If you have a Garmin (n. DeLorme) InReach GPS satellite messaging device and you have it registered with me for spotting then please read on…
The Garmin back room boys have been busy “improving” their systems. They have improved things by changing a number of account setup options for their users. For sending an SMS to another phone user, there’s no dramatic change, but for people sending spots it has the effect of breaking things. Thanks Garmin!
If you do have an InReach device you use for spotting, please login in to your Garmin account and check the SMS message configuration setup has “Include a link to an online map with my location” selected. Garmin have deselected this option on a number of SOTA users’ accounts.
Funny you mention Scotland in the “Morse stick paddle” thread. I’m guessing you meant the moisture. My bagpipe instructor back in the early 80’s (Bill Reid, Lexington, KY) talked about how everyone always wore wool clothes there. He mentioned going out to gather the sheep when the fog would roll in so thick that he just had to sit for a bit till he could find and gather the sheep when the fog lifted enough to see a decent distance. And that the clothes would be soaked, but the wool at least kept you warm. That thought just popped in when I read your comment.
A kilt is generally heavy wool but nobody in their right mind would wear wool next to the skin (except Merino) - or wear it on the hill. My stalking tweeds are heavy wool and that is because they are, essentially, waterproof but when they do wet-out after crawling miles through wet heather they are as heavy as hell and not at all warm.
Point taken from you gents, he was in his 60’s back then and known for pulling folks’ legs a bit. But now that Barry mentioned it, I’ll need to go sample that bottle of Laphroaig in the cabinet. Just to make sure it’s still ok. But I’m always open to sample other varieties.
Not sure how much it costs on the left side of the pond but…
Anything from MacAllen or Balvennie (especially Balvennie Caribbean Cask 14yr)
Anything Laphroiag
Bowmore No.1 12yr
Cardhu 12yr
Old Pulteney 12yr
Dalmore
And much looked down on by Malt snobs, Glen Morrangie 10yr
Of course there are just so many to try and now all the special finishes in limited production runs gives rise to many opportunities. I try this and that but I find the things on the above list are always reliable and dependable and worth coming back to.
There are also plenty of Irish and Japanese Malts that are wonderous. Red Breast is a fine Irish Malt and the 12, 15 and 18 yr variants are very more-ish.
Then there are all those US Bourbons and even some of the blended whiskies are really good. I quite like Makers Mark and Johnny Walker Black Label. Black Label is surprisingly good but as it’s almost as expensive as a single malt, it’s difficult to justify the price.
Apologies for having gone so far off topic, but one has to keep warm in the cold, damp times. Thanks for the recommendations. I do have Johnny Walker Black and Macallen in the cabinet to keep the Laphroaig company, as well as some Maker’s Mark (I grew up in KY). Haven’t tried some of the others, but the Johnny Black bottle is almost empty, so will try one of the others to replace it. Some of the folks at work also like Scotch, but they favor the way more expensive kinds than I drink. Guess the Laphroaig is my favorite so far (about US $50 on this side of the pond). Used to be a fireman way back, and the Laphroaig’s smokey taste always brings back memories.
If you really want to savour something different, I suggest you try Aberlour A’Bunadh. At around 58.5% ABV, (approaching 120 degrees proof), it’s not for the faint hearted, but what a fabulous whisky, just don’t ruin it by adding ice!
Well it looks like yet more changes have been made by Garmin but I have added these in to the ever expanding message formats these devices send.
Once more please login to your InReach accounts and check the settings have not been changed. Also if you use an app on your phone to drive your InReach (I’ve been told the InReach UI is a bit of a pain to use) then you need to ensure the options to include a link to your location are set in your phone app. Otherwise you may think you have set everything correctly but the app will overide them.
Finally, I think that I am getting close to reaching then end of chasing my tail trying to keep up with the moving target of Garmin format changes so it’s probably time to design an alternative authentication system. In the meantime, we should be good until the next time.
Now if anyone has an email address for someone in support of InRead devices in Garmin, please let me have it. It may well be worth approaching them and seeing if they can offer something that makes authentication easier. I’m sure this is not the only kind of service that needs some level of certainty that the message is from a genuine sender.
