Part of the purpose of any fishing trip, or any outdoor trip for that matter, can be to get away, become remote, get back to nature.

But temporarily. Not permanently.

We do want to return to loved ones.

But fishing or other remote activities can put you in danger.

If something happens to you—an injury, a medical emergency, getting lost or another trauma—it can be important to alert help, no matter how far you hiked up the trout stream, or how far from shore the boat engine broke down on the bay.

So if you’re cautious like you should be, you want to make sure you can easily call help. Or you also want to periodically let your loved ones know you’re okay when you’re out and about in nature.

SPOT is a Satellite Personal Tracker that can be used for all of this and more.

SPOT is a small, lightweight, reasonably inexpensive electronic device that sends a satellite message to emergency responders, including your GPS location, if you need help.

It can also track your trail for responders through GPS if you’re on the move.

Or it can be used to send messages to your family or friends, either asking them for help or periodically letting them know you’re okay throughout the day.

Both these messages to family or friends include your location and are either sent in a text message with GPS coordinates to their cell phone or e-mailed with a link to your location on Google Maps.

SPOT can also be used to send your waypoints to others throughout a trip, so they’re aware of your route.

Because SPOT communicates through satellites, it works around the world, including in remote locations, when cell phones do not, so long as there’s a clear view of the sky, the company says.

All the messages are sent with a simple press of a button, one for each of the several different types of messages.

It measures roughly 4 ½ inches tall by 2 ¾ inches wide, weighs about 7 ½ ounces and is battery operated.

The different types of satellite messages work through several different yearly subscription plans at an economical rate.

So be remote, but be safe. Be able to tell others the “spot” you’re in.

For more info, or to order a SPOT, visit the SPOT web site.