These sound like a jolly good idea. Where can one get them

**Ixion** · 15th January 2008, 22:17

Personal locator beacon next must-have gadget

A personal locator beacon (PLB) maybe the next must-have gadget after a Hastings man used his to be rescued after breaking his leg.
The Hastings man was carrying a 406 Megahertz PLB when he was injured tramping near Waimarama Beach in Hawke's Bay at 3.15pm today. He activated the beacon and phoned 111.
The PLB's signal was picked up by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ).
RCCNZ search and rescue officer Dave Wilson said PLB's, which cost a few hundred dollars, were a "pretty cheap form of life insurance".
"This is a classic case of the injured tramper doing everything right -- not only by carrying a 406 MHz beacon in the first place -- but also ensuring that his ownership details were up to date and registered with RCCNZ, which allowed us to respond very quickly to his situation."
When a 406 MHz PLB is activated it identifies the owner and where they are.
The man was picked up by a helicopter and taken to Hastings Hospital.

**skelstar** · 15th January 2008, 22:22

Tramping stores might be able to help. Was thinking about one of these myself as I may have to do a solo trip from Wgtn to Alexandra (WCoast of course) soonish.

**McJim** · 15th January 2008, 22:25

Tramp = homeless person of no fixed abode without source of income. Do New Zealanders give up their houses and jobs as a recreational past time?

**trumpy** · 15th January 2008, 22:27

I do most of my riding alone (no friends Nigel) and I am sure this would give my family some confidence. Good find. Might check this out when I am in Aucks for the next couple of days.

**Ixion** · 15th January 2008, 22:30

I wonder how they work. Could one rig them up with a dead man's lanyard? And are they a one shot thing? Or can they be reset and reused ?

**xwhatsit** · 15th January 2008, 22:30

Hey that's a great idea. Remember that story a little while ago, about the car crash in the 80s -- undiscovered until last year -- that really had me thinking. So many times, out in the middle of nowhere, maybe one person knows where I am (within a 200km stretch of road). Slip off into the bushes, never found again. Like Nürburgring and Jim Clark. Except they did find him.

**Ixion** · 15th January 2008, 22:37

Eeep. They're rather dearer than the paper suggested. I'm seeing prices like $900, and $1300. I'm just a poor old man, I can't afford that.

**sunhuntin** · 15th January 2008, 22:48

Originally Posted by McJim

Tramp = homeless person of no fixed abode without source of income. Do New Zealanders give up their houses and jobs as a recreational past time?

tramps also have another use here... mainly they are identified by short skirts and small shirts.

**Patch** · 16th January 2008, 05:20

Ixion,

there are certain types of gps units that can be installed, cars, bikes, boats whatever and monitored. They record speed, etc etc. Depending on the type of monitoring plan you have, some even identify that there has been an accident and emergency services are notified. The unit has some type of device in it that detects a crash and is activated.

Can't remember who, where or what but it was on Tardme somewhere. Try googling alarm, gps monitoring.

Any half decent marine retail shop should have the personal beacons - recommended everybody has one attached to their PFD, just not always financially possible tho.

**pritch** · 16th January 2008, 07:45

I'm old. Weren't these things called Epirbs or similar?

**gijoe1313** · 16th January 2008, 07:45

Hmm more excuse to buy more gagdety bling?

... interesting, will look into this myself!

**pritch** · 16th January 2008, 07:51

But I like:

http://www.mapworld.co.nz/mt410.html

**skelstar** · 16th January 2008, 08:03

Yeah I was wondering about EPRB (sp?) but am thinking thats the avalanche transciever and that has a much shorter range.

**slopster** · 16th January 2008, 08:55

Originally Posted by skelstar

Yeah I was wondering about EPRB (sp?) but am thinking thats the avalanche transciever and that has a much shorter range.

The eprb is the marine one. It alerts all the search and rescue people and airforce etc. You can be up for a huge bill if you negligently set one off. Avalanche trancievers wouldn't be any use. They don't alert anyone but simply allow you to home in on one with another avalanche tranciever (if your already withen a few hundred metres).

**Southern man** · 16th January 2008, 09:00

The device that they are talking about is called an ACR personal locator beacon they are about 799 and are reusable. They are battery operated and you just need to replace them now and again. They transmit a signal that is picked up by sattelite and gives your position to within meters. When you purchase one you enter your details so that they know who they are dealing with if it is ever activated.They are a great device. I have been looking into them for the local shooters club. The EPIRB is the older ones that were used but the frequency has been changed and these will go out of service in 2009 I think.