That ResQLink with the I'm OK check in botton looks promising. Says it doesn't drain the battery. I look at it this way, safety/rescue-PLB, tracking-SPOT or Spider Tracks-depending on how reliable you want it and what you're willing pay, communication-Iridium sat phone. I had very poor tracking results with my SPOT, but it sounds like it works for others. If I could only keep one, I would keep my sat phone. For $500 a year I have any where communication. I spend a lot of days a year where there is no cell phone service. The text messaging and emailing ability is priceless. I've found that I rarely use it to call anymore and almost exclusively text with it. It's saved me all kinds of headaches. With the texting only charging 30 seconds outbound and no seconds inbound, I wish they had a 100 minute per year plan. I have a brand new in the box SPOT. I also have a very slightly used one. Both first gen. PM if you're interested.

well, I went down to Bass Pro shops, bought both. The "backyard test" for the spot is promising...but I think the PLB might be the "save the bacon" type of thing.


Thanks everyone for the input.

This story relates directly to topic and the discussion:

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/a ... ing-rescue

After the bear attack, the NOLS group was able to punch a button on a personal locator beacon (PLB) that sent an immediate call for help with their location coordinates. But the signal didn't tell anyone the nature of the emergency. Rescuers had no way of knowing the group had at least two critically injured people. If rescuers had known that information, they might have immediately sent to the scene a fully equipped Alaska National Guard medical team, only 35 flight minutes away in Anchorage, troopers said. And that crew would eventually be called to the scene, but not until eight hours after the PLB button was punched.

lc

Edit to add quote.

I've got both as well. I use the SPOT every flight to send OK to family and tracking for obvious reasons. The new spot connect with Text messaging capability for the text message crowd should be a real plus. As for the PLB I think of it as insurance like a strobe light, & a mirror. I have the McCurdo Fast Find for $219.00 it does the same thing for less.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... _sku=97368

I have a 1st generation spot, a 406 ELT, and a Byonics micro tracker RTG.

The 406 is for real, legal, comfort, international (blah blah blah) , the spot was my 1st attempt at reassuring family, and the micro tracker is my latest attempt. Enter search callsign N9951 at aprs.fi
http://aprs.fi/?call=a%2FN9951&mt=roadm ... ange=21600
and compare it to what you see at
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... ANCttXKqGV

The microtracker does require a ham technician's license (no morse code required) but there is no yearly fee once you get it - all free! Buy a $25 computer training guide to take the technicians test and it is EASY! In Alaska, I'd "suck it up" and by spidertracks but there seems to be a wealth of hams in the lower 48 that track you for free.

And what I did not mention is that if you think pilots are old, wait until you see the hams! You'll feel like you're in diapers!

.......if you think pilots are old, wait until you see the hams!...

Hey! Some of us are SENSITIVE!

Nowdays with cell phones so cheap and easy I am not active......
You mean it might be of benefit again? I will have to look into it. (Thanks for the heads up)

lc

Spot is running a 50% off rebate on their Spot Gen 3. I am thinking of getting one to add to my PLB.

What subscription are you running? The website is a little confusing and does not clearly lay out what the monthly cost will be with all the add ons. Or is it best to just do the $149 a year plan?

Cheers,
Ken

We just picked up a Spot Gen3 for our trip to Oshkosh.

Family likes the tracking feature to see where we are.
I don't like my family now sending me texts asking if I see the weather ahead of me and giving me course advice.

The "Im OK" feature is...OK. Of course I'm OK, the track is still moving at 120 MPH and if it's not and I'm not over an airport, I'm probably not OK. Being able to tweak the OK message would be nice would make it more OK.
The extra OK button is not OK. Its just a pain in the ass.

The "My life is not in danger but I'm not OK" is really of no use without being able to program the message when I want to press it.
If I ever press that button, my family will simply dial 911 anyway.

The UI for the whole system harkens back to 1995. They really should think about a new Product Manager for the whole thing.

BUT, if I ever do have to put it in - the RED button should be worth the cost of the unit. I just wish it had some better uses in the mean time.

If you use a SPOT the GEN3 SPOT is a worthwhile upgrade and often on sale at 50% or recently for currently owners a free upgrade.

- power off USB cable so batteries are fresh in an emergency
- as well as OK and HELP a custom msg is available - mine is "OK but delayed by weather"
- better GPS receiver
- more intuitive buttons for operation (ie tracking has separate button now)
- can pay more for more frequent position reporting (std is 10 minutes, option for 5 and 2.5 )

I'd guess the reduction in search costs would justify governments giving a SPOT to every pilot.
That R22 pilot trying to fly around the arctic circle that went down on an ice flow - was rescued but they
had to launch a search - 2 Hercs and a Cormorant out of Nova Scotia and several boats
Record seekers like that should post bond for rescue costs.

Bagarre wrote:We just picked up a Spot Gen3 for our trip to Oshkosh.

Family likes the tracking feature to see where we are.
I don't like my family now sending me texts asking if I see the weather ahead of me and giving me course advice.

The "Im OK" feature is...OK. Of course I'm OK, the track is still moving at 120 MPH and if it's not and I'm not over an airport, I'm probably not OK. Being able to tweak the OK message would be nice would make it more OK.
The extra OK button is not OK. Its just a pain in the ass.

The "My life is not in danger but I'm not OK" is really of no use without being able to program the message when I want to press it.
If I ever press that button, my family will simply dial 911 anyway.

