can someone please edumacate me?
How does an epirb work? e.g. do you have to push a button when you are in the shit?, or can its location be picked up if someone thinks you are in the shit? or both?
From what I DO understand they seem like a bloody good idea if injured down a bank or something. Might look into it.
I mentioned vegetables once, but I think I got away with it...........
Emergency use only, monitored by SAR agency in NZ on activation (ie by pushing the "do not push" button).
High powered (5W) transmission on 406 mhz, preferably with GPS location attached (some have GPS, some don't), then also a low powered 121 mhz homing signal used by ground and air personnel to home in to your position.
No cost apart from purchase price (~2x price of SPOT for gps version), activated only in emergency.
Spot on the other hand is a commercially monitored service run overseas. Heaps of additional functionality like live tracking of your location, sending "OK" , "I'm alive, bike's broken, Send Help" or, "I'm Dying" messages. hefty ongoing subsription fee (relative to no subscription fee for EPIRB).
My thoughts:
SPOT if you can afford ongoing fees and want to keep loved ones informed.
EPIRB / PLB (PLB really for us - EPIRBs are the same but bigger for planes / boats) if you can manage your own delays, lack of cell coverage, plan and inform family of routes & plans, check in by cell phone, but want a rotary winged angel overhead ASAP after you overshoot a corner and are bleeding from your ears.
There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find adventure and those who go secretly hoping they won't. We should come home from our adventures having faced their perils and uncertainties, endured their discomfort and beaten the odds, with a sly acknowledgment and revitalised solidarity of character.
cheers...................
I mentioned vegetables once, but I think I got away with it...........
This place has SPOt for under $200 shipped to NZ!
102° Rx = + /_\
I don't know that they are directly comparable.
Spot is great for letting my family know I'm at Toppy's drinking a latte and for showing people how I got to Toppy's but I would be ill advised to depend on it as a PLB replacement. I'm happy that I brought a Spot but if I continue riding in remote places I think I'll get a PLB as well.
Even as a non adventure rider (at this point, maybe my next bike...) I would consider a PLB. Seems like a bloody good idea to me. Especially given the number of times emergency services get the location wrong for what ever reason. Given what we spend on safety gear, a bit extra for a PLB seems like money well spent.
I'd probably buy one if it was cheap enough but I usually ride every day so hiring wouldn't be feesable.
I'm a star wars fan!!!!!
For flying and tracking lost student pilots I use SPOT and Spidertracks which is great for tracking them and then texting them to turn around you can see em on the screen and tell whether they actually did what you told them to as well. Both units are quite expensive to buy and have ongoing subscription costs, the Spidertracks depending on how much you use it. We only use it for tracking, not help. SPOT sends one help message every 5 minutes which is not much good if you are in an area of bad reception, to an international agency which then passes it on back to NZ (NZ has enough trouble with its own Rescue Coord Centre ballsing it up let alone throwing in another source....hmm I don't know). It can't be tracked by the rescue vehicles apart from GPS info given and past track history. I assume SPOT uses more battery (unless hard wired) as actually using it vs EPIRB use only once, so have to keep tabs on that. All planes are equip with a ELT (EPIRB). As for myself, I have an ACR PLB ResQfix with GPS which I use for the big Launch, the fizz boat, 4x4ing, mountain biking off the beaten track, tramping and now if I do a trip on the motorbike that too. It transmits every 50 seconds and indicates its sucess which is reassuring. Plus it also broadcasts on 121.5 which is monitored by commercial airliners etc so they can hear it beeping and pass (knowledge of and location heard) on and it can be used to track you by rescuers which is especially good if your still moving. Both units would do the job but both are different.
Spot is around $450 locally!
Around $99us + subs = $200odd NZ from the US.
A PLB seems the best option then...?
Where from?
How much?
Any brands/types better than others for ADV riding (ie. compact, tough, not orange!)?
Useful websites?
Help a technophobe...
There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find adventure and those who go secretly hoping they won't. We should come home from our adventures having faced their perils and uncertainties, endured their discomfort and beaten the odds, with a sly acknowledgment and revitalised solidarity of character.
