PLB

[MOAK]

While camping the other night along Mongollon Rim forest rd 300, a helicopter landed about 200 yards from us. The helicopter shut down and did not leave for nearly 2 hours. The next morning we learned that a fellow camper about i/2 mile from our camp, about my age, passed away from a heart attack. It took over an hour for his companion to get to cell phone coverage. It was all just very sad. Would carrying and using a PLB saved his life? We’ll never know. But it may have.

 

[K12]

While camping the other night along Mongollon Rim forest rd 300, a helicopter landed about 200 yards from us. The helicopter shut down and did not leave for nearly 2 hours. The next morning we learned that a fellow camper about i/2 mile from our camp, about my age, passed away from a heart attack. It took over an hour for his companion to get to cell phone coverage. It was all just very sad. Would carrying and using a PLB saved his life? We’ll never know. But it may have.

I always have the Zoleo with me that has the SOS beacon on it. Never want to run into a scenario of what ifs.

 

[Ubiety]

I always have the Zoleo with me that has the SOS beacon on it. Never want to run into a scenario of what ifs.

Totally agree on some sort of satcom capability, especially if you go to the wild places, but could be a lifesaver just about anywhere... The guys that I have been adventuring with for many years all pitched in and got a defibrillator.

 

[rgallant]

@Ubiety speaks to the age of some us - as to the PLB usefulness is dependent on response resources - here in BC SAR is based on Vancouver island so hours away, that leaves local paramedics on wheels which is not optimal either. But at least with satellite beacons you have a shot

 

[Ubiety]

@Ubiety speaks to the age of some us

Hey! I'm only 29 (in my head) ;)

 

[DRAX]

Services/Devices like the Garmin inReach and Zoleo satellite communicators are better than nothing for sure, and a lot of folks have been saved by them, but just keep in mind that the SOS functionality doesn't go directly to emergency responders. Those SOS requests get routed through the services' support center for triage and they will take some time to try and get details about the situation before notifying first responders. That adds time, but also helps ensure the correct responders are activated to help.

With a PLB that's not the case, and I highly recommend having a PLB even if you have a satellite communicator. The PLB signal is generally picked up by the military who then contacts whatever first responders make sense for your location. PLBs are for when it's a matter of life and death. Satellite communicators have a wider variety of situations they can cover but if I had both and someone's life were at risk I would activate the PLB before the satellite communicator.

Another subject that doesn't discussed often enough are the additional costs of being rescued. If you don't have insurance and aren't in a national park (in the US) then you should expect to be handed a bill for all or most of the costs involved in the rescue. Having been rescued in the SoCal desert after breaking my leg 13 years ago I can tell you it's not cheap. The surgery was the cheapest part of that experience. The 90-mile helicopter flight (necessary due to high winds between the desert and San Diego which prevented an ambulance from taking me to UCSD) was billed at over $80,000. Thankfully it was all covered by my health insurance.

So, if you think you could find yourself in a situation where your only option to get out alive is via SOS then I would highly recommend looking into rescue insurance. There are a number of different providers out there and while the cost isn't super cheap it's a lot cheaper than paying for everything out of your own pocket without it.

 

[smritte]

My sister wants me to get one. She said the only reason is so she knows where my cruiser is parked. That way she can go pick it up and leave my dumb azz in the desert.

 

[Tundracamper]

With a PLB that's not the case, and I highly recommend having a PLB even if you have a satellite communicator. The PLB signal is generally picked up by the military who then contacts whatever first responders make sense for your location. PLBs are for when it's a matter of life and death. Satellite communicators have a wider variety of situations they can cover but if I had both and someone's life were at risk I would activate the PLB before the satellite communicator.

If I am not mistaken, I believe satellite communicators broadcast with a power on the order of like 0.5 Watts to 1 Watt while a PLB is more like 5 Watts. That much power difference can provide much better range in a canyon or under trees. The difference may not still be that much these days, but I’m pretty sure there is a difference.

 

[K12]

If I am not mistaken, I believe satellite communicators broadcast with a power on the order of like 0.5 Watts to 1 Watt while a PLB is more like 5 Watts. That much power difference can provide much better range in a canyon or under trees. The difference may not still be that much these days, but I’m pretty sure there is a difference.

I go to the mountains a lot with mine and have never had a reception problem, even at the bottom of the valley. Only issues i have encountered are inside the trailer, but I have cell reception issues in there when I have 5 bars right outside. I do like the idea of a beacon but having the other imo is better. If im stuck but not too bad I can still text someone off the sattelite to come help me out. Not an emergency but still get the help I need without walking 10 miles to cell reception.

