Anybody using a personal locator beacon? How did you choose it and what would you buy next time around?
Personal locator beacons
- Thread starter johnbryanpeters
- Start date
Stalking someone or have you reached the age where you are getting lost in the Piggly Wiggly?
I have a Spot that I used when I raced the Baja 1000... I've found it a bit funky to use. I'll turn it on and get it sending a signal, but later find that it's turned itself off. I haven't really tried to figure out why, I don't really use it that much. So... basically I'm of no help.
I tend to ride a lot solo or with one other rider, seldom tell anyone when/where I'm going, and will often get quite a number of miles out in seldom traveled terrain, often without cellular phone coverage. If I wind up with an injury or major mechanical that prevents walking out, I would not be a bad thing to be able to trigger a call for assistance.
This article, while overstated and seemingly presumes that you have a pack mule, is what got me thinking.
I looked at the ACR devices mentioned in the article, but I'm not going to jump in without some input from someone who has used one for, say, a year or so.
This article, while overstated and seemingly presumes that you have a pack mule, is what got me thinking.
I looked at the ACR devices mentioned in the article, but I'm not going to jump in without some input from someone who has used one for, say, a year or so.
The Breitling Emergency... All you need.
No, fuck no. I don't want metal on my wrist or a dentist's equivalent of a lifted pickup all set to roll coal.
The Breitling Emergency... All you need.
But think how impressed your dates will be!!
If I ever feel lost, I just find a hot girl to talk to. Then, within 3 minutes, the Frau will show up and block me...
If you have a Android phone and a gmail account. Use the ADM app in mail to sync your phone. Set up a dummy account and have the app track your phone with the notices sent to the dummy account and share with your loved ones....
http://trendblog.net/how-to-track-your-lost-android-phone-without-tracking-app/
Hilarie's pretty tolerant about who I ride with.
Rented a brand new Spot tracker when I did Tour Divide, it crapped out late one evening when I was heading over the top of a mountain (Fleecer Ridge), meant my family/watchers thought I spent the night near the peak of a mountain.
Presume they've improved in the last 5 years, but that didn't fill me with confidence.
Presume they've improved in the last 5 years, but that didn't fill me with confidence.
I have not used one since the 90s and even then it was borrowed. Aside from reliability I would want a beacon that lasts for 7 days or lomger. When I get out and about in the woods again it will be standard equipment and not cell phone based. I personally wouldn't put my life in the hands of a cell phone company.
I'm leaning towards the ResQLink+ PLB.
Also: search NOAA website for units that are actually authorized for search and rescue opperations. I do know the ones that used to be commonlying available were private service based and pretty popular in the adventure race crowd, local search and rescue often would not respond.
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)
PLBs are portable units that operate much the same as EPIRBs or ELTs. These beacons are designed to be carried by an individual person instead of on a boat or aircraft. Unlike ELTs and some EPIRBs, they can only be activated manually and operate exclusively on 406 MHz. And like EPIRBs and ELTs all PLBs also have a built-in, low-power homing beacon that transmits on 121.5 MHz. This allows rescue forces to home in on a beacon once the 406 MHz satellite system has gotten them "in the ballpark" (about 2-3 miles).Some newer PLBs also allow GPS units to be integrated into the distress signal. This GPS-encoded position dramatically improves the location accuracy down to the 100-meter level…that’s roughly the size of a football field!
In the United States, PLBs are now authorized for nationwide use. This authorization was granted by the FCC beginning July 1st, 2003.
Prior to July 1st, 2003 only residents of Alaska had been able to use PLBs. The Alaska PLB Program was set up to test the capabilities of PLBs and their potential impact on SAR resources. Since March of 1995, the experiment proved very successful and helped save nearly 400 lives while generating only a few false alerts. The success of the Alaska PLB program undoubtedly paved the way for nationwide usage of these devices.
If you need to register a 406 MHz PLB, you can now register online or you may download a beacon registration form from the registration website and then fax the form to us at: (301) 817-4565. For any other registration questions, please call us at: 1-888-212-SAVE (7283).
PLBs are portable units that operate much the same as EPIRBs or ELTs. These beacons are designed to be carried by an individual person instead of on a boat or aircraft. Unlike ELTs and some EPIRBs, they can only be activated manually and operate exclusively on 406 MHz. And like EPIRBs and ELTs all PLBs also have a built-in, low-power homing beacon that transmits on 121.5 MHz. This allows rescue forces to home in on a beacon once the 406 MHz satellite system has gotten them "in the ballpark" (about 2-3 miles).Some newer PLBs also allow GPS units to be integrated into the distress signal. This GPS-encoded position dramatically improves the location accuracy down to the 100-meter level…that’s roughly the size of a football field!
