PLBs Can Save Your Life

[letterboy]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

These posts were spun off from the A&I thread about nothernone: Scubaboard Staff Member - Northernone - Missing in Cozumel

This information can save your life!

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Does anyone know what kind of DSMB Cameron has? A buoy with SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) Radar reflective tape would dramatically extend the range he could be detected -- providing people know to monitor their Radar. @Captain Tim and I did some tests on the DAN 6' Signaling Sausage. To my great surprise, he could easily spot it at over 5 miles/8 KM on his radar aboard a 42' Newton.

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Unfortunately they are bulkier than most of us like to carry; a compromise I am considering at this moment.

A compromise might be a patch on either the top of a hood, too of the wing or wetsuit shoulders...

The signature from those locations would be much smaller, as I assume it's related to reflective area and height above waves.

In this thought line: Marine Myth Buster: Can sun-reflective tapes also reflect ship’s radar? - Practical Sailor Print Edition Article

Aside from the click bait title, the information is boiled down and simple.

 

[Akimbo]

The signature from those locations would be much smaller, as I assume it's related to reflective area and height above waves.

Small SOLAS patches are sewn to a lot of life jackets so I suppose it would have some value (no direct experience).

All the SOLAS tape I have seen is pretty stiff so having a small patch at the top of an inflatable buoy would be more effective and comfortable than on a hood.

 

[letterboy]

Small SOLAS patches are sewn to a lot of life jackets so I suppose it would have some value (no direct experience).

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All the SOLAS tape I have seen is pretty stiff so having a small patch at the top of an inflatable buoy would be more effective and comfortable than on a hood.

Yeah, looking through links I realized/remembered how stiff it is.

Diving is a interesting sport when it comes to safety.

I say that because the math everyone does risk:reward is always so differently. The balance between enjoy one's dive, being able to self rescue or call for help is interesting, to me.

I know I have a no name, safety sausage (I never carry) and a 100lb lift bag I always carry. The lift bag has many uses to signal ascent, free ascent guideline, provides ability to send "treasure" to the surface should it be found. (don't judge, that was my initial rational when I was going to dive the doria lol ) where the sausage does have the reflective material, but it's just the Shiney light reflective kind. Might be time to see how feasible attaching a square of radar reflective material to the top would be. Even if it's part of an add on used only in emergencies. Ie, it's the back of my thigh pocket, flat against my leg until it's needed in an emergency and it can be attached to the top of the sausage.

 

[DandyDon]

I say that because the math everyone does risk:reward is always so differently. The balance between enjoy one's dive, being able to self rescue or call for help is interesting, to me.

While you may be reconsidering that, my ACR 2881 PLB and nylon canister & brass bolt clamp weigh 17¼ ounces, hang on a D-ring out of my way. I suspect that it's the cost that discourages most, as the PLBs have gone up to around $290, the canister around $110, plus the bolt clamp I had to add. Good for 5 or 6 years tho with a little silicone grease and a couple of o-ring replacements. Then $100+ for battery service. I carry it everywhere, in car, tractor, hiking pack, dive canister. Renewing the registration every other year is so easy; NOAA emails me, I click a link, then click that everything's still the same, and they send me a new sticker.

Now if I ever have to use it, I'll send it in with a good story, and they'll send me a new one for free. Here's one of their rescue stories I picked at random: Paraglider Crash Gets Rescued in 45 Minutes thanks to ResQLink

 

[Steelyeyes]

While you may be reconsidering that, my ACR 2881 PLB and nylon canister & brass bolt clamp weigh 17¼ ounces, hang on a D-ring out of my way. I suspect that it's the cost that discourages most, as the PLBs have gone up to around $290, the canister around $110, plus the bolt clamp I had to add. Good for 5 or 6 years tho with a little silicone grease and a couple of o-ring replacements. Then $100+ for battery service. I carry it everywhere, in car, tractor, hiking pack, dive canister. Renewing the registration every other year is so easy; NOAA emails me, I click a link, then click that everything's still the same, and they send me a new sticker.

Now if I ever have to use it, I'll send it in with a good story, and they'll send me a new one for free. Here's one of their rescue stories I picked at random: Paraglider Crash Gets Rescued in 45 Minutes thanks to ResQLink

I bought the Nautilus Lifeline a while back. Today I took it out and reacquainted myself with it and made sure it was set up. Better safe than sorry.

 

[DandyDon]

I bought the Nautilus Lifeline a while back. Today I took it out and reacquainted myself with it and made sure it was set up. Better safe than sorry.

I hope it works well for you. I know they changed some things after several went bad. I like my PLB as I can use it on land, too. My daughter thinks I'm getting too old to be going out alone into places that cell phones don't work, but she's only mentioned it once. I shrugged and got on the plane. That one was to visit Mississippi cemeteries, and I carried it in my backpack roaming those, but then I once nearly stepped on a rattlesnake lining up a headstone photo.

Those are so limited tho: at sea only, 1 watt, a man overboard distress message will be broadcast to all AIS equipped ships up to 34 miles away as well as a special DSC message to the marine radio on your own vessel. My PLB is 5 watts, and when I test it - it connects to a satellite in less than 2 minutes.

 

[Dan]

I have both of PLB1 & Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS (new version of Nautilus Lifeline)

http://oceansignal.com/products/plb1/

Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS - Free to use, Diver Rated to 425 ft. | Nautilus LifeLine

 

[CuzzA]

I'm here in Costa Rica as I write this. Went diving yesterday.

My ACR Res-Q-Link Plus PLB ($200) in the Custom Divers delrin canister ($100) is here with me. Tucked under my wing with a Piranha Dive Mfg. 8 ft. Ocean Model SMB ($35) in a Dive Gear Express lift bag sleeve ($10). I don't even know it's there when I'm diving and $345 is really cheap insurance if you tend to travel off the beaten path and certainly if you dive in the ocean.

If there's anything that anyone can gain from this thread, it should be as DandyDon keeps mentioning, a PLB will save your life if you are lost.

 

[Kay Dee]

If there's anything that anyone can gain from this thread, it should be as DandyDon keeps mentioning, a PLB will save your life if you are lost.

Yes, you can bet your life on that!

As an aside, I had friend who when asked what was the longest deco he ever pulled (having not located the 'up-line' during a deep dive) would answer "About 20 miles".

This was pre diver-carried IPIRB days, and it was lucky they found him given the conditions.

Let's hope this incident turns out the same!!!

 

[Jiminy]

I was reading through old threads and stumbled on this

Amazon.com : See/Rescue Streamer, Lighted Safety Device and Rescue Device with Holster for Any Terrain - Personal : Sports & Outdoors