Personal Locator Beacon

[BradNSW]

Anyone carry one of these on solo hunts?
Amazon.com: ACR 2880 ResQlink Non-Buoyant PLB - Programmed for US Registration: Cell Phones & Accessories

Seems simpler than spot or inreach for a real emergency since:
1. It goes directly to the National SAR community.
2. No monthly fee
3. Smaller and lighter
4. Sends out a second signal the SAR teams can use to zero in on your location if your go unconscious/cant communicate.

I hunt with a map/compass and no GPS. Most of the time I have zero to limited cell coverage. Not real interested in paying monthly activation fees.

Thoughts or feedback?

 

[jmez]

I have one. Fortunately I have no idea if it works!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[jmden]

Yes. McMurdo Pains-Wesses FastFind Plus. Bought it a long time ago for open ocean multiday seakayaking trips but it goes with my on nearly all of my solo hunts, family traveling, etc. To my understanding, they are still a more robust emergency signalling device that other alternatives. It's registered to me through NOAA and uses the SARSAT/COPASS satellites. An activation sends GPS coordinates through the 406 MHz signal and a 121.5 MHz homing signal is incorparated as well. Big lithium battery. If I'm going on a trip, I'll visit the NOAA registration site for it and update my plans/location there so if something goes wrong and I'm absolutely forced to use it, they'll have a pretty good idea right off the bat that it's not a false alarm given the location it's pinging. Biggest issue with these things is false activations.

 

[Grumman]

I have one it rides in the basement pocket of my AGC harness. I bought it for all the reasons you mentioned but I think if I was to do it again I would buy an InReach. Having confirmation that my transmission came through and help is in the way would be nice.




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[BradNSW]

The inreach is intriguing, mostly for the wife. She's resigned herself to "not worry" when I go a day or two w/o comms, but I know she does.

I like the reliability and simplicity of the locator beacon for a real emergency. Simply turn it on and help is coming. Inreach, you'd have to "tell" someone what the situation was, unless you prearranged: SOS means contact emergency, send SAR. Then there are the activation/use fees.

JMDEN, never thought about takin it on road trips for activation in an accident (car down a gully, no witnesses)...hmm.

 

[muddydogs]

I like the reliability and simplicity of the locator beacon for a real emergency. Simply turn it on and help is coming. Inreach, you'd have to "tell" someone what the situation was, unless you prearranged: SOS means contact emergency, send SAR. Then there are the activation/use fees.

Not true, you need to do a little more research into the inreach. If you activate the InReach SOS button you are contacting a dispatch center that will send SAR much like a beacon with the added benefit you can communicate with the dispatch center and get the help you need. With beacons or spot units all the rescue center knows is they have a signal which may or may not be a false alarm but with the InReach they get a signal and can confirm the emergency as well as what type of emergency so the right resources are sent.

I've been through a couple false alarms with my work units and I can say that the InReach call center is very well organized and knows what there doing. Both times we couldn't get in contact with the field crews, figured it was a false alarm but the folks at the dispatch center handled it just like any emergency distress signal should be handled.

If I ever have to push the button on my unit I know I'm going to like seeing the text from the dispatch center telling me help is on the way and being able to communicate with them getting the help I need.

 

[Bubblehide]

Not true, you need to do a little more research into the inreach. If you activate the InReach SOS button you are contacting a dispatch center that will send SAR much like a beacon with the added benefit you can communicate with the dispatch center and get the help you need. With beacons or spot units all the rescue center knows is they have a signal which may or may not be a false alarm but with the InReach they get a signal and can confirm the emergency as well as what type of emergency so the right resources are sent.

I've been through a couple false alarms with my work units and I can say that the InReach call center is very well organized and knows what there doing. Both times we couldn't get in contact with the field crews, figured it was a false alarm but the folks at the dispatch center handled it just like any emergency distress signal should be handled.

If I ever have to push the button on my unit I know I'm going to like seeing the text from the dispatch center telling me help is on the way and being able to communicate with them getting the help I need.

^^^^^yep^^^^ the difference of being able to clarify the emergency need can be life and death. What I mean is that if your situation requires you to be flown out, but that is not known, and they send in a ground crew, your as good as dead.

 

[BradNSW]

Thanks Muddy Dogs - didn't realize Inreach had a 24x7 setup that monitors for SOS signals from their units. That changes things significantly.

 

[mvmnts]

A PLB is the most robust, serious SAR emergency beacon. It's got the short wave radio or whatever it is for the planes overhead. If you want something for real deal life or death rescue, that is your best bet. Everything else is a step below. That being said, having the ability to send and receive messages in the field also brings significant safety benefits. I can message home and let people know when my plans change and let them know where I'll be and when, and I am not locked into a fixed itinerary. If I need to dump down some other drainage and head out a completely different way, the detailed plan I left at home is not going to do a whole lot of good.

There's a great podcast on grittybowmen I believe where Aron Snyder talks about his experience with the InReach team during an actual SOS call (turns out it was a false alarm, but still educational).

I do go to some remote places, but I felt like the inreach was a better fit for me, even if the PLB is a stronger device in emergencies. If I was really going somewhere out there, I would just bring a sat phone. The downside is that the inreach is expensive-ish and requires a monthly subscription fee. If you want to just activate it every once in a while then it gets even more expensive.


PS for the guys with the PLBs, there is a way to test them and you should on a regular basis.

 

[muddydogs]

A PLB is the most robust, serious SAR emergency beacon. It's got the short wave radio or whatever it is for the planes overhead. If you want something for real deal life or death rescue, that is your best bet. Everything else is a step below. That being said, having the ability to send and receive messages in the field also brings significant safety benefits. I can message home and let people know when my plans change and let them know where I'll be and when, and I am not locked into a fixed itinerary. If I need to dump down some other drainage and head out a completely different way, the detailed plan I left at home is not going to do a whole lot of good.

There's a great podcast on grittybowmen I believe where Aron Snyder talks about his experience with the InReach team during an actual SOS call (turns out it was a false alarm, but still educational).

I do go to some remote places, but I felt like the inreach was a better fit for me, even if the PLB is a stronger device in emergencies. If I was really going somewhere out there, I would just bring a sat phone. The downside is that the inreach is expensive-ish and requires a monthly subscription fee. If you want to just activate it every once in a while then it gets even more expensive.


PS for the guys with the PLBs, there is a way to test them and you should on a regular basis.

I don't agree that the PLB is the best bet in real life or death emergency. On a PLB once you activate it you have no communication so who knows whats going to show up. If the SOS is activated on the InReach one can also communicate with the call center and tell them what is needed. Say for instance you know a chopper is needed to evacuate the person asap or there going to die, that can be conveyed to the SOS center along with info on a good landing zone. So what if overhead planes get a signal from the PLB, the InReach folks have your GPS cord's so they know were you are.
All the added communication functions of the InReach makes it a clear choice over the PLB. For cheaper InReach service use the Freedom plan and pay month to month with the option of shutting it down for the months not needed. With all the cash we spend on firearms, gear, tags and transportation what is another $300 a year for an item that could save your life and keep you in touch with family.
I'm intimately familiar with SPOT, PLB and InReach as my job has used all 3. The SPOT units are shut down and piled in a cabinet, the PLB's are kept active and taken on plane or helicopter rides alone with an InReach and the InReach units are carried everyday by every person.

 

[BradNSW]

Thanks all. Great feedback from everyone. I'm most likely going to go with a PLB before next Sept solo Elk Hunt. Simple operation. 1 time cost (no monthly fee). Then trust in the response system. Not being able to communicate type of injury is an important detractor that I'm willing to forego.