In the United States, PLBs are now authorized for nationwide use. This authorization was granted by the FCC beginning July 1st, 2003.
Prior to July 1st, 2003 only residents of Alaska had been able to use PLBs. The Alaska PLB Program was set up to test the capabilities of PLBs and their potential impact on SAR resources. Since March of 1995, the experiment proved very successful and helped save nearly 400 lives while generating only a few false alerts. The success of the Alaska PLB program undoubtedly paved the way for nationwide usage of these devices.
If you need to register a 406 MHz PLB, you can now register online or you may download a beacon registration form from the registration website and then fax the form to us at: (301) 817-4565. For any other registration questions, please call us at: 1-888-212-SAVE (7283).
Those units are way more advanced than anything I ever used with the exception of battery life. Someone on the monkey must have search and rescue experience, 30 hours just doesn't seem long enough.
The 30 hours is post-activation, plenty of time for responders to get a position fix. The fact that battery replacement's essentially a factory refurb is somewhat of a PITA.
I can see the headline now.
Mountainbiker rescued in Vermont back-country after getting mustache caught in chain.
When I lived on the Bong Boat in Seattle I got an unnerving knock on the door from the Coast Guard. Turns out the neighbors EPERB had gone off. He ended up with a bashed in hatch cover and possibly a false call fine.
Mountainbiker rescued in Vermont back-country after getting mustache caught in chain.
When I lived on the Bong Boat in Seattle I got an unnerving knock on the door from the Coast Guard. Turns out the neighbors EPERB had gone off. He ended up with a bashed in hatch cover and possibly a false call fine.
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Some of our airplanes carry PLB's in addition to the on board ELT. If there is one in the hangar this morning I'll see what brand they are. No real experience with them, but I know the airline bought dozens, so somebody thought fairly highly of them.
Occasionally someone will set off an ELT, either in the hangar or somewhere out on the airfield on accident. The phones and the radios blow up right quick when it happens. That shit is taken pretty damn seriously.
No aircraft in teh hangar today with PLB's on board, but a search through the parts department lead me to one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/ACR-AquaLink-PLB-Personal-Locator/dp/B00C7WU7CU
Somewhat amusingly, that amazon price is about 10$ less than what we paid for 180 of them in a bulk order.
http://www.amazon.com/ACR-AquaLink-PLB-Personal-Locator/dp/B00C7WU7CU
Somewhat amusingly, that amazon price is about 10$ less than what we paid for 180 of them in a bulk order.
Interesting. The same PLB I was looking at. It perplexes me that I'm not seeing more manufacturers out there; I suspect that the market might be limited.
We have 406mhz ones at work that we check out when we are traveling into the "bush", here in Alaska. Nothing fancy, has test switch and on/off, but it's as mentioned above, notifies sats and broadcasts a 121.5 and gets you rescued most likely. Spot and some other services on the iridium network are quite a bit more expensive and to do things like show progress on the internets.
I looked into them a few years back for the same reasons. I tend to ride alone a lot and the wife gets a little bit nervous about me being all over creation and most definitely out of cell service. That being said, SPOTs seem like an okay little device. Their cheap initial buy in is a bit misleading however as you need to pay a monthly activation fee from there on out to actually use them. So that sucks as it won't take too long to exceed the cost of buying something like say, the ACR. The Delorme Inreach is nice in the sense that it can send text messages checking in or alerting a loved one that you are okay. A bit of peace of mind for your SO in situations where you might get caught out later than expected but are not experiencing an emergency. Again, monthly fee associated with use.
My personal choice (haven't actually acted on it yet) was to get the ACR. Higher up front cost but what you pay is what you pay. No monthly activation fee and a very robust device. Seeing as how I would only intend to activate it for emergencies, the text update feature, while nice, is an extravagance I wouldn't need.
This is the one I have bookmarked. $258.94 of significant other satisfying greatness.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JXY0CQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=G8CGBUZ1FPAP&coliid=I2IPF4N60WKKIA
My personal choice (haven't actually acted on it yet) was to get the ACR. Higher up front cost but what you pay is what you pay. No monthly activation fee and a very robust device. Seeing as how I would only intend to activate it for emergencies, the text update feature, while nice, is an extravagance I wouldn't need.
