New locator beacon

[cs363]

Emachizit?

http://www.helicopterhelmet.com/ACR-...PLB_p_628.html

US$319 + shipping, doesn't seem too bad.

[warewolf]

I heard him took on National Radio soon after and he sounded very sensible and experienced...

Experienced? He was a senior SAR (search and rescue) co-ordinator! It was a serious technology failure - or more correctly understanding and implementation thereof. When he first noticed the choppers he didn't even consider they were looking for him, as he "knew" he'd sent a message.

Yes they all have to be able to 'see' a satellite ,thats why they're so effective on our boats (no trees in the ocean)

'swhy they are so crap in caving areas and steep country. No good under trees. No good against a rock wall (blocks out half the sky). No good in a canyon (blocks out all but a narrow strip of sky). Etc. Some of the cavers & more experienced SAR ppl use a remote antenna on a 5m telescoping pole. Gives them both a better antenna than the built-in one, and gets it up further through the canopy.

But it's still better have one and have to move to clear ground to use it, than not.

[Underground]

The advantage that I see with having one of the Spot type devices is that a message can be sent every 15 minutes or so thus leaving a trail to the last sent message position.
Do they not notify that a message has been 'not sent' like a celphone does? if not it seems like a serious failing.