I think you need to treat SPOT and EPIRB/PLB seperately... ...they do different things.
If it is convenient route tracking and gimmicks, go for the SPOT.
If you want to be rescued (efficiently and on a long term basis, independently of the commercial success of a US based private company, and without worrying "did I pay my subs this year?"), go for the EPIRB/PLB.
The RCC (Not SAR) monitor the NZ registered (free) EPIRBS, and are government funded in line with international obligations. They are not going any where!
How do EPIRBS work and why was the system upgraded to 406MHz?
EPIRBS used to have mixed results on land here in NZ; this was under the old system of 121.5MHz. Under the old system, the satellite had to be able to see BOTH the EPIRB and the base station at the same time to relay the message. With Satellites trevellign East-West and our hills running (predominantly) N-S this was difficult to achieve, so rescues to longer than hoped. Of course, the system worked perfectly on the open seas for where it was originally designed!
The new 406MHz system, does not have the same issues. The Satellite 'retains' the emergency siganl if it can not see a Base station, until such time as it can. Then it passes on the message.
With narrow valleys, how long can the satellite see me for?
Satellite travel at high speed, and with our narrow valleys it means they can not see you for long before they have disappeared over the horizon. Hence why the old system was not great on land. The COSPAR satellites only need an 8 second window to pick up your signal.
EPIRB or SPOT in an Emergency?
The EPIRB is monitored by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre (Lower Hutt). It is funded by the government and requires not on-going subscription and is free to register (who are you?, emergency contact numbers to eliminate false call outs).
SPOT is a commercial service and will be around for as long as it remains profitable. Who do they call? The same Rescue Co-Ordination Centre, just that the call is delayed by their service. Of course, this pre-supposes your subscription is up to date!
GPS or Non-GPS?
The EPIRBS come in GPS and non-GPS versions. The GPS units attaches the GPS co-ordinates to the Hex identification signal that is relayed to the RCC, and certainly speeds up the dispatch of a rescue effort. Without GPS the signal identifies who you are and the satellite determines how far away from the satellite you are; this generates a limited number of 'possible' locations. A second satellite pass confirms which area needs to be targeted. If $$ are the issue rest assured that the non-GPS version works, it just takes a little longer (upto 2 hours approx - but still quicker than walking out of the bush with 2 broken legs!).
In an emergency, I'd rely on the EPIRB every time.
If you guys are serious about EPIRBs, then you should be able to negotiate a bulk discount according to volumes. When I organuised the 60+ EPIRB units for the 4x4 community I got a healthy discount from a yachting supplier (PM me for details if you're serious).
I asked NZ search and Rescue which they thought was most useful for me and described the bike situation, ie back roads, poor coverage and often serious injuries.
The head guy listed fors n againsts all choices and highly recommended spot.
I have archived email so can't reproduce all the details here but basically EPIRBs only use a limited number of statellites so you could wait 2 hours for the appropriate one to pass over you, tooo long.
Spot uses all of them so they gaurantee 99% for NZ island and close to shore that YOUR EMERGENCY services will be notified within 20m and with GPS within 5 metres and a google earth map.
I have added to my message that I am on a bike and if I press 911 it means a high speed crash and need a helicopter.
EPIRBS better outside coastal waters but if you are out there on your bike you took a very bad turn
I also have mates on the OK to keep track of me for eg when on the Grand Challenge this year.
I ride a lot and sometimes on my own so feel much safer now.
I also have people with trailers on the Help function and tend to reserve my Help for that, if I can ride the bike I am OK, if bike fkd I need Help and if I or a fellow rider is hurt I need 911.
I have put label on front of it so if I am off and unconscious and people find me it says In case of emerg press 911. Then I don't have to worry that a headless chicken event will delay my getting to hospital.
As an aside a huge 1000m horse trek in outer Mongolia run by FEI and only entered by world class endurance riders insisted on all riders carrying SPOT trackers.
Peace is the road.................... Ghandi
Go your own way...........................Fleetwood Mac
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