This is the one I have bookmarked. $258.94 of significant other satisfying greatness.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JXY0CQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=G8CGBUZ1FPAP&coliid=I2IPF4N60WKKIA
A lot of the operators here in Alaska also use Spidertracks, in addition to ADS-B and having an ELT on board. Spidertracks fills in the gaps where ADS-B can't be picked up, plus when something stops, it doesn't just fall off the display, it stays there until it moves again.
We use the Shout Nano. Seems like a decent Iridium-only unit. We actually did a live test of the system yesterday and effected a recovery. But it's part of a larger worldwide monitored program. If you buy an Iridium device for personal use, you need to subscribe to some kind of monitoring service, yes?
For a personal device, I'd look into a dual SARSAT/iridium function I'd think...
For a personal device, I'd look into a dual SARSAT/iridium function I'd think...
You're deeper into the underlying technology than I am.
I don't know what service the ACR ResQLink+ communicates with. but the documentation says no subscription fee.
If I want coverage when we're in AZ, I need to get off my ass and order.
Does anyone know of any personal locator bacon?
If I get lost in the woods I think I'd prefer bacon over rescue.
If I get lost in the woods I think I'd prefer bacon over rescue.
John, my very rough understanding: basically there are two systems:
Iridium, which is commercial and based on (duh) the Iridium satellite network (ie satphone); offers messaging and other capabilities which SARSAT does not. May be less robust than SARSAT in some ways but fancier and, again, believe it requires you pay into some sort of service plan. I can monitor my office's Shout Nanos real-time by logging into the provider's website. We don't have messaging enabled on our units far as I know.
Then there's SARSAT, which is international and government-sponsored with its roots in at-sea rescue. When you hit one of these, it notifies a satellite which notifies a governmental node of some kind, depending on where you are. Heard these referred to as "406" beacons because they operate on 406mhz.
Some PLBs incorporate both, and this is what the gurus recommended to us if we were carrying a personal device. We're using Iridium so I'm guessing it's "good enough for government work..."
Pre-edit: And REI says it best
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
Iridium, which is commercial and based on (duh) the Iridium satellite network (ie satphone); offers messaging and other capabilities which SARSAT does not. May be less robust than SARSAT in some ways but fancier and, again, believe it requires you pay into some sort of service plan. I can monitor my office's Shout Nanos real-time by logging into the provider's website. We don't have messaging enabled on our units far as I know.
Then there's SARSAT, which is international and government-sponsored with its roots in at-sea rescue. When you hit one of these, it notifies a satellite which notifies a governmental node of some kind, depending on where you are. Heard these referred to as "406" beacons because they operate on 406mhz.
Some PLBs incorporate both, and this is what the gurus recommended to us if we were carrying a personal device. We're using Iridium so I'm guessing it's "good enough for government work..."
Pre-edit: And REI says it best
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
Thanks, Mike,
I think I'm going to purchase the device I mentioned above.
I think I'm going to purchase the device I mentioned above.
"The government" gives us 406 models. It's usually whatever's cheapest. If they thought they could get away with just giving us whistles, they probably would.
Here's what we use for Alaska:
http://www.satphonestore.com/application-browsing/tracking/acr-2882-aqualink-view-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon.html
That looks like the right model. I think there are smaller ones that so just as well now.
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Same manufacturer, lesser model for more money.
Yeah, ours serve dual function: they're a personal tracker-locator so real-time position information can be tracked worldwide (ping rate is user-variable) with a 911 button to act as a PLB in an emergency. They are running all the time, not just once the 911 is activated.
That sounds pleasant.
Beacon arrived today, just registered it. Registration was on-line, fast and efficient.
You didn't get the Helmet mount? We can only help so much....
I have and have had to use my SPOT. 2012 while biking with a group in CO, second day into the trip a chic in our group broke her leg at about about 12,000 feet midway down the mountain. LSS I hit the button and a couple of hours later the helicopter showed up and whisked her away.
Good - Worked Perfect. Service is I think $100 a year i think.
Bad - With this unit you don't really know what's going on, on the rescuers end because you have no direct communication with them. Our situation was exasperated because the heli came, circled for a bit and left. We thought they either couldn't find a place to land or didn't because it looked like a storm was about to blow through. Ended up they had to many people in the heli to take off at the altitude we were out so they had to drop a person off and come back.
Function, ease of use, value and performance - A+
GFF has been using a Spot for a few years now and he hasn't been lost yet, so I would say it works pretty well. 