Do you carry an EPIRB?

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Well I have just received my SPOT hardware from the canadian ebay seller. Absolutely brand new and arrived in perfect condition. I like the little inscription on the lid of the box which states:

WELCOME -Opening this box is the first step to making sure you don't come home in one. :lol: :lol:

Quite a nice little unit feels very solid and it is small not much bigger than a mobile phone.

I now have to purchase the service to go with it which I will do either today or tomorrow.

[FlyNdrive Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyNdrive]

Mav,

If you are eligible get the optional rescue insurance. it is $7.00 (US) for the first year. It is even worth the $99.00 (US) full cost. It will pay up to $150K (US) to cover rescue costs if the worst case scenario happens.

Feel free to put me on your contact list. If a signal goes out in the middle of the night I will be up...;-). JK

-Ben

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Mav,

If you are eligible get the optional rescue insurance. it is $7.00 (US) for the first year. It is even worth the $99.00 (US) full cost. It will pay up to $150K (US) to cover rescue costs if the worst case scenario happens.

Feel free to put me on your contact list. If a signal goes out in the middle of the night I will be up...;-). JK

-Ben

Ben, I am going to go with the full package and it is all available here. I will decide after the first year what I want to keep in the way of the service. I actually think I will use the tracking service the most.

[plucker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close plucker]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

For those who are unaware the old 121 Epirbs have been phased out early. They canned them on Nov 1. The new 406 Epirbs are now in use. The 121MHz channel will still be monitored until early next year.

The 406MHz has the advantage of having accuracy to 5KM for the cheap ones (400 odd bl**** dollars) and down to 2KM search radius for the higher priced ones.

121MHz ones only had a range of 20KM!

The 406MHz Epirbs require the user to register them before use which requires Name, Vessel/Vehicle used on (I registered 2 boats and 2 cars), phone numbers, emergency contact phone numbers, address of person etc. Upon registration, you get a wee rego sticker receipt to attach to the Eprib which lasts for 2 years. You have to resubmit these details then to further your period. The batteries will last longer, 6 years supposedly.
In case of activation, I would imagine they try contact before the search party is sent out. This would stop false call outs.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

The 121MHz channel will still be monitored until early next year.

By mainstream monitors but I guarantee that if one were set off after this that it would get picked up and the relevant authorities notified.

[plucker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close plucker]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

The 121MHz channel will still be monitored until early next year.

By mainstream monitors but I guarantee that if one were set off after this that it would get picked up and the relevant authorities notified.

Quite possibly so Mav.

Dont know if the newer style helps with any faster response time, as up my way it was something like 6 hours before the local authorities were alerted.
Down south I think it was 1 or 2 hours.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

The 121MHz channel will still be monitored until early next year.

By mainstream monitors but I guarantee that if one were set off after this that it would get picked up and the relevant authorities notified.

Quite possibly so Mav.

Dont know if the newer style helps with any faster response time, as up my way it was something like 6 hours before the local authorities were alerted.
Down south I think it was 1 or 2 hours.

Yes there are always variables in play.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re:

Well I have just received my SPOT hardware from the canadian ebay seller.

How is your SPOT going mav?

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

Quote from thread: Night run through Owen Springs Reserve:

My only real regret is that I have only just purchased a SPOT satelite emergency messenger system and I failed to take it with us cause we were only going for a short trip. I seemed to be the only one able to get good gps satelite reception, in fact I had 9 satelites locked on and no bloody way to use them. I will never leave the SPOT at home again no matter how short the trip.

As I have previously suggested, I thoroughly recommend a personal EPIRB as part of your emergency 4wd kit. It provides another emergency call option that is pretty reliable when others might fail (ie Mobile Phone, Sat Phone, HF, etc).

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

Another good example of how an EPIRB can help:

See: ABC News - Two Dutch tourists rescued in Central Australia

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

Well for those that are interested on how the SPOT system does at keeping a track of where you are we decided to take a trip out to Glen Helen resort today and I initiated a SPOTcasting which is the term used when you use the SPOT to record your trip and allow others to see where you are or where you have been by using a shared tracking page. This is what it looks like:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... igP0l0pSQE

It comes up in default map mode but you can change it to satellite image mode by selecting the view you want. The tracking map share page is good for 24 hours so I have made a copy of what it looks like for those that go to the page after the 24 hours:

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

Well for those that are interested on how the SPOT system does at keeping a track of where you are we decided to take a trip out to Glen Helen resort today and I initiated a SPOTcasting which is the term used when you use the SPOT to record your trip and allow others to see where you are or where you have been by using a shared tracking page. This is what it looks like:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... igP0l0pSQE

It comes up in default map mode but you can change it to satellite image mode by selecting the view you want.

Seems pretty good. I like the idea that family or friends can track your progress remotely while travelling. A plain EPIRB is only good for a true emergency and only sends out a distress signal that invokes a Search & Rescue response. Whereas this SPOT has the multi-function of not only sending out the emergency distress signal when all goes wrong, but also provides the tracking function and a custom message function.

Mav... I'd be interested to hear how the custom "ask for help" message function works for you (if you have this option selected). Can you remind me how much this service costs on top of the unit?

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

Well for those that are interested on how the SPOT system does at keeping a track of where you are we decided to take a trip out to Glen Helen resort today and I initiated a SPOTcasting which is the term used when you use the SPOT to record your trip and allow others to see where you are or where you have been by using a shared tracking page. This is what it looks like:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... igP0l0pSQE

It comes up in default map mode but you can change it to satellite image mode by selecting the view you want.

Seems pretty good. I like the idea that family or friends can track your progress remotely while travelling. A plain EPIRB is only good for a true emergency and only sends out a distress signal that invokes a Search & Rescue response. Whereas this SPOT has the multi-function of not only sending out the emergency distress signal when all goes wrong, but also provides the tracking function and a custom message function.

Mav... I'd be interested to hear how the custom "ask for help" message function works for you (if you have this option selected). Can you remind me how much this service costs on top of the unit?

I have only just setup my help contacts and have yet to inform them so until I do I do not want to do a test in case it causes a panic with the receivers of the message. You can add multiple contacts to receive the help message. You also have a primary and secondary emergency 911 contacts which are called by the GEOS facility as well as them contacting and co-ordinating SAR through appropriate emergnecy channels here in Australia.

Depending on the options you choose when signing up for the service will depend on how much it will cost. I went with a full blown package cause as far as I am concerned I want to give my family the best chance in an emergency. So it was as per the pricing on this page except for the GEOS SAR price which for international folks is US$12.95 per year.

http://findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=1300

Considering what people spend on mobile phones this to me is a worthwhile addition to my emergency kit.

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

I personally would not rely on an old 121 analogue signal being picked up.
Because unless your under a flight path and an aircraft happens to monitor a disused frequency you would be in for a long wait as the satellites will NOT monitor this frequency any more.

Not too long ago a Boating organization did a test with the 121 and 406 frequency's in co-operation with the authorities.

The time difference between the two frequencies responses was significant and that was in Port Phillip Bay.

Yes an old 121 "might" save you, maybe better than nothing but not worth the risk in my opinion.

Compared to the amount of dollars most of us spend on out vehicles the 406 epirb is pretty cheap insurance in my humble opinion

Lee

[plucker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close plucker]

Re: Do you carry an EPIRB?

I think the 121 dissapears soon leethal, so there will be no choice to be made.

Oh by the way anyone want one? :lol: :lol: