Does "send tracking" need to be on for someone to request a location on mapshare page?

Location requests are included in US recreational plans under the same terms as track points. On the safety plan, each location request will cost you $0.10.

The real issue here is timing. The device is not going to send the response to the locate request until it receives the locate request. If you are not sending track points, the device will check for inbound traffic only at power up, when you send a message, and automatically once per hour. So there will usually be a substantial delay in responding to the locate request. Also note that the device needs a clear view of the sky for this to work at all.

The general point of the safety plan is minimal cost with the ability to manually send SOS messages (or text/email to non-emergency-responders). This means that you must be physically capable of asking for help, and that you must have a reasonably clear view of the sky when you do it. If you break a leg in a deep canyon and are immobilized, you probably cannot successfully send a manual request even if conscious. 

When you actively send track points, even at extended intervals (such as once every 30 minutes or once an hour), you greatly improve your chances of prompt assistance if you do become disabled/unable to manually request help. When somebody finally notices that you are overdue, at least SAR has a reasonably recent location from which to begin the search.

My personal take on this is that $1.60 per day (track point every 30 minutes for 8 hours) is not too much to pay to save my life. Not being critical. Just pointing out the tradeoffs.

Ahhhhh, that is why I am seeing substantial delay on testing!  Thanks.  I mainly  use my inreach mini for rock climbing, so tend to be in one place for duration of day (after hike in and hike out to what might be a remote crag).  So, I typically send a preset message with GPS location when I get to crag (to verify I went where I said I was going) and when I am heading out.  Maybe I send a preset message middle of day to say all is well.  So, we never use mapshare.  This system works really well for us as once I am at the location for the day and have messaged her, she knows where I am and if overdue she would message me back and if I was then overdue further or overdue with response (understanding inherent delays) then she could send help as she would know approach.

Just figured that if I was overdue and hadn't messaged or if my wife was just curious as to my current location (still at crag or hiking out or driving home) that she could do a location request, but I see this is a bit futile if not sending tracks.  I can see where on certain trips it may be useful to do as you say and send tracks every 30 minutes as it seems this would at least hasten a locate request if not tell her from last send track where I was.

Your answer helps a lot!

• Problem there being when on longer outing & one becomes disabled & cannot send preset message (certainly a possibility when rock climbing or doing about anything in remote environs). So would be ideal to have some level of location monitoring without user input 

what did you end up finding out?   just got an inreach for christmas and really want that tracking ability if i don't come home and can't hit the SOS

Read the note by twolpert below my original question.

Effectively you do want to be sending tracking (& send to mapshare)  for someone to ping your location.

Now after having backpacker for 7 weeks on remote arizona trail, I would recommend sending tracking to mapshare for any prolonged outing.  If on safety plan, just choose to send every 4 hours. & if doing overnights turn off garmin after reaching destination after a final send.

If on rec plan, heck send every 10-20 min. (Maybe turn off at night to save battery. 

Worked great for us & you have inreach2 likely so twice or more battery of my version 1 ... and we went 3-5 days between charges.