Satellite EPIRB type device thingamajigs

[molliesmaster]

I don't know much about these things, as I've never needed one until now. Looks like a solo elk hunt might be a real possibility for me this year. I figured I'd better get to researching and couldn't think of a better place to start.


What I need:
- Oh shit button, for when/if I break my leg and need rescue
- Would like to be able to text my wife everyday and let her know that I'm alive and make sure she is ok as well.

Would be nice to have:
- a plan that I could purchase for the month I needed, not a year long contract
- decent battery life
- not a bajillion dollars.

 

[yeti14]

Garmin | inReach. Works well. I have one and recommend. It check all of your boxes

 

[Owenst7]

I'd research ham radio repeaters in that area. Around here, they will frequently work even when you can't get reliable satellite reception. My little baofeng handhelds are about $20 and last about a week on one battery. They're about the size and weight of a deck of cards. A license is super easy to get and costs like $15.

 

[TBossHSauce]

I'm interested as well. I need to update my GPS and don't know if I want to go the Garmin 64 route or the InReach Explorer+. For those of you that have one or the other what are the pros and cons? Is the GPS function of the InReach good enough or will it leave me wanting for more? I don't want to carry both but like the idea of the iridium text function to keep the wifey happy.

 

[jmden]

Emergency Postion Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) are usually used at sea for when a ship/boat is going down--often water activated and designed to come off a boat and float to the surface if the boat goes down. On land, a similar item would be called Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). These devices are supposed to be registered with NOAA but there's no monthly, etc. cost once purchased.

My understanding is that these two items are more robust in terms of positive communication (one-way, albeit) with emergency services that are other devices mentioned. That could've changed but I've heard stories over the years of some of the less robust devices either failing or taking too long to communiate that there's a problem once activated.

I purchased a McMurdo/Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus (PLB) ( McMurdo FastFind Max G PLB 406 EPIRB ) about 12 years ago and still pack it if I'm out of cell service. The company gives me a new battery every 5 years. It's inital and primary use is for open ocean kayaking trips, but gets used in the mountains alot too. It has 2 'methods' of sending your position to services: it's integral GPS sends your lat/lon position to the COPASS/SARSAT satellites via a 406 MHz signal, so your position is known, typically within 3 minutes or so, and they have a 121.5 MHz 'homing signal' so that when rescuers so equipped get close, they can follow that right to you.

In-Depth Garmin Inreach Explorer Review - HikingGuy.com Inreach review...

 

[COlineman78]

Delorme/Garmin In-Reach is what you're looking for. The monthly plans are more expensive and you have to remember to turn it on and off. I ended up just going with the cheapest annual plan after forgetting to turn it off a month or two. If you're okay with the preset 'I'm not dead' messages for daily communications you will be okay with that plan at $144/yr which includes 10 text messages/month, unlimited presets and is like 10 cents per tracking point or location ping. The device itself runs about $250ish.

 

[Gorp2007]

I got one of the older Delorme InReach models last year on clearance and it syncs to my phone and works great. The built in GPS maps leave a bit to be desired, but I can pair it with my phone and use my phone maps and touchscreen and even type out texts on my phone that are sent via satellite.

 

[blackovis]

I have the older Delorme InReach Explorer model as well and it works flawlessly. Definitely money well spent and I'm always able to be in contact. I'm outside of cell service almost every week at some point so for me the Annual plan is worth it. Nice to be able to choose though. I've heard the new Garmin is even better since they bought out Delorme.

 

[casey58]

I have an inreach that is a few years old, so far everything has worked perfectly. I originally planned on doing a monthly plan but ended up with the yearly. I keep it in my glove box when I'm not back packing just incase something happens and I don't have cell service.

 

[TBossHSauce]

Don’t you have to be within cell service to pair with iPhone and use maps? If so doesn’t this defeat the purpose? If I am in cell service to use maps why do I need the iridium texty thingy? Or am I completely wrong?


