PLB Personal Location Beacon

[Oddvar]

PLB Personal Location Beacon

A Pilot friend of me recommended this to me. And he brought me one from the US.

Will the rescue service, if any, in Thailand or Laos respond to a call from a rescue centre?
If they do not know that you are in distress they will not respond for sure.
If you are in "deep shit" and activate the PLB someone will hear your distress call. And no need for any search as your location is known. Better than a dead or poor cell phone, or no signal at all. The PLB use satellite.

For US$ 220 it is a cheap insurance for the 6 years the battery last. And the size is less than a pack of "fags".

More specific info here.
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/fastfind220.html

 

[Lightemup]

A PLB has a very narrow field of use, a Sat Phone or a SPOT is much more useful, but I understand the peace of mind a PLB will give you.
I bought a Sat Phone when I was debating what to get.

 

[Oddvar]

More details.

SPOT is great for for displaying your trip on a WEB page or similar, but has caused too many SAR missions due to malfunction. And not working when you need it to work. http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=103

A SAT Phone. Cool, but who do you call and how do you explain your location to whoever that answer the phone!
A hand held SAT phone with a tiny antenna need a clear view of the sky. The antennas we use on the ship is 1,2m diameter, except for those who only transmit a single signal.
(I can imagine myself calling my GF and tell her I am north east of Pua and need help!)

Both devices above relay on a battery that is charged as well as a working subscription to a service.

A PLB transmit on 406MHz and 121,5MHz. The former is the frequency for the emergency satellites in orbit. The latter is the emergency frequency used by airplanes, and say a helicopter, can use that in addition to your GPS pos already transmitting to home in on you. And on top of that a SOS LED light to lead the rescuers the final stretch at night.
A call for help on the 406MHz with a registered PLB will be heard. A response will be launched and the national SAR in the country you are in will be contacted by the International SAR. So this becomes "official business", and not so easy to ignore.
And there will be no need for a costly search, just a pickup.

This is run by a international SAR service. http://www.cospas-sarsat.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Cospas-Sarsat_Programme
Thailand is part of this programe.

Money wise the PLB will cost you less than US 50 a year. SAT phone has a very expensive subscription. SPOT has a subscription as well.

I might consider a SPOT to entertain family and friends on a web page so they can se my trips. I have used Google Latitude too but always ran out of battery before the days ride ended.
But that is all it is. Entertainment.

So which is best? As long they work all 3 are good, but I will put my money on a dedicated emergency device.

 

[Vic Alborn]

Oddvar;292217 wrote: More details.

A PLB transmit on 406MHz and 121,5MHz. The former is the frequency for the emergency satellites in orbit. The latter is the emergency frequency used by airplanes, and say a helicopter, can use that in addition to your GPS pos already transmitting to home in on you. And on top of that a SOS LED light to lead the rescuers the final stretch at night.
A call for help on the 406MHz with a registered PLB will be heard. A response will be launched and the national SAR in the country you are in will be contacted by the International SAR. So this becomes "official business", and not so easy to ignore.
And there will be no need for a costly search, just a pickup.

This is run by a international SAR service. http://www.cospas-sarsat.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Cospas-Sarsat_Programme
Thailand is part of this programme.

This is the important information and the PLB/ELT on 406Mhz is the way to go IMHO. But note that "Registration" is important!