frankh

frankh

Well Known Member
Hi guys,

I came across a PLB that is primarily aimed at boaters, but works on the same frequencies and has an internal GPS.

Thing is it is about $100 cheaper than the standard ones and is made by the same company (ACR I think).

Question is....arn't they all the same??

Thanks

Frank
 
frankh said:
Hi guys,

I came across a PLB that is primarily aimed at boaters, but works on the same frequencies and has an internal GPS.

Thing is it is about $100 cheaper than the standard ones and is made by the same company (ACR I think).

Question is....arn't they all the same??

Thanks

Frank
Click to expand...
Yep they are all the same.

I'm not sure what a "standard one" means though. Do you mean one that is marketed to pilots? I think mine was marketed to hikers or something but none of them are really aircraft specific.

By the way these things are great. One of the nice things is that you can use them for driving or hiking in remote areas as well as for flying. Also, they are loanable.

This weekend I was hiking with a group in a wilderness area. I brought the beacon although it seemed pointless because I was in a group. At one point everyone wanted to turn around but one person, who wanted to continue hiking in an area without trails. I almost loaned him my PLB and I should have. When I checked on him that night, he had made it back, but not before getting lost and running out of water. He would have been real hard to find.
 
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Actually

This one does NOT have an internal GPS...so I guess they really are all the same.

Would you guys buy one with an internal GPS or go without?

They seem to be about $550 these days...A lot of money but they only have to save you once I guess.

Frank
 
Yes

frankh said:
Would you guys buy one with an internal GPS or go without?

They seem to be about $550 these days...A lot of money but they only have to save you once I guess.
Click to expand...
Seemed kind of silly to me to NOT get the onboard GPS. I mean the point is to get found, and quickly, and having the GPS greatly enhances that. As you say, it only has to work once.

Having a single place aircraft I am not required to have a conventional ELT so I am going with a PLB only, story here.
 
406 MHz beacons

ELTs are for aircraft

EPIRBs are for boat people

PLB is for hikers, etc BUT I have a PLB for use in my aircraft. Or while traveling. Or hiking. Or on a boat.....

This is the one I have:

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/spwff1.html

"plus" means with GPS. Some folks offer free lifetime battery replacement at no extra cost.
 
Yes I think I'll get one

Planning on doing the Colorado run from Western Oregon over July 4th...so now is a good time.

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

Frank
 
New 406 PLB, avaiable with or without GPS, has just been released in Australia. They seem much cheaper than other models (with price here equal to US$450-00 for the GPS equiped model) and have battery that is non hazmat so can be sent overseas easily. Also equiped with an integral srobe light. 7 year battery replacement life.
It is applicable to use in USA (as it has the unique FAA mandated morse code letter P in the signal).
http://www.gme.net.au/epirb/mt410.php
http://www.gme.net.au/epirb/mt410_specifications.php

I have no relationship to the company at all.
 
ACR Models

ACR is one of the larger makers of PLBs. They just announced the third generation of PLBs, each of which has an internal GPS. The new units are called Microfix and Resqfix and are just targeted at different markets. These 3rd gen units are very small and have small improvements that make them easier to use and improves GPS performance.

mfixwstrap.jpg


The second generation unit had a model with a serial interface for the ship's (aircraft or boat) GPS as well. The units with only the internal GPS can be had for cheap right now, around $400 to $450, or $550 for the ones with the serial interface.

Doug Ritter has some comments on the 3rd gen ACR unit and likes the changes.
 
PLB choice

I have had my PLB for about three years so don't assume that it is the best. The ACR certainly appears to be a viable choice. Smaller is mo better.
 
PLB Registration Idea

Just got my 2nd gen ACR PLB and registered it this morning.

It occured to me that my phone contacts would not necessarily know whether I had taked a X country trip so in the "additional information" section of the Registration for I put the following remark.

"I normally post a note about my upcomming cross country trips at "www.vansairforce.net", user name "frankh"...Before any long Xcountries I'll simply post a note saying where and when I intend to go in the forums.

Its the electronic form of "posting a note on a tree"...

Frank..7a
 
PLB registration

Frank, check the site where you registered the PLB and see if there is an option to add notes. If there is then modifying that site for each trip would eliminate any time delay since they could correlate your location with a planned trip.
 
Frank, see the "Additional Data" section

That is where I placed trip info/contact info when I was out of the USA.
 
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