PLBs

I assume PLB stands for Personal Location Beacon?

It ain't!

It's an Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon.

I make this distinction not for semantic reasons but because these devices should not be triggered unless the is an identifiable threat to life - so if you're in many areas of (say) Victoria and your vehicle battery is dead you don't trigger your EPIRB - you put on your comfortable shoes and walk out to a phone. otoh if you're in the depths of WA with a flat battery it may well be appropriate to trigger an EPIRB.

An EPIRB is a last ditch device - if cost is not an issue go HF radio or Sat Phone and keep an EPIRB for last ditch situations.

At this point I would still go for the 121.5MHz devices.

Mike Harding

Pick up a second hand Satphone - I bought my Motorola 9500 off ebay for under a grand and there's one there at the moment which started at $300.

Get your Telstra SIM card for your digital mobile enabled for international roaming and use it in an Iridium Satphone. That way you don't need a $30 a month account - which the ba$tards at Telstra want to lock you into a 24 month contract on even if you already own your phone.

You pay a little more to make calls and you pay to receive calls but if it's for emergency use only it's still far more cost effective.

Then you can use it for breakdown, not so emergency contact (eg. We've had a breakdown, we'll be a day late - don't send the search parties in) or for a true emergency.

A call to an emergency service with a set of GPS coords and an exact description of the problem will get you help something like 15-20hours (at least) faster than an EPIRB which will initiate someone looking for you in a 20km square area.

Dave

G,Day Geocache

I'm just about to purchase a Satphone 9505 at the horrible price of $1995. and the bit I hated most of all was the fact that I had to have a monthly account with Telstra with the phone in use for maybe only 4 months of the year. Thanks for the tip on the sim card which I already have set for International roaming. Are you sure it really works ok that way?? I'm not really doudting you, I'm just surprised it can be that simple and no account how good is that! ! ! !

Regards

Jeff

Hi Troopie,

Mate, I agree that the 406MHz EPIRBS are still not readily available for a decent price, or in a size that you can carry around with you.

In my opinion you cannot go past the two devices from ATI and available through the ExplorOz Shop.

I have the model without the strobe, but if you want the extra safety feature, of visual attraction at night, pay the little extra for the Strobe model. They are extremely compact and come with a carry case that you can attach to your belt, or hang around your neck, if you wish.

These units will still be supported for a couple of years yet and as I understand, you will be able to get a rebate of some kind, when you eventually "trade up" to the 406MHz models when they become more compact and affordable.

KTI EPIRBS

TurboTroopy. I'm also looking for an EPIRB for a forthcoming trip on the Canning. I already have a satphone but want an EPIRB as a backup in case the satphone isn't working for some reason

What did you find out re the 406 MHz & 121/243 Mhz units? What were the best prices you got for both? I'd prefer a 406 since it won't be outdated in a few years ... but at approx double the price they're expensive!!