Personal Locator Beacon Recommendations

RealOldDualSportGuy · 04-27-2012, 02:38 PM

Seeking an alternative to the SPOT family of devices.

Coontinental USA and possibly Alaska usage.

Suggestions, recommendations, what NOT to buy?

Thanks

Ride Safe

HogWild · 04-27-2012, 03:50 PM

Delorme InReach:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=760497

Jan from Finland · 05-22-2012, 01:40 PM

I am not going to recommend any specific unit, but just wanted to say that the SPOT is not a "real" PLB. It's a satellite messenger utilizing the GlobalStar satellite phone system. It can send emergency and non-emergency messages, but it has a subscription service fee. The PLBs are free from fees, but relay only emergency messages. PLBs use lower transmission frequency than the SPOT and therefore they work more reliable under dense tree canopy.

All current PLBs use the 406 MHz signal. Do not buy old 121.5/242MHz only units (like EPIRB Class B) other obsolete types (see list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_radiobeacon). They are not anymore tracked by the satellites.

Get a unit with GPS receiver. They provide you location to satellites and speed up the rescue. Some cheaper PLB units don't have satnav.

Get one with manual activation. Some Maritime PLBs (EPIRBs Cat I) are activated automatically by immersion in water.

Remember to register your unit!

dlh62c · 05-23-2012, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan from Finland

I am not going to recommend any specific unit......

Buy what makes you feel safe. What makes me feel safe, is a unit that has a tracking feature that marks my location at intervals along my route so someone can track my location in real-time. Friends and family can see if I'm still mobile and what direction I'm heading in.

No matter what you use, your still at the mercy of the rescue infrastructure that's in place, no matter where your at in the world.

Have you considered renting a Satellite phone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APcIhrEy4A4

YouTube has allot of SPOT and PLB reviews: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=spot+vs+plb&oq=spot+vs+plb&aq =f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=youtube-
reduced.12...143259.148228.0.149471.11.11.0.0.0.0. 112.1150.3j8.11.0...0.0.BupHKTLZp6c

daryl

Zecatfish · 05-23-2012, 07:17 AM

I'm looking at the InReach myself.
The ability to text 2 way instead of just sending an SOS or even a pre-canned message is the better idea to me.
We spent several hours on 8 miles of trail Saturday where I did have to go after help, actually called Search and Rescue, our guys made it out on their own after myself and the EMT's and others on quads headed in. Could have saved several hours of man power looking for them.
The EMT's radios was hit and miss in those bottoms and Cell phones did not work either.

RealOldDualSportGuy · 05-23-2012, 08:21 AM

Thank you all for the update.

Regards

04-27-2012, 02:38 PM	#1
RealOldDualSportGuy ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Queen City NC Oddometer: 231	Personal Locator Beacon Recommendations Seeking an alternative to the SPOT family of devices. Coontinental USA and possibly Alaska usage. Suggestions, recommendations, what NOT to buy? Thanks Ride Safe __________________ Different in Every Way

04-27-2012, 03:50 PM	#2
HogWild Scott Whitney Joined: Nov 2003 Location: SoCal USA Oddometer: 2,225	Delorme InReach: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=760497 __________________ Going where no Harley has gone before HogWildRacing.com

05-22-2012, 01:40 PM	#3
Jan from Finland Registered Joined: May 2005 Oddometer: 427	I am not going to recommend any specific unit, but just wanted to say that the SPOT is not a "real" PLB. It's a satellite messenger utilizing the GlobalStar satellite phone system. It can send emergency and non-emergency messages, but it has a subscription service fee. The PLBs are free from fees, but relay only emergency messages. PLBs use lower transmission frequency than the SPOT and therefore they work more reliable under dense tree canopy. All current PLBs use the 406 MHz signal. Do not buy old 121.5/242MHz only units (like EPIRB Class B) other obsolete types (see list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_radiobeacon). They are not anymore tracked by the satellites. Get a unit with GPS receiver. They provide you location to satellites and speed up the rescue. Some cheaper PLB units don't have satnav. Get one with manual activation. Some Maritime PLBs (EPIRBs Cat I) are activated automatically by immersion in water. Remember to register your unit! __________________ ----------------------------------------- If you are thinking outside the box, it’s better to know the box first. -----------------------------------------

05-23-2012, 07:17 AM	#5
Zecatfish XTique Rider Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Arkansas USA Oddometer: 7,919	I'm looking at the InReach myself. The ability to text 2 way instead of just sending an SOS or even a pre-canned message is the better idea to me. We spent several hours on 8 miles of trail Saturday where I did have to go after help, actually called Search and Rescue, our guys made it out on their own after myself and the EMT's and others on quads headed in. Could have saved several hours of man power looking for them. The EMT's radios was hit and miss in those bottoms and Cell phones did not work either. __________________ Google Earth GPS Howto (still a work in progress) use USGS TOPO Maps to layout trails. http://home.windstream.net/catfish/GPS The Early Bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. https://sites.google.com/site/ozarkadventuretours/

05-23-2012, 08:21 AM	#6
RealOldDualSportGuy ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Queen City NC Oddometer: 231	Plb Thank you all for the update. Regards __________________ Different in Every Way

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