InReach SOS by mistake!!

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,862
Location
Colorado
Anyone ever send an SOS on your InReach by mistake?

Well… I did.

Last weekend I was out Turkey hunting. I just set up on some turkeys about 5am.

I sat down on my pack and a couple minutes later I hear this ‘Ding’…

I look at my phone and see “SOS has been activated. Emergency response is enroute”

HOLY EFFIN *}*#**#+#++#!!!!

I missed a call from Texas and another from the local sheriff office.

I immediately, and I mean immediately, sent the cancel message!!

UffDa…

So yes, it can happen. The InReach unit was not turned on. Somehow the SOS buttons got turned on.
 

PNWGATOR

WKR
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
2,646
Location
USA
Meh…sh!t happens.

You’re good.

No one on the rescue side of things thinks anything about it. You handled it well and immediately. Glad you have the device in case you actually do need it.
 
OP
cnelk

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,862
Location
Colorado
On a side note:

My emergency contacts were also contacted so I had to also explain to them all was ok.
 

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
6,348
You sure it wasn’t your phone that sent the SOS signal? Not sure how Inreach works when off.
 
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
534
Location
Northeast
Anyone give you any trouble over it?

I also wonder if it was your phone. I've had mine open up the emergency call in my pocket before.
 
OP
cnelk

cnelk

WKR
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
6,862
Location
Colorado
You sure it wasn’t your phone that sent the SOS signal? Not sure how Inreach works when off.

No. Definitely sat down on my pack that activated the SOS.
Phone was in my cargo pocket of my pants.

The sos function can be activated when the unit is off
 

ODB

WKR
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
3,795
Location
N.F.D.
You sure it wasn’t your phone that sent the SOS signal? Not sure how Inreach works when off.

This is a design feature. When the inReach is off, all you have to do is press and hold the SOS button. It turns the unit on and sends the SOS on confirm.

This is one way to make the battery last a very very long time.
 

PNWGATOR

WKR
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
2,646
Location
USA
I’m sorry for the family and friends who received the message. Horrible. Sh!t happens and I appreciate this post so I’m aware of and more consciousness of storing my in reach to avoid this design flaw.
 

Slugz

WKR
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
626
Thanks for sharing that.
Good info. I had no idea.
I wanna now pull out the paperwork and go line by line again over it cause I clearly missed that while reading.
 

neil.hansford

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Messages
277
Location
Montana
I've had the same thing happen. Was in my truck heading hunting and got the call from Texas. My emergency contacts were also contacted. Something in my pack must've been laying on the button with enough pressure to push it. My InReach even had the "lock" feature that was supposed to lock the SOS button, but it didn't. Be conscious of where you put those devices. I now keep mine separate from other things in my pack.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 

Dwnw/theAltitudesickness

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
219
Funny this happened to me this past weekend as well. Have carried the Delorme Inreach for 5+ years and never once had it before. Randomly had cell service and the phone wasn't in airplane mode. Had 5-6 pings for inreach messages on the phone & then it rang. Was setting up camp & though I had to have hit a button from the phone, but it was the slide & push of the SOS button on the unit itself.

They just called it an accidental activation, had me send the cancelation SOS text and all was good.
 
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