The monthly fee does suck, but worth it to feel safer

 

[AggieOE]

We flipped our 4Runner over in the Smokies (we were fine) and in the valley that we were in, could not get ANY phone signal. Other cars stopped and also could not get signal to call law enforcement or anyone. So I pulled out my inReach, pressed SOS, and.... nothing. I'm pretty sure it too couldn't get a connection in the valley. Eventually, someone made it down the mountain and told an officer who drove up and radioed a tow truck.

 

[MOAK]

Services/Devices like the Garmin inReach and Zoleo satellite communicators are better than nothing for sure, and a lot of folks have been saved by them, but just keep in mind that the SOS functionality doesn't go directly to emergency responders. Those SOS requests get routed through the services' support center for triage and they will take some time to try and get details about the situation before notifying first responders. That adds time, but also helps ensure the correct responders are activated to help.

With a PLB that's not the case, and I highly recommend having a PLB even if you have a satellite communicator. The PLB signal is generally picked up by the military who then contacts whatever first responders make sense for your location. PLBs are for when it's a matter of life and death. Satellite communicators have a wider variety of situations they can cover but if I had both and someone's life were at risk I would activate the PLB before the satellite communicator.

Another subject that doesn't discussed often enough are the additional costs of being rescued. If you don't have insurance and aren't in a national park (in the US) then you should expect to be handed a bill for all or most of the costs involved in the rescue. Having been rescued in the SoCal desert after breaking my leg 13 years ago I can tell you it's not cheap. The surgery was the cheapest part of that experience. The 90-mile helicopter flight (necessary due to high winds between the desert and San Diego which prevented an ambulance from taking me to UCSD) was billed at over $80,000. Thankfully it was all covered by my health insurance.

So, if you think you could find yourself in a situation where your only option to get out alive is via SOS then I would highly recommend looking into rescue insurance. There are a number of different providers out there and while the cost isn't super cheap it's a lot cheaper than paying for everything out of your own pocket without it.

Very true, I’ve done a ton of research on this very subject; finally after reading through my policy, then speaking with my carrier, ( & not some ill informed answering service person) I have found that Medicare, combined with my supplemental will cover extraction costs. However, leaving the country I’ll be purchasing a separate policy.

 

[MOAK]

We flipped our 4Runner over in the Smokies (we were fine) and in the valley that we were in, could not get ANY phone signal. Other cars stopped and also could not get signal to call law enforcement or anyone. So I pulled out my inReach, pressed SOS, and.... nothing. I'm pretty sure it too couldn't get a connection in the valley. Eventually, someone made it down the mountain and told an officer who drove up and radioed a tow truck.

I’m not sold on the In Reach and your story confirms my suspicion. The Smokies are not remote. Wow! Glad you didn’t get hurt. Thank Toyota engineers for it.

 

[Ragman]

When you say nothing do you mean no response or no signal as the valley interfered with the line of sight to a satellite? If the latter would that interfere with a PLB as well?

 

[Tundracamper]

When you say nothing do you mean no response or no signal as the valley interfered with the line of sight to a satellite? If the latter would that interfere with a PLB as well?

Don’t the two systems use different satellites? I’m Not saying they would work in this specific case. But, I’m not sure one could conclude they wouldn’t work either.

 

[rgallant]

Deep valleys are a problem for all satellite devices as is your actual location on the planet in relation to the satellite path. The 2 combined can cause no signal for long period or require you to move to a better location. Inreach was pretty clear on this when I called to see about sat phone viability a few years back the biggest issues :

• Satellite paths in relation to your position
• Overhead cover - heavy tress etc.
• Deep narrow valleys

Basically a lot of the PNW can be iffy

 

[Ubiety]

Don’t the two systems use different satellites? I’m Not saying they would work in this specific case. But, I’m not sure one could conclude they wouldn’t work either.

Not super familiar with current PLBs but I believe that they broadcast a terrestrial signal (and possibly chat with satellites as well). But yeah, a canyon (or dense trees) is a bad place to be when trying to hit satellites.

I stand corrected. Evidently PLB/EPIRB/etc have shifted away from terrestrial signals to utilizing satellites. You learn something new every day :)

 

[Flipper]

EPIRB/PLB has been around for many years in the marine industry. It has always run off sats. No fee. Worldwide. We carry a ACR PLB, our marine VHF has DSC and we also have Global Rescue emergency extraction insurance. You have to be 100 miles from home to use the GR. The PLB is smaller than a pack of cigarettes, clips right on to my back pack.

 

[Ubiety]

EPIRB/PLB has been around for many years in the marine industry.

Overwatering is mainly where my experience with these devices come from ;)