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0 pointshandedness5y ago0 comments

> I would recommend a SPOT or inReach as a your primary safety device with this as a (neat) backup. All they need is a line of sight to the sky which is much easier to do than either LoRA, VHF or HF.

I have quite a bit of experience with both, and wouldn't recommend either as a primary safety device. PLBs are far better.

SPOT is based on Globalstar, which leaves one without coverage in many areas. I also found it to be incredibly flaky even in areas of allegedly great coverage with a totally open sky.

inReach is vastly more reliable, and with global coverage, so if I was buying one for a (secondary) safety that would be the easy winner of the two. It also has the added benefit of bringing a convenience that PLBs don't, as one can grab weather updates and easily text others for information.

That said, it's not difficult to get into a situation where terrain makes quick satellite acquisition very difficult, and one could wait hours for a message to get out. PLBs are much more reliable in adverse situations (N-S slot canyons), have higher power output than satellite messengers, and are generally built to higher standards. They also don't require a monthly fee.

A legitimate PLB would give one more paths to a swift rescue, especially if SAR aircraft are already up and looking for you.

More info: https://www.backcountrychronicles.com/delorme-satellite-gps-...

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5 comments · 2 top-level

jf5y ago· 2 in thread

What PLB do you recommend? I got an inReach because I was so overwhelmed trying to sort out the various PLB options

handednessOP5y ago

The ACR ResQLink View is usually a good default choice. I've read good things about McMurdo, but everyone I know who has need for a PLB carries an ACR, either the older 400 or the newer View, which I would recommend over the 400.

But just as an inReach isn't a replacement for a PLB, neither is a PLB a replacement for an inReach. It's great to be able to communicate in emergency (and in many non-emergency) situations.

jf5y ago

Thank you. I'll be buying an ACR ResQLink View as soon as my budget allows. I appreciate the reply!

cowsandmilk5y ago· 1 in thread

Are there PLBs that let you actually text now? I’ve been told that many have been abused and are not treated as urgent any more, so a device like an in reach where you can actually communicate your situation is preferred. It also means rescue could arrive with the supplies needed for a particular injury, which makes a huge difference in some evacs.

thisrod5y ago

> I’ve been told that many have been abused and are not treated as urgent any more

There is an old type of PLB and a new type. That was a problem for the old type, in principle. In practice, the search coordination centres got pretty good at triage. Going down Route 66 at 70 mph, unlikely to be a real emergency; halfway up Mt McKinley, scramble the chopper. Accidental activations are far more common than abusive ones.

The new type broadcasts its serial number, and everyone is required to register an emergency contact person when they buy their PLB. If the beacon is activated, the contact person gets a call from search and rescue, asking what the beacon user is up to.

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