PLB for NE

[mje113]

I'm looking to beef up my emergency equipment for the upcoming season and am considering something like a PLB (I really only carry a strobe and whistle right now). I'm looking at the Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS primarily because of cost, but also my hunch is that broadcasting MOB on AIS in the heavily trafficked NE waters (primarily off of New Jersey) would be sufficient. But that's me making the assumption that most of the charter and private fishing boats actually have AIS.

Curious what more experienced divers and boaters think. I could get a Garmin InReach, but it's quite a bit more expensive and not sure if beaming a distress signal to a satellite vs. a boat within proximity makes sense.

 

[tursiops]

The Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS is not a PLB, but is an excellent choice if you want to use AIS. You haven't got a lot of range with the direct VHF signal of an AIS; sure, the ads say 3 miles range, but that is fantasy under normal conditions. It works best if you are talking to your own boat.
Don't make your decision on cost; make it on the functionality that YOU need in YOUR use case.