PLB and Spot experiences, feedback

[PV_Premier]

As I am getting older I realize the stupidity of a number of my past activities, including the risks I have taken off the grid without cell access, wading dicey rivers, encountering rattlesnakes, etc.

So, I am looking at using this year's tax return to buy a Spot GPS or other PLB solution. The reviews on SPOT online are pretty hit or miss and I am not crazy about paying for the monthly monitoring subscription, so I am also considering more sophisticiated PLBs.

Anyone have one they really love or maybe more importantly negative experiences with different models?

[Fly Guy Dave]

I don't have and never have used a Spot or PLB so I can't help with that, but there are many threads on this site on the topic:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/

I think you could gather a lot of info from the fine folks there that would be useful.

[johnsquires]

Be sure to check out the cost of replacement batteries. I don't have a subscription, but it cost $300 to service and replace the battery on the unit I have.

[Mickey]

I purchased this model for kayaking in the ocean but also take it with me on other excursions. It fits nicely in my life jacket, fishing vest or pack. It takes up very little space and makes me more inclined to always carry it. Sending messages via a unit like the SPOT would be for others peace of mind. The ResQlink doesn't have that feature but does have the advantage of better satellite coverage. If I need to use a SPOT or my ResQlink, then poop hit the fan and I'm more concerned with MY peace of mind.

The only odd thing about it is the antennae wants to pop open (it wraps around the unit and clips with a simple hook) but a small piece of velcro solved that problem. Batteries need to be replaced by the factory every three years but there are no other costs associated with the unit outside of initial purchase.

[Woodman]

As I am getting older I realize the stupidity of a number of my past activities, including the risks I have taken off the grid without cell access, wading dicey rivers, encountering rattlesnakes, etc.

I could have written this...except my current activities are sometimes just as ill-advised.

I'm seriously looking at the Garmin Inreach. Significantly more pricey than the Spot, but more capability and better reviewed.

[gitt]

As I am getting older I realize the stupidity of a number of my past activities, including the risks I have taken off the grid without cell access, wading dicey rivers, encountering rattlesnakes, etc.

This looks more like my advanced medical directive. My kids have promised they would drop me off along the side of the highway and point me in the direction of the wilderness instead of dropping me off at the old folks home.

[tcorfey]

Between the Spot and the PLB if my life is in danger I will take the PLB every time.

The newer Garmin In-reach looks interesting. It uses the Iridium network which is very good but not quite as good as the Inmarsat Network that the EPIRB and PLB uses. The Spot uses a network that is on a lower orbit and is on a private network out of Europe I believe but it has it's purposes and I can understand why some people would like it. The only reason I might buy a Spot and it's subscription for, is if I wanted to have my family track my breadcrumbs on Google Maps while I was hiking and then I could go back and look at it later.

When I had my off-shore boat I would carry a full size EPIRB and later a PLB plus the EPIRB. The PLB was around my neck in case I go overboard and registered to me as an individual. The EPIRB is registered to the boat and has a hydro-static auto deploy in case the boat sank. The PLB and the EPIRB both use the same technology and the same satellites. The PLB will run for 24 hours and the EPIRB by virtue of it's larger battery runs for 48 hours. The EPIRB is required to be on all commercial vessels.

I had a chance to test my EPIRB for real by mistake when I placed it in to it's holder incorrectly one night as I was preparing the boat. The unit went off for about 30 seconds before I realized my mistake. I shut it off and turned on my VHF radio and the USCG was already warning everyone about an emergency and my boat name and approximate location. After the USCG finished their announcement I keyed my VHF mic and explained what happened. They made me call them back using my cell phone to discuss it further. Because i had caught it so quickly they had not scrambled yet so they called that off thank god. But it did give me the warm fuzzy feeling that my equipment worked as it should and the USCG was already getting on their way. The PLB and EPIRB also have a radio signal besides the Satellite signal so if a plane flys over head they will pick you up too.

I currently also use an Iridium phone which uses the same network as the Garmin unit. It is quite good and it works most places as long as you can get a view of the sky. I have received and made phone calls from the headwaters of the Feather river way back up in the woods, while 80 miles offshore from SF, off shore in Cabo Mexico and off-shore San Diego.
I still carry a PLB in addition to the phone.

For PLB I originally used the McMurdo Fastfind, and later bought the ACR ResQlink both are top notch no issues.

By the way my day job is to maintain commercial and military containerships for their communications and computers. I have loaned out my Iridium phone for backup on both military and commercial vessels and it worked fine all around the Pacific. I trust these devices enough that I have deployed these to use as emergency phones at my company all across the Pacific basin.

However, on our ships I use Inmarsat and KVH services as our primary communications.

Regards,

Tim C.

[Charlie S]

How did I manage to live this long without those things?