View Poll Results: Would you use an Epirb if it was cheap enough to hire?

Voters
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  • No, I likely would never use one in NZ.

    12 13.48%
  • Yes, I would strongly consider it for a significant backroads ride.

    56 62.92%
  • I would rather use Find Me Spot

    12 13.48%
  • Nah, accidents don't happen to me so I'll wing it with a phone and maybe a GPS.

    9 10.11%
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Thread: Epirb or Spot?

  1. #1
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Epirb or Spot?

    OK, just thinking...welcome your responses.

    Since I live in Blenheim and heaps of punters pass through heading south, even top o' the south lads doing moles / rainbow loop, would you prefer to have an EPIRB or Spot locator or are you happy with just the old Nokia in the jacket pocket?

    Me personally, if I had an Epirb I would take it everywhere I rode (almost) cos I ride alone a lot. If I could afford it I would perhaps prefer a Spot cos it lets you send other messages apart from creating a SAR callout. Keep wifey happy, but I guess my thinking is you can leave route info and arrange check-ins to get around that, it just takes more discipline.

    I guess at the end of the day if I'm laying on the ground broken and no one can hear me snivelling into my helmet I would like to see a chopper over me ASAP, so maybe a PLB is best.

    So I's thinking if enough people thought the same I might look at buyng me a device that other riders could take loan of if a rider needed one. I just know that some places online charge a fair bit to hire one, most (all?) have minimum periods of a week etc etc. Not looking to make anything significant, but I figure it could be done cheaper within the forum here.

    Thoughts? Like to me ~$20 for a weekend (split that between say 4 riders makes it cheap assurance), no minimum hire or anything, ~$40-50 a 7 day week. Would be bukku cheaper than somewhere like: http://www.safetyatsea.co.nz/epirb_hire.asp . Could courier to a rider / courier back when done etc, so you wouldn't need to pass through Blenheim necessarily.
    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.

  2. #2
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    18th January 2005 - 11:04
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    Another rental outfit:
    http://www.406beaconhire.com/

  3. #3
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    13th May 2006 - 12:21
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    I have used one of these, rather, I have taken one of these tramping around Stewart Island. I also had one in the Hollyford valley. I do find having one in my pack an added piece of security. For use on the bike, I could see the benefits, particularly as I ride on my own 95% of the time. They are expensive units, I guess having a GPS with Lat and Long co-ordinates are handy, but if there is no cell phone coverage or you are unconscious somewhere at the side of the track, it aint going to help you. Riding in a group though, would you need one? If the worst was to happen, one could send for help or to a high point, the others could render first aid. I don't know if it would speed up the rescue process by setting off the EPIRB? I guess it could do? Food for thought anyway, and if I had the money, I might consider buying one, however I don't think I would necessarily go out of my way to ensure I had one in my luggage on the bike.
    Good insurance, for now though I will carry my AA card and the Cell phone and keep my fingers crossed out there and ride carefully, REALLY carefully.....I have an old bike now, it's gotta be nursed...

  4. #4
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    26th September 2005 - 21:14
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    Well after my crash in the Rainbow and realising that it took 3 hours for help to get there - could have made it two if we had not bothered to try and pillion me I'd say one is a bloody good idea weather you are riding in a group or not. Chopper would have been looking for me in 1 hour max. When I got my wife on the back and it was just the two of us riding she decided we are going to get one so I now carry a PLB ever where I go. There is no way my wife could have picked up the Super Ten let alone ride it to get help and there is no cell phone coverage for 100km in the Rainbow and about 200km in the Molesworth. The ridiculous thing is that it is the most expensive piece to equipment that I hope I never have to use.

    Couple of bits of info. A PLB is for land and a EPIRB is for sea. If you got a spot can you set it up so that it sends the I'm OK message to the person's wife/partner/etc or would your wife/partner get the messages. If you can't change the recipient to the person's wife/partner/etc you might as well get a PLB as there is no benefit from this regard but the PLB would do a better/quicker job of getting NZSAR to the correct location. I personally prefer to have a PLB and phone when I can rather than a SPOT but either option is better than nothing.

    Oh and you are better to have it on your person somewhere rather than a backpack if you ride by yourself. If you break your limb/s and you pack is 50m away then it ain't much use to you. I carry mine in my RH jacket pocket if you ever ride with me and need it!!!

    Cheers R
    "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools." - Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

  5. #5
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    22nd May 2004 - 20:44
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    I think they are a great idea and am planning on buying one very soon.

