4 men missing off Florida, including 2 NFL players

[Jamisjockey]

Oh. I wanted to tell you guys that you can get an EPIRB for under $200. I've been wanting to get one for a while now as a personal item. I just haven't been doing crap that would require its use.

Here: http://www.tigergps.com/acrminib300ils.html?productid=acrminib300ils&channelid=FROOG

I'd forego a couple of trips or dinners out to buy one if I was going offshore. That is for sure.

NO!  Don't buy that one.
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/firstpage/121.5phaseout.htm

The International Cospas-Sarsat System has ceased satellite processing of 121.5/243 MHz beacons on 1 February 2009. All beacon owners and users should replace their 121.5/243 MHz beacons with 406 MHz beacons as soon as possible.

Only 406 MHz beacons are now detected by the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. This affects all maritime beacons (EPIRBs), all aviation beacons (ELTs) and all personal beacons (PLBs). However, other devices (such as man overboard systems and homing transmitters) that operate at 121.5 MHz and do not rely on satellite detection are not affected by the phase-out of satellite processing at 121.5 MHz.

The decision to terminate 121.5/243 MHz processing was made in October 2000 at the 25th Session of the Cospas-Sarsat Council (CSC-25).

 
I'm actually going to buy a spot next week.

There was this one, too.
http://www.tigergps.com/acrterrafixgpsi.html

[myrockfight]

NO!  Don't buy that one.
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/firstpage/121.5phaseout.htm 
I'm actually going to buy a spot next week.

There was this one, too.
http://www.tigergps.com/acrterrafixgpsi.html

Good call. I didn't pay attention to the ad too much. I just did a search for 'em and posted that one because it was the cheapest. I would probably buy one of those Spots.

Wow. Buyer beware. Why in the hell would they keep selling those things after February. Damn thing is worthless. The SARSAT page said the satellites quit processing the 121/243 mHz signals in February of this year. Wow. 

[Jamisjockey]

Only worthless if you're going to be out of sight of landbased antennas.  For costal bay and inshore its probably a good call, unless you're talking something like the Everglades where you'd be miles and miles away from any possible signal reception.

[myrockfight]

Only worthless if you're going to be out of sight of landbased antennas.  For costal bay and inshore its probably a good call, unless you're talking something like the Everglades where you'd be miles and miles away from any possible signal reception.

Ah. I didn't know that had land based receivers for them. Clears that up! 

[dogmush]

You want a DUAL BAND 406/121.5 EPIRB.  The sat's will pickup the 406, and the planes/boats will use the 121.5 to homing i on you from short range.  In addition a GPS enabled DSC VHF is an inexpensive, really good safety item for small craft.  With DSC/GPS push one button and the radio will automaticlly transmit a distress signal with your LAT/Long to shore stations. If you're out of range of shore other vessels DSC's can recieve and relay your distress signal automaticlly.  It takes about 5 secs to get a mayday out.  Good stuff.

If you'regoing to get a maritime EPIRB, spend the $500 that a good one costs. Salt water is an increidably harsh environment and the PLB's aren't really design for it. Also a PLB's smaller battery could cause issues if it takes a couple hours to get a boat out to your location.

[myrockfight]

You want a DUAL BAND 406/121.5 EPIRB.  The sat's will pickup the 406, and the planes/boats will use the 121.5 to homing i on you from short range.  In addition a GPS enabled DSC VHF is an inexpensive, really good safety item for small craft.  With DSC/GPS push one button and the radio will automaticlly transmit a distress signal with your LAT/Long to shore stations. If you're out of range of shore other vessels DSC's can recieve and relay your distress signal automaticlly.  It takes about 5 secs to get a mayday out.  Good stuff.

If you'regoing to get a maritime EPIRB, spend the $500 that a good one costs. Salt water is an increidably harsh environment and the PLB's aren't really design for it. Also a PLB's smaller battery could cause issues if it takes a couple hours to get a boat out to your location.

Do they have an automated monitoring system that tracks the last known co-ordinates? I don't see how they couldn't have that since it is all computerized anyway.

[Ben]

For harsh environment personal EPIRBS, these are a good (but not cheap) bet:

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/maxgplb.html

We require them in survival vests for all our over water flight ops (though this "max" is a new unit, we have the "Fastfind Plus" units). If you guys get one, just remember when you register it to be sure to put emergency contacts that you know can be reached. Calls will be made to ensure it's not a false alarm, and if someone answers the phone to verify that you are indeed in trouble, rescue resources build dramatically.

For more info:
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/