Epirb

Also, on the AMSA website there is the facility which allows you to upload your detailed itinerary as a document.
JW

Indeed, even photos of vehicles !!
It's a very good registration service and easy to manage.

when you fill in the registration you can use the same unit as a dual use for land & sea

https://coastguard.com.au/

That's (what I feel is) the best value PLB on the market, still around $249, and 10 - 11 years service.

I have 2 of them, one in my bushwalking gear, one in the glovebox of the 4WD, and take both on big trips.

I think many people, myself included, find buying lots of things from a bricks and mortar outlet almost impossible. Ringing around, the runaround you get, they don't ring you back, you drive across town in bumper to bumper traffic to find it's not what was promised.... I recently had to buy a new Chlorine cell for our pool, rang six pool outlets, all different mobs, found one that could get me one in a week, $611. 'Looked on EBay, same brand and type $335 and a special EBay 10 % discount.So for $300 and 3 days later was delivered to my door. So you can't blame people for not supporting local shops, no matter how well heeled you are, you are not going to pay double. I do my research and buy on price in most cases but I also consider the warranty side of it and how hard it will be to get it fixed or replace in the event of failure. Michael

You buy stuff from bricks and mortar stores and there's an inbuilt cost of about 30% of the items purchase cost, to cover the enormous rents these business people have to pay.

If you knew the rents these businesses are paying, you would be stunned. Spoke to a furniture retailer bloke who was closing down last year, and he said his rent bill was over $110,000 a year!!

You gotta sell shiploads of furniture to cover that kind of business input cost!

I have no intention of making greedy commercial property landlords any wealthier than they already are.
In my neck of the woods, these greedy people are still demanding 20% to 35% ROI for property rents!
Someone needs to remind them we only get 2.5% - 3.5% when we put our hard-earned dollars on interest-bearing deposits!

What is amazing is that there are industrial suburbs that are a wasteland of empty factory units - but the landlords won't reduce their asking rents, though!!
They just put the empty units up for sale when they can't rent them - at exorbitant prices, too!

Online is the only way to go. You have the choice of thousands of online sellers and they all deliver right to your door, 98% of the time!

Cheers, Ron.

You should see the big retail places like Westfield and Centro, they get to see all the books, and adjust rents upwards if you're making a good profit !!

I support bricks and mortar where I can, but it's so easy now to compare online, and if it's blatantly out of line I will shop internet source.
If you ask a retailer to match online pricing, it's surprising how many will, even if it is close to their cost.

Ron N I don’t know what neck of the woods you are from but I was just reading a registered valuation for some commercial property in Sydney and the expected rate of return is 4.5 to 6% return for the area

I completely agree I do have sat phone organised but want the eperb if were upside down and in deep dodo.

Yep - good point - another scenario for the subject.

Australian Coastguard

I suggest that if you are not using it in a boat, then a PLB is more appropriate than an EPIRB and that you carry it on your belt when you go walking rather than leave it in the vehicle. They are all available with GPS.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Agree, cigarette pkt size, can be taken if you are leaving the vehicle for a bushwalk etc.
Most PLBs have 7 year battery, some 10 - 11 years.

I agree, get the KIT, it's the new market favourite $250 or less Register it and it's done. 10 year battery life and GPS to find you, even if you are still moving after activation. It's tiny and you get a cute little zipp hard bag and an armband for bush walking. By the way, you need a PLB for land use, Epirbs are for Marine use and each
Epirb is registered and dedicated to a particular Vessel. Michael

Michael

I am not looking for an argument but, I I think it is essential to provide accurate information for topics that may have potentially life threatening consequences.

Unfortunately the information you have provided is incorrect...

"By the way, you need a PLB for land use, Epirbs are for Marine use and each
Epirb is registered and dedicated to a particular Vessel."

The following information is taken from the AMSA webpage. You will note that you may use an EPIRB for land based activities.



For those who wish to visit the site - Click Here

Cheers

Anthony

All good Anthony, I'm not the argumentative type but it seems what I wrote is the general consensus, right or wrong! I do know you can use a PLB as a portable unit on a boat. Michael

Hi Guys, you can also use an EPIRB on land. They do not have to be registered to a vessel.

Macca.

Again...An EPIRB can be used on land and when registering it, you are able to designate your vehicle in addition to your vessel.

Absolutely, if you have a boat and go more than 2nm offshore, you must carry and EPIRB, so you could easily use it for land too, quite acceptable.

I hazard a guess what cruza25 was addressing is if you didn't own a boat and wanted a locator beacon for land trip (and kayaking etc too), why would you buy a much larger, heavier, more expensive EPIRB over a PLB ?

"Can distress beacons be registered for more than one use?
AMSA can register a beacon for up to four uses e.g. vessel, vehicle, aircraft. However, please note that in some cases PLBs cannot be carried as a substitute to an EPIRB. Check your State and Territory legal carriage requirements."
http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/registration/

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Like maritime use, I think aircraft have various rules for these.
Some situations require ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitter), other times a PLB or EPIRB is permitted.

With boating, an EPIRB is mandatory for boating more than 2nm offshore, pretty sure because an EPIRB will float, upwards with the antenna correctly pointing up to the sky, and possibly (read once somewhere) because an EPIRB may operate automatically in some circumstances (immersed perhaps).