The UI for the whole system harkens back to 1995. They really should think about a new Product Manager for the whole thing.

BUT, if I ever do have to put it in - the RED button should be worth the cost of the unit. I just wish it had some better uses in the mean time.

InReach has all the features you mention, plus two way communication. When I returned to Mexico on Sunday I was able to use the two way functionality to message with my wife to coordinate my driver to pick me up for my delayed arrival. Saved me (and him) a ton of hassle as he had just been kicked out of the airport having been told that they weren't expecting anyone else.

InReach is the better platform hands down. But it *is* more expensive. Just one of those times where you do get what you pay for, just gotta decide what you want.

Well, you can always pay more money for different technology (like two-way texting with inReach).

Most of my flying is done as a Flight notification where I leave an itinerary with a responsible person. Almost all my area has no cel phone coverage. 5 min tracking reports (2 is available, I'm ok with 5). If someone is picking me up at some drive from their house they can see me coming don't have to hang around either their house or the airstrip.

I program one button to say "weather problems, diverting or parking here". (Same as cbfraser). One button says "I'm ok here", good for those impromptu sandbars or beaches where they'll see me stopped somewhere off airport.

The "I need non-emergency help" goes to my buddies in the area that can fly out to where I am with a 180 or a helicopter - in case I have a flat I can't fix or an engine/fuel problem. Good to have friends.

Last one is the 911 "call the cavalry", in these parts you'll hear the thumping of the EH101 coming from 25 miles away, and 10 minutes later it will have you lit up in the night sun while they lower a basket down.

It all works. You can check the link on my tracks.

This last spring I "upgraded" to the InReach from the second generation SPOT. I find the InReach to be a good bit more reliable on the tracking, and the two way messaging feature is really nice, though I haven't really "needed" it yet.

It is also worthy of note that Lockheed Martin Flight Services will now attach your SPOT or InReach map link to your master flight plan if you give them the link. So, if you file a flight plan, they will actually flight follow you with that link and map. Even if you don't file a flight plan, at least SOMEbody in "official-dom" will have a link to your map and track....maybe.

But, the point is, if you're filing flight plans in the Lower 48, Lockheed Martin can attach that link to your flight plan.

In Alaska, the AFSS system there has been doing this for several years.

Something to consider.

MTV

I have my SPOT 2 set up just like Karmutzens. Works great!

if it's not and I'm not over an airport, I'm probably not OK.

One of my village flights shortly after we got the 1st gen SPOT when we lived in Alaska, I was heading to White Mountain from Unalakleet. The last fix put me over the middle of Golovin bay. I had landed, shut everything down and headed to work before the SPOT "checked in' again. So I was blissfully unaware that my wife thought I was parked on the sea ice instead of where I was supposed to be, the i'm OK feature would have been nice

slowhawk wrote:

if it's not and I'm not over an airport, I'm probably not OK.

One of my village flights shortly after we got the 1st gen SPOT when we lived in Alaska, I was heading to White Mountain from Unalakleet. The last fix put me over the middle of Golovin bay. I had landed, shut everything down and headed to work before the SPOT "checked in' again. So I was blissfully unaware that my wife thought I was parked on the sea ice instead of where I was supposed to be, the i'm OK feature would have been nice

My InReach dropped a point in the woods just off the strip my plane is at and I shut it off while taxiing back after landing - before it dropped a point on the runway. My wife called after she randomly checked the tracking map and saw the last point was from hours ago in the woods just to make sure that was a tracking error.

I now make it a point to leave my InReach on until the prop stops for her peace of mind, lol.

yeah, had to make a habit of turning it off tracking mode and "mark" when I landed or just leave it on. The 1st gen dropped a lot of check-ins, or at least that was my experience with it up there.

CamTom12 wrote:My InReach dropped a point in the woods just off the strip my plane is at and I shut it off while taxiing back after landing - before it dropped a point on the runway. My wife called after she randomly checked the tracking map and saw the last point was from hours ago in the woods just to make sure that was a tracking error.

I now make it a point to leave my InReach on until the prop stops for her peace of mind, lol.

I have three "quick messages" setup.

1) "I'm leaving"
2) "Delayed but fine"
3) "Done flying"

Those get emailed to a couple pilots and a couple family. In the text of the message is a link to my tracking page so they don't have to dig it up. They are part of my pre-takeoff and post-flight checklists now.

Another vote for the Byonics RTG tracker. Price is right (no subscription or other fees once the thing is installed). Not particularly good for emergencies, though it does leave a nice bread crumb track that is archived on the internet, so someone could easily get an idea of where you were last headed. Generally works very well in most areas of the lower 48, particularly if you have it set up properly. I've used it well up into BC and only lost contact north of Smithers (but I've had it hit when in north-central Yukon - depends on the availability of ham radio repeaters). I also carry a PLB for the emergency parts.

Greg

The Idaho survival thread pushed me over the edge on PLBs. I do a lot of solo hiking in the back country so I'm ready to purchase one. I'm pretty low tech so my research keeps coming around to a Spot generation 3 Locator beacon.

I'm wondering about the subscription costs. Here's what I can find on that: "$149.99 yearly subscription covers basic service and tracking. Add unlimited tracking for an additional $50 per year, or extreme tracking at 2.5 min. intervals for an additional $150 per year".

Does anyone know what the "unlimited tracking" includes that the "basic service and tracking" does not?

Also, my airplane has a 121.5 ELT so I will use the spot in the airplane as well so I will be more comfortable flying more than gliding distance from a hay field.