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[Gorp2007]

Don’t you have to be within cell service to pair with iPhone and use maps? If so doesn’t this defeat the purpose? If I am in cell service to use maps why do I need the iridium texty thingy? Or am I completely wrong?

You download the maps to your phone so that they're saved to your local device, no need for cell reception. The InReach pairs via Bluetooth and your phone can stay on modified Airplane Mode the entire time. With the InReach app, you just highlight the area you want map coverage for and then it downloads (I recommend using wifi since it's quite a bit of data). You can also use your phone's built-in GPS with apps like Backcountry Explorer or GAIA and accomplish the same thing, but I think the GPS receiver on the InReach is a bit more accurate and you now have a) a redundant GPS system and b) a satellite messenger. I use my phone as my primary GPS and my InReach as a back-up.

 

[Jardo]

I fish off sore several times each month and usually my children and wife come along. We had a scary situation a few years ago so I researched some beacons. EPIRBs are registered to boats. Personal Location Beacons (PLB) are smaller and are registered to individuals.

Me, my wife, and children all have our own PLB. I bought the ACR ResQlink for everyone. The kids are attached to their life jackets, mine is in my ditch bag. The ACR ResQLink will work anywhere in the world and uses GPS and satellites to relay your position to the nearest SAR authority.

The cost is $250 but it's cheap insurance. I never hunt or fish without it. I also have peace of mind that if me or my kids fall overboard while on the boat far from land, the PLB is their best chance for rescue. Same if I break my leg hunting in Utah or New Mexico.


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[Gatorgrizz27]

I bought an ACR ResqLink+ after a couple kids disappeared offshore in a fishing boat a year or two ago. When I researched it, they seemed to be the best option if being rescued in the event of an emergency was your primary goal. I think I only paid $200 with a rebate they had at the time, it floats, is compact, has a 5 year battery life, and no subscription fees.

Now that I have a wife and kid at home, she would really like something that sends an “I’m not dead” message, even though the PLB should prevent that from happening, short of falling off a cliff and dying immediately. I’m not really interested in replacing my PLB and don’t want another bulky expensive unit to carry. Has anyone found something that is pager sized in the $100-$150 range, that can send a pre-recorded message to a cell phone? No need for location services or anything else.

If all else fails, I could probably find a computer app that can be programmed in advance to send daily text messages. It obviously wouldn’t be correct (I could be dead and her get an “all ok” message), but at least it would keep her from worrying.

 

[Jardo]

The spot sends a message. There is a fee and subscription


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[Brendan]

I've used the older Delorme Inreach SE for 4 years running. Works great and would be cheapest - just searched and Walmart / GPSCity has a couple new ones available for $229 new because there are newer models.

 

[Gorp2007]

The spot sends a message. There is a fee and subscription

The only catch with the SPOT is that you've got to buy your subscription annually, which comes out to ~$200/year. The In Reach allows for monthly subscriptions, so if you don't use it every month, you can save money while having nicer hardware.



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[FlyGuy]

Another vote for The inReach. I have the older yellow version. It does exactly what you want. Got mine used off of EBay 2 years ago after spiking out solo for a couple nights. Absolute Zero cell service. I just never could get comfortable with the idea that if I did something stupid, or just slipped on a log and took a bad fall/injury, that it would take days for my buddies to even start looking for me. Then they would still have to find me. It didn't keep me from doing it, but it kept me from enjoying the experience as much as I should have.

If you are married, then your wife is also going to be worried back at home. I love being able to let her know once a day that I'm not dead, and i like hearing from her that the house didn't burn down or that no one got in a car wreck, etc. I also love that it is a text, not a phone. So I don't have to hear about the neighbor's dog or who she ran into at the grocery store or any of that stuff.

I clip it on my pack and never touch it again for the day. Syncs with the phone which makes texting easier. Maps are pretty good too. On non-solo hunts, If you have someone else in party with one, then you can see their location on your map of where they sent the text from, which can be quite helpful. Text don't work instantly though. Can take 10 seconds to 3 hours depending on the signal of each device.

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