Spartan Gocam

[phade]

I had a chance to toy with one a few weeks ago.

I ended up getting a pair of ATT models this week. There are Verizon models but are more expensive to buy and run. Set them up and I have to say this cam is pretty fun and has a ton of new capabilities.

The phone app is convenient and useful. I can check battery voltage, change settings and then some. Even request higher res images. I am receiving 1280 size pics, double the 640 of prior cell cams I have used. I can also give guest access to others to see pics. That's good for family or club ground.

Cam is built well case wise. Solid battery banks and batteries will not pop out on you in the field. This cam is black flash and has good illumination for black flash as I am getting usable pics at 30 to 40 feet. Haven't tested beyond that yet.

I'll have it deployed out of the backyard and in the woods this week.

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[grampy]

Just curious, what is the price tag on a cam like that, all set up and ready to go? Sounds like a winner. I'm sure you will give us an honest review as always!

[phade]

Att models runs around low 300s for a deal. Most in the mid 300. Verizon is usually 50 or 100 more. Running the cam with the app and the data plan is around 11 a month but you can start and stop service without issue.

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Edited April 28, 2016 by phade

[phade]

I have to say, the more this cam gives me updates and pics, the more I like this camera.

 

The app, portal site, and the communications going back and forth is absolutely feature rich, and best part of all, is that it is pretty darn simple.

 

I have near all information I could ever want or need to run this cam at its max potential. I will be toying with my solar panel setups for these cams as well. I have cheap alkalines in the one now and was trying to see how many pics I can get at the bird feeder but the beasts are not co-operating today. Probably because of our "adopted" feral cat that sticks around now.

 

 

[phade]

Here is a screenshot of the portal. I am running a pair of cams.

 

 

[phade]

Actual transmitted pic in 1280 size.

 

These cams are awesome.

[phade]

I've been testing out battery life on one in my backyard and it's giving me great performance.

 

I have super cheap alkalines. These cams take 12 AA. The total cost in this cam battery wise is $2.70 right now.

 

The camera has taken and sent 456 photos in the large format size of 1280 during the past three weeks with full flash setting on. Cam is still showing 5.7v, which is quite shocking to me. Either these batteries will fall off quickly and die, or I'm going to be really surprised. I got between 6 and 800 transmitted images on Code Blacks with similar batteries sending 640 size images with zero portal/two way communications, and I've been hammering this camera with status update requests and camera setting changes, which typically uses alot of juice.

 

At the onset, I expected to get 200-300 photos before the batteries started to show a dent. If I got 300 photos in this test, I was going to be pleased. Being well over that at this point is impressive. If I break 600 transmitted images, it might be plausible to not need lithiums for some setups of for those who will have the cam out only a month at a time before a revisit.

 

At this pace, the cam will get two pics for every penny of battery cost. That is cheap for a cell/data cam.

 

 

Edited May 14, 2016 by phade

[Lawdwaz]

Cold weather will effect those numbers though won't it?

[phade]

Cold weather will effect those numbers though won't it?

 

This is long...but it has alot of info.

 

I wouldn't be afraid to run these cams through all of bow season with alkalines and probably the majority of gun season, save for some unseasonably early cold snap that puts temps into the 20s for an extended period of time (more than a day or two). Cold weather won't necessarily fully kill alkaline in the scenarios we get in November and early December with a short cold spell. Typically the cam will not fire/trigger when the temps are super low, but as temps rise, the cam comes "alive" again. I wouldn't run alkaline in a cell cam in say late season through March, but I rarely set cell cams out then.

 

My "guess" at this point is a set of quality alkalines will easily get you six weeks (maybe 8 and 500 photos transmitted, which would work for people who would set one up over a scrape or a bedding area and let it ride for a month or two. Remember these cams aren't triggering every 10 or 15 seconds and re-triggering - cell/data cams really max out at the one trigger per minute, and maybe one trigger per 45 seconds in areas where you have strong signal and a serious  aftermarket antenna. 500 triggers is alot of triggers for cams not set on bait/licks/food plots or areas where deer simply park themselves. My photo count is going to be exaggerated in this test because I am getting 150+ pics a week right now, and that is a ton in a short period of time. You'll lose some pic count when setting for longer periods of time because of the resting current draw when the cam is not snapping pics.

 

I have advanced (not ultimates) lithium in another Gocam that is only sitting at 97 photos transmitted during the same time period - the one I posted a photo of above. Based on the alkalines, I am expecting 1,500-2,000 images over an extended period of time - 3 mos. or more with lithium. Tough part is that it took $19 to feed the cam. Cost wise is probably going to favor the alkaline (almost always does when the math is considered), but the convenience factor and probably the perk of setting a cam in August or Labor Day weekend and not needing to step foot in that spot again until you want to hunt is attractive. Part of the reason I have lithium in that cam is because I have zero desire to go back into that woods once the bugs arrive unless I absolutely need to.

 

All that said, if you are savvy, you can buy a decent solar panel with integrated L-I battery for around $50, that would pay for itself in the first year of use or less depending on pic count sent.

 

I am also getting 100% transmission of photos taken vs. sent on both cams. I've never had that on any cell cam prior, and that is important considering their use. Code Blacks and the other cheaper cell cams I use ran between 80-90%.

Edited May 14, 2016 by phade

[phade]

Camera report shows voltage dropped to 5.1V from 5.7 overnight with 597 photos taken in three weeks and a few days. This is on super cheap alkaline. Great performance.

 

I've now added a solar panel and L-I integrated battery to see if the voltage will go up. I forgot to charge the panel/battery overnight after not having charged it for two months, so I am hoping the sunlight will eventually get that juice flowing.

[phade]

Cam just reported back to me - showing 5.7v now. Panel looks like it is working.

 

I am going to leave this cam set up as is with the weak alkaline internally and the external solar/LI battery this week and see what happens.

[phade]

Solar panel is kicking butt. It has put on another 100 photos with the weak alkalines and still showing full 5.7v. Cam has taken majority of these pics at night which consumes more power and would show the battery weakness.

 

I am going to buy a couple sets of rechargeables for internal use and deploy the camera/panel long-term this weekend. No need for further testing at this point.

[phade]

I've picked up a few more of these cams and they're really where  the bar is set for cell/data cams right now.

 

Rechargable AA with the solar panel worked out well.

[phade]

Pics...

[GR HUNTER]

Phade, can you put up a few more night time pics? I'd like to see the quality of objects a little further out and possibly on the move. Thanks.  

[phade]

Here are some

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[Water Rat]

phade ,

Do you know if the Spartan security case has an opening for the antenna ?

[Water Rat]

disregard phade.....found the answer to my question.

[NonTypical]

Does the gocam have any kind of gps tracking? Down here on the Island, things have a way of disappearing and it is hard to justify spending the coin on something that might disappear. Are there any wireless cams that have gps that is reliable? 

[phade]

There is nothing on the market that is going to help you catch someone who steals the cam. The gps part of bushnell requires you add the location in its geotag. This is good marketing spin but it's not going to result in you catching a thief. The best hope you have is getting a pic transmitted.

In fact one member here on this very site arrested a trespasser and thief this past week from a cam I sold him. The cam sent the pic before thief turned it off. Cops showed up and arrested him.


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[phade]

I created a video on power options for the Gocam. If anyone is interested, Spartan liked it so much they put it on their social media pages. It is on their FB page now.


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