    MagicFairy and I are quite often in the middle of nowhere and if I managed to hurt myself, she'd never be able to pick the GS up and ride for help.
    .... although it would be highly entertaining to watch her try

    I'd prefer to buy one myself, but would look at hiring as well.
    aka BusaJim

  6. #6
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    27th April 2008 - 21:37
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    I carry a PLB all the time now when I am on my own or with her indoors you never know what might happen. The other handy thing would be a SAT phone to have all the bases coverd. I dont think it will be long before PLB have other features built in like the SPOT as I filled in a ACR PLB survey asking that very question if you would be prepared to pay an annual fee for more features ie: being able to send text message and tracking etc.
    regards GSers

  7. #7
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    2nd March 2004 - 13:00
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    Quote Originally Posted by Balrog View Post
    MagicFairy and I are quite often in the middle of nowhere and if I managed to hurt myself, she'd never be able to pick the GS up and ride for help.
    .... although it would be highly entertaining to watch her try
    Hmmm...

    "Yes he had a broken arm and leg but it was the 1150 shoved up his arse that killed him"

  8. #8
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    26th January 2005 - 11:33
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    fran ! tut tut ;p

    ya, ive wanted one for awhile now too ~, definately a good idea, where all us lot go there is rarely decent cell coverage, trail riding in weekend not far from home but far enough that theres no cell and would take too long to get help,

    definately a good thing to have

  9. #9
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    18th January 2005 - 10:49
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    I'm going to get a Spot, more features than a straight....HELP.... I'm broke!
    I'm no gynaecologist, however I would be happy to take a look......................

  10. #10
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    22nd May 2004 - 20:44
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    Quote Originally Posted by NordieBoy View Post
    Hmmm...

    "Yes he had a broken arm and leg but it was the 1150 shoved up his arse that killed him"
    The 1150 engine design prevents total arse penetration.
    So my eye's may be watering, but I'll not be walking funny.

    aka BusaJim

  11. #11
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    26th September 2005 - 21:14
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    Quote Originally Posted by ducatijim View Post
    I'm going to get a Spot, more features than a straight....HELP.... I'm broke!
    Yer but not monitored by NZ agencies. The spot signal goes to to a Yank comercial operation before they then get in contact the NZ agency. I'd rather just have the help I'm fcuked please come get me. and use my cell when I'm OK.

    Cheers R
    "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools." - Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

  12. #12
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    29th January 2007 - 10:30
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    EPIRBs are vital on the oceans, but I'm not sure how they would work in the high country, as the mountains might block the satellite signal for a high percentage of the time. That said, they are pretty accurate. The Spotme thingy could be subject to the same terrain issues.
    'I always have coffee when I watch radar, everyone knows that' - Lord Dark Helmet -

    www.stepup.mil.nz

  13. #13
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    3rd August 2007 - 08:48
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    About 4 years ago, aftera mate of mine was killed int he bush, I ran a campaign fro EPIRBS int he 4x4 community. All up, I managed to sell 61 uits, and secured reduced pricing due tot he volue.

    Just 2 weeks before Christmas I recvd and e-mail saying that one of the units had been used to save somebody's life followign a massive heart attack whilst on a trip in a remote region.

    The rtescue chopper arrived 90 mins before the other truck managed to get to cell phone coverage to raise the alarm. So yes, I would say they are worth their weight in gold.

    I always carry one in the truck, and and with the new technologies they are now reaching sizes that can be easily carried ona bike too.

    When I ran the EPIRB campaign, I checked with the Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (RCC), and I can confirm that as far they are concerned they do not care if it is on land or at sea, they will dispatch a rescue as soon as the co-ordinates are confirmed (several modern EPIRBS/PLB's now also send a GPS co-ordinate to improve response times rather than await a second or thrid signal to pin point location).

    So long as it can transmit an emergency signal on 406MHz, then RCC will respond (ols EPIRBS used 121.5MHz which is now used as a local homing signal by SAR when on the ground).

    Stay safe out there.

  14. #14
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    6th June 2009 - 19:36
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    Been thinking about investing in a SPOT, as much to see where I've been when I get back, but also for the safety features. What would you recommend as you guys seem much more Tech savvy that me? What I really want is small, simple, reliable, longevity of technology (dont have to update in 6 months), and cheap I liked the idea of the SPOT, could also use when fishing, but maybe not great in NZ? signal coverage?
    Thoughts...

  15. #15
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    2nd March 2004 - 13:00
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    I'd go for the SPOT for the features.
    But they're orange...

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