1 month to go before the run, have a spot 2 and will provide link closer to date of run so that those that are interested can follow my progress.

Keep the donations flowing (any amount can be donated) http://www.everydayhero.com.au/gary_burgess all donations of $30.00 and over will recieve a certificate of appreciation from me, donations of $100.00 and over will recieve a certificate and a special gift.

I also have another sponsor on board - http://www.perkyjerky.com.au/preloader.swf - thanks Chris and Kristen, I will have some sample packets of their superb jerky (various flavours) to hand out to walkers I meet whilst on the run.

And of course thanks to PWS Tasamania for their generous support and help.

[Ultrarunner]

Run now starting on 04th November, thanks again to those of you that have donated and offered support.

May be I will see some of you along the way

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/gary_burgess

[tasadam]

Don't know how I missed this topic until now. Best of luck, I wish you well.
My own reservation is in the "6 - 8 days" comment based on your route, but I'm prepared to put my hand in my pocket for the cause regardless.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Do you have the spot, so we can track your progress?

[flatfoot]

My own research has indicated that the Globalstar network actually has excellent coverage in th SW of Tas. The SPOT limitations/reliability are no different to any other device that utilises satelites.

My wife has worked with geographic information systems for years, she also says that the claims from PWS appear to be 'strange', my only real concern was the claim that a 'false' SAR may be activated/initiated.

I would really like to hear from anyone that has used these devices - especially in Tas.

I agree. I would think that it is unlikely that there would be false activations. The system relies on digital communication and it would be logical for the protocol to include some form of checksum to detect potential corruption of messages. I also think that a false 'SAR' would only result from user error or device malfunction (water intrusion which is probably unlikely). The SOS button on my Spot 2 is covered by a flexible cover to prevent accidental activation. The other buttons also need to be pressed firmly to activate the other functions in the device and I guess that SOS function would require a similarly firm press.

[Ultrarunner]

Don't know how I missed this topic until now. Best of luck, I wish you well.
My own reservation is in the "6 - 8 days" comment based on your route, but I'm prepared to put my hand in my pocket for the cause regardless.

There is no doubt that 6-8 days will be incredibly hard to achieve, and certainly the 'cross country' section is quite daunting. It will be an incredibly tough journey, no matter how long it takes.

Thank you for the support though, it is always nice.

As for the SPOT, it will be ready to go shortly. I will post link.

[tasadam]

As for the SPOT, it will be ready to go shortly. I will post link.

Excellent! Looking forward to following. Best of luck.

[Ultrarunner]

Hi,

I have a SPOT Messenger. I am sharing my location information with you. Click on the link to see where I am.

Just follow this link to see my location updates: (active from 04th November)
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... UhqpuJlvzc
If the link doesn't work, try copying and pasting it to your browser's address bar.


Thanks,
Gary

Blog - http://solorunnorthtosouthtasmania.blogspot.com

[tastrekker]

The Dial Range dispensed with before morning tea. Not a bad start!

[tasadam]

Wonder how long the updates take to go online, I note nothing for 2 hours...

[photohiker]

Not that long. Its normally within a few minutes.

The device is not sending I suspect.

[tasadam]

I see it's been updated again.
One thing just occurred to me, I hope he's got an Overland track pass... Or he's likely to be turned back.

[Azza]

I'm guessing they are going to have to catch him first....

[stepbystep]

They could head him off at Pelion!
Next 2 or 3 days are going to be very interesting, going well so far.....

[tastrekker]

Hmmm... The intrigue is building a bit. What happened between the top of Loongana Range and the Cradle Mt Camping Ground? I was keen to see what sort of pace he maintained through the poorly defined section of the Penguin-Cradle Track from Black Bluff to Mt Beecroft then through the Fourways, Pandani Grove and Speeler Plains to Pencil Pine. That would have given some indication of how he will fair on the poorly defined and non-existant tracks from the Lyell Highway to the Gordon River Road. Oh well!

This morning, Gary is moving at a similar pace to yesterday, covering approx 20km from the Cradle camping ground to Waterfall Valley in his first 4.5 hours (similar distance to the Penguin to Gunns Plains bit from yesterday). At that rate he should be able to knock the OT off his list sometime after midnight tonight.

[stepbystep]

Hmmm... The intrigue is building a bit. What happened between the top of Loongana Range and the Cradle Mt Camping Ground? I was keen to see what sort of pace he maintained through the poorly defined section of the Penguin-Cradle Track from Black Bluff to Mt Beecroft then through the Fourways, Pandani Grove and Speeler Plains to Pencil Pine. That would have given some indication of how he will fair on the poorly defined and non-existant tracks from the Lyell Highway to the Gordon River Road. Oh well!

Agreed, hopefully he is carrying a GPS and will share his exact route when it's all over....

[tasadam]

I'm guessing they are going to have to catch him first....

Isn't that the truth! He sure is moving!

[tasadam]

How do you get the SPOT site to show more than 50 updates?
Half way down Lake St Clair at 1AM this morning, fair going for it...

[eggs]

On the bottom left of the spot chart you can see an area which says Page .. of ..
In his case it is page 1 of 2.
To see more entries click the arrow for next page.

If this is like the SPOT setup we used, the data on this page will eventually time out and disappear - in reverse order, but that should take about a week before it starts happening.

[tasadam]

Thanks, yes I'd tried that. I was hoping for a single page with all entries on it.
I was remembering the Cannibal Run and seem to recall I didn't have to toggle between pages for all the updates there.

[photohiker]

looks like he is sleeping in today.

Must have forgotten to turn it on I guess...

[eggs]

I think the Cannibal Run had paid for a proper SPOT page setup - that is when you can create permanent records.
This one looks more like the temporary page you get when you do a short term hiring.

[Nuts]

He would have/have had, set the recording history (duration)/posts to display for any particular user group he linked (ie before he left). This is in the setup for tracking.