I'll say it again - if SPOT was a portable two-way messaging device (a satellite texter) I would buy one and pay the annual fee. Heck, I pay $120 a year for texting on my cellphone. I think a lot of us would buy it - those that have family that worry about us all-alone-out-there-might-get-eaten-by-a-bear-yadda-yadda. It wouldn't have to be 100% reliable, because we'd be able to tell if our messages were getting out or not. If we did need assistance, we could provide a description of the assistance needed, and maybe even contact the appropriate agency to provide it. I've said as much to the people behind SPOT. I don't know if they can deliver such a device, but that's what I'm waiting for. Until then, those ACR PLBs are getting reasonably light AND under $250...that's a SPOT with one year of service.