EPIRBs are required to operate min 48hrs, while PLBs and ELTs are only 24hrs . . . once they have your position from it (minutes if not seconds) well that's it, all they need.
In some cases all these have 2nd frequency that S&R craft can home in on when close.
Otherwise, in a land situation, if at all possible don't move too far once you have activated it.

There is nothing prohibiting the use of a PLB in boats and aircraft (in addition to any mandatory requirement for something better), so it is always a useful thing to have as an individual.
I understand that all of these devises also transmit on VHF 122.5Mhz which is the aviation emergency frequency and is used for homing.
CORRECTION, that frequency is VHF.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Thats not correct re the transmit freq, PLB do not use the 121.5MHz , They use 406MHz.

There used to be two operating frequencies - 406MHz and 121.5MHz – but as of 1 February 2009 the 121.5MHz analogue frequency was no longer received by the satellites.

Every 406MHz distress beacon must be registered with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority: it’s free and easily done on-line at the AMSA .

I understand that they do transmit on 121.5 (not 122.5 as I posted).(...as well as 406). This is not for the satellite, it is for homing aircraft.
I will see if I can check.....
No mention of 121.5, so looks like you are correct - my apologies...
Yes, easy to register and a stunning public service.
They work world wide BTW. We take ours overseas when we go....

Cheers,
Peter OKA196 motorhome

Peter

It would appear that you were correct. Info below taken from GME Website for the MT410G PLB.

Product Details

Fitted with NON-HAZMAT long life batteries
Featherweight, compact and robust construction
50 search channel GPS receiver for better than 100 metre accuracy
Digital 406 MHz, 5 Watt transmission plus 121.5 MHz homing signal
7 year battery life
COSPAS-SARSAT worldwide operation
7 year warranty
National and International approvals
Typical accuracy (with GPS) <100m
Sealed waterproof design (exceeds IP67)
High visibility flashing light
Retention strap and fully buoyant design reduces risk of loss
Unique patented technology - no warm up period
Complete with protective carry pouch

For those who want to see the GME page - click here

Cheers

Anthony

Yes Peter n Margaret I was able to register my EPIRB to maximium of 4 vessels, vehicles of aircraft. An EPIRB can still be used on land as pointed out in the above reply it's still the same when I had mine. They are bulky to carry for hiking so the smaller PLB would be much better but I don't go on long hiking trips so originally when I found out my EPIRB could be used on land I just carried it in the vehicle just in case. So if you already have an EPIRB you don't need to spend extra for a PLB if you really don't need one.

Inshore boating you don't need any beacon.
More than 2nm (offshore) and EPIRB is required to be carried, for the reasons I pointed out above.
A PLB won't cut it as far as legal requirement goes, even if it floats (as most do), they must go for min 48hrs and float with antenna pointed up.

A PLB is by far the most versatile beacon for land use, small enough to have in the console of glovebox, and take when going on foot for any sort of activity.
If you already have an EPIRB for the boat, well then nothing to stop you taking it on your land adventures, they are just larger.

Thats the way i read it also, EPIRB is for Marine use. The sales guy was correct but maybe he failed to add that they sell PLBs for land use Michael.

What a load of misinformation has been spouted in this thread, EPIRBs can be used anywhere, any time, as can PLBs, every offshore racing yacht not only carry’s an EPIRB for the vessel, but also every crew member has a PLB in a pocket high on the sleeve of their wet weather gear. This is how they got referred to as PLBs as they were intended to locate single crew members unfortunate enough to go overboard.

I used to repurpose our boat’s epirb in the car in the days before PLB’s for all our dodgy trips. These days with digital epirbs being ‘registered’ to a vessel, AMSA appreciates a heads up trip log when you are doing it so they don’t have to go looking for a ‘Carter 33 sloop with 5 POB’ on the Coulson Line.

Shaker, while PLBs might be ok for individual use, an EPIRB is mandatory when specified for offshore for the craft.

This brochure is fairly comprehensive in its info . . .
AMSA beacon info

"PLBs do not meet the
equipment carriage
requirements when an
EPIRB is specified as
mandatory."

Good discussion, and not too much wrong.
If you are only using a beacon for land use, get a PLB, small light ciggy pkt size, can keep close and take without hassle if leaving for a walk etc.

I am fully aware of EPIRB requirements, 20 years as a Yacht Broker made sure of that!

If you are drifting in a life raft of somewhere 1000kb south of Cape Horn, I would agree, in a 4WD or walking somewhere in the desert, they will probably have your position fixed in 5 minutes or less and simply want a longer transmission to be sure it is not an accidental false alarm.
An EPIRB is rather bulky and inconvenient for walking and more expensive, unless you have one already, as you have, in which case, just use it ...

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Peter, Horses for courses I guess. Unless your'e buying really cheap on line, quality PLB's & EPIRB's are pretty much the same cost.

Yes PLB's are generally smaller, but I don't think many people will be hiking through the Simpson Desert, which is what the OP was asking about.

No offence meant.

Macca.

" I don't think many people will be hiking through the Simpson Desert,"
We have done short hikes in the Simpson. Much more wild life away from the roads. More people should try it I reckon?
Also longer walks to Degree Confluences, over nights in the Bungles and Tassi.
These things are good for around 10 years, so the more flexible and convenient = the more used = the more likely you have it if it is ever needed.
If you are 2 or 3 km away from the car and it is in the glove box when you need it you will wonder why you bought one I reckon?
If you never leave the car, then fine.....

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome