Realtime GPS tracking - Some help please

For the fifth year in a row I am entering the Quebec Lac St Jean 42km crossing. I need to make it a little more interesting for my support crew and also now I am a father, a little safer. Can anybody give me a quick summary of the technology used in surfski races in Aussie or SA that enable viewers to track the competitors progress and speed? What brand / model of locator seems to work? At the moment I have I Phone to another I Phone or to laptop but that will not give speed. Can I buy a large GPS unit with mapping and locator tracking functionality? I am a neophyte here... All advice appreciated.

Kind Regards

David
Montreal

Grab a SPoT Tracker, we use them for all of our offshore expeditions, great for keeping everyone in the loop as to where you are, not so great as an emergency beacon.

Good luck with your grind.
GPS city in Calgary should have what you want and at a good price.
www.gpscity.ca/
Perhaps the oregon 450?

godzoneadventure.com/ during this race they used www.yellowbrick-tracking.com/ and they seemed to be very effective.