Spot Tracker

Gidday Silver

For the price of the PLB, you can buy a Spot Messenger 3, plus a year's tracking plan.

It has far greater functionality than just the PLB, although there are no on-going annual charges with the PLB. The annual fee for the Messenger 3 is about US$170. It makes up for this in that it can use almost any kind of battery or power source (USB, car, Lithium, Lithium rechargeables). I use LiIon rechargeables, and plug it in to the car when travelling. I carry the supplied set of LiIon non-rechargeables with me as an emergency backup power source ...
 
I'm not sure I need any 'features' but I can see that the tag is portable which would come in handy if ...for example ...you fell down a cliff face or something, whereas the PLB would more than likely be kept in the car.
My budget still comes into it....$350 for the PLB with a 7 year battery life or $170 py for the spot thingy = $1190.
BUT...I think the spot fee also includes any rescue costs that you may incur.
I'm not saying I won't use it and will check out my nephews one when I am back in Sydney picking up the car.
 
G'day again Silver

The Spot Messenger allows you to send (via the satellite link) pre-set messages (pre-setup by you) for things other than a life-threatening emergency.

That is, for:

1) "I'm OK"

2) "I'm OK, but car is dead", and

3) "I'm not OK, but not immediately life-threatening; car is OK"

These are sent to everyone on your pre-set list (which can include yourself).

Those people on your list can also track your movements in near real time (10 minute updates on position) from any web browser. That is to say, they can watch over you from afar, and whistle up the cavalry on your behalf if they think that things have gone badly wrong. This is quite different from you being able to push that EPIRB button ...
 
silver said:
BUT...I think the spot fee also includes any rescue costs that you may incur.
Click to expand...

Rescue is free in Oz. Paid for by Fed Govt. I have activated a GME410G PLB and was winched into an Air Ambulance chopper when a mate injured himself in Victoria.
 
They really are designed for different purposes, and you should consider which suits your needs better.

PLB:
- Personal (cig packet size) are readily available these days (I have one myself), water-proof can be had for about $350 (ACR resqlink).
- no update pings or transmission other than 'come and help me'
- only for life-treatening distress. I cannot stress this enough. It is not to get you out of a spot of bother. The national rescue coordination services will swing into action and send out a chopper or similar. see https://beacons.amsa.gov.au/about/how-they-work.asp
- world wide. Will work anywhere. Land or water, and the local rescue services will turn up.
- originally a global government-coordinated marine rescue system (hence the AMSA link)

Spot:
- a private organisation. US based
- can send periodic pings to tell people where you are. Website lets your friends track you.
- can be pre-programmed with messages (see Ratbag's post)
- because of the above, is much more flexible. You can pre-program a 'need help, but not in danger' message, which your home base (receiving message via SMS) can either deal with directly, or communicate to the authorities. eg: if you're just stranded off the beaten track somewhere, they could send out a friend to help instead of burdening the rescue services.
- uses something called the 'GEOS alliance' to triage your distress signal and work out what to do. This looks like a commercial organisation, and I'd be worried about how they interact with the local Australian rescue services. Maybe they just pass on the message. On the flip side, they can coordinate private rescues.
 
Wilko1 said:
Rescue is free in Oz. Paid for by the taxpayer.
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FIFY.

And not entirely true - they'll try to hit you for the cost if you activate a PLB unnecessarily.
 
^ A$3000 I think for any false activation of a PLB.
 
Kevin said:
^ A$3000 I think for any false activation of a PLB.
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The RAAF would go broke at that rate Kevin, I was forever tracking ELB's in Townsville and 90% of the time it would be a Blackhawk, the other 10% would be General Aviation when the aircraft were in for mtce.

One time I even tracked one down to a Marine shop in the City where somebody had activated one and put it back on the shelf.

QANTAS aircraft always monitor the emergency frequency, a lot of people owe them a big Thank You for their rescue.
 
subyroo said:
QANTAS aircraft always monitor the emergency frequency, a lot of people owe them a big Thank You for their rescue.
Click to expand...

Not so much these days.. that was the older 121.5MHz. Simple analog distress beacon.

Newer (406MHz) beacons have in built GPS, and send coordinates plus Hex ID via satellite - they also transmit the 121.5MHz signal as a backup.
 
Wilko1 said:
Rescue is free in Oz.
Click to expand...
Depends on what you call "rescue". My #2 son fell while cliff-climbing on 31 December and suffered spinal fractures. His belaying partner called the 000 service and several hours later he was winched into the rescue chopper and transported to the nearest regional hospital.

He subsequently received two accounts, one for the chopper and one for the short ambo ride from the airport to the hospital (the hospital doesn't have a helipad).
 
duncanm said:
Not so much these days.. that was the older 121.5MHz. Simple analog distress beacon.

Newer (406MHz) beacons have in built GPS, and send coordinates plus Hex ID via satellite - they also transmit the 121.5MHz signal as a backup.
Click to expand...

I keep on forgetting it is just on 15 years since I was in the Aviation Industry.

:redface: :redface: :redface: :redface:
 
duncanm said:
Not so much these days.. that was the older 121.5MHz. Simple analog distress beacon.

Newer (406MHz) beacons have in built GPS, and send coordinates plus Hex ID via satellite - they also transmit the 121.5MHz signal as a backup.
Click to expand...

Qantas and other commercial aircraft do monitor as I have my AMSA printout after my rescue. It notes the times I was pinging of both satellites and commercial aircraft. GME also replace your PLB for free after a rescue, so I can highly recommend GME products. Only some models have GPS eg GME410G. I suggest a GPS model as it reduces the search area from about 5 square kilometres (huge area) to about 5 metres. Also the chopper might know where you are but the crew might not be able to see you, like in my case standing in the Jamieson River wearing fishing waders. So wave like crazy and if you have bright coloured stuff or shinny stuff use it to get there attention. It is a very deflating feeling having a helo orbiting above you to just watch it fly away again. It took three goes at spotting us.
 
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