Sing together, people!


Wee Shallll ooooverrccoooooommmmmaaaaa ....

,,,,,chameleon!

Mildly irritating me this week is the situation regarding EPIRBs and PLBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and Personal Locator Beacons).

I go hiking a fair bit, usually alone. For safety reasons, in January 2005, I bought an EPIRB for about $250. It can send a radio signal to planes or satellites which is a distress signal, and will cause helicopters to come looking for me. It was expensive but a good investement and should last for decades.

In February 2009, the satellite system was turned off, to bring in a new digital signalling system. My old EPIRB no longer works (and I only just found this out, my hike last Easter was done with a heavy, yellow paperweight in my bag and a false sense of security!).

So I have just bought a new one. Now, true, the new system is better. Instead of an anonymous signal accurate to within 5km, the new device uses GPS to figure out my location to within 100 metres, then transmits a coded signal which will tell the rescuers who I am (once I do the online registration :p) and where I am. The signal will be received MUCH faster, too, a matter of five minutes rather than up to five hours, and the search-and-rescue becomes come-and-get-me. If I am lying lost and dehydrated with a broken leg and a snake-bite, speed will be good.

However, the new units are bloody pricey. RRP around $750!!! Crapola!
On the good side, the blessed internet enabled me to find a much better price, a mere $540. Great, barely twice what the last one cost. :right:

So, I have my new gadget, but I am still irritated about the early obselescence of the old one, and I am wondering how long the new one will be servicable.

We had to get new ones for our boat as well and lemme tell you, I wish we only paid $540 or $750.:rolleyes:

Yeah, the marine ones are more expensive. I think the prices are coming down now, just in time to mildly irritate you, too, I guess. ;)

Yeh well add that to the cost of the 2 navigation systems and the radar (just in case) .... Did I mention that the auto pilot took a shit this year too... Fucking technology!

"Never take technology out into the real world. They don't get along."
--me

What makes the marine ones more expensive? I mean sure, a water rescue is going to be more expensive than a forest rescue... but how are they going to know if you take your hiking beacon out on a boat? Are they going to just ignore you if they pick up a distress signal from out in the water?

They won't ignore it, but they will point and laugh while watching you drown. Afterwords they will sing a song about cheap dead bastards.

It's the elements and the signal strength that the marine variety have to deal with that make them more expensive. It's different when the unit needs to be able send a signal 50-100 miles from out in the ocean versus on land where there are more towers and whatnot. Also, the saltwater and rougher conditions (banging around) cause the manufacturer to design and protect the innards differently.

ANYTHING with "Marine" on it is automatically indicative of a much higher quality.:rotflol:

I must declare that false based on some of the women I've seen marines take home from the club.

And you do know that the Coast Guard did not get the funding to up grade all their search capablitities via our radios. But they are trying to get it back in the funding. We go off shore as well in our boat.

http://www.insidegnss.com/node/1615#...hnologies_Inc_

:thumb::doit:

Haggis at Capn and Lookout.

As I understand it, the marine epirbs are different.

(1) signal strength is the same, because the signals all go directly to satellite.
(2) Marine EPIRBs (a) must work for 48 hours rather than 24 for PLBs, even after 7 years storage; (b) must float upright with the antenna clear of the water (PLBs merely have to float so you don't lose them) and (c) many come with mounting brackets, float-free release systems, and water immersion activation features. (i.e if your boat sinks, the EPIRB automatically detaches itself and starts transmitting).

And they're big and tough and go HOOO-AHHH!!!! a lot.