PLBs Can Save Your Life

[Joshua Young]

What do you guys think about the Garmin inreach? Seems like it has a bit more capability since you can send text messages too.

 

[aviator8]

What do you guys think about the Garmin inreach? Seems like it has a bit more capability since you can send text messages too.

Per their website
"you need a paid subscription to use the Garmin InReach"

I think most are trying to avoid a monthly subscription when they already paid a few hundred for PLB, and another $100 for a waterproof container. It all starts to add up fast.

 

[Divectionist]

I have owned a PLB (ACR Resqling+) for a few years for jet skiing offshore, I am now finally putting it into a canister to take diving.

I read far too many drifting diver stories and I don't really want to trust any boat operator.... or myself if the tidal currents shoot me out of the river mouth one day

 

[DandyDon]

What do you guys think about the Garmin inreach? Seems like it has a bit more capability since you can send text messages too.

It's an alternative choice that would offer a few messages a month if you don't mind more than doubling your first year cost: $275 to $375 for the unit plus $400 first year subscription costs. See Is Garmin/Delorme InReach a Good Alternative for PLBs?

In a true emergency and not a need to tell the wife that you'd appreciate being picked up on the other side of the mountain, I think the 5 watt PLB is more effective than the lower powered Garmin unit. Details: ACR PLB vs InReach - Backpacking Light

If you google garmin inreach vs plb, you'll find many other opinions. If you choose the Garmin, then you may also want to add a strobe device to carry as well.

I have owned a PLB (ACR Resqling+) for a few years for jet skiing offshore, I am now finally putting it into a canister to take diving.

Good plan, but I have to wonder what delayed that action? For me, I was hesitant to spend $300 for a heavy aluminum dive canister in addition to the cost of the PLB, but that expensive model has been discontinued with the choice of lighter $100 canisters.

 

[Divectionist]

Good plan, but I have to wonder what delayed that action? For me, I was hesitant to spend $300 for a heavy aluminum dive canister in addition to the cost of the PLB, but that expensive model has been discontinued with the choice of lighter $100 canisters.

I just edited my post with some reasons. In the end, I always want to reduce the kit I take and thought it would be overkill, but I do go on drift dives some kilometres off shore, and also dive solo, so in the end, the extra luggage is worth it. It should easily fit in my drysuit pocket but my wetsuit pocket is too small, in that case I'll clip it to my crotch D ring or perhaps somewhere higher on the bp.

 

[Joshua Young]

It's an alternative choice that would offer a few messages a month if you don't mind more than doubling your first year cost: $275 to $375 for the unit plus $400 first year subscription costs. See Is Garmin/Delorme InReach a Good Alternative for PLBs?

In a true emergency and not a need to tell the wife that you'd appreciate being picked up on the other side of the mountain, I think the 5 watt PLB is more effective than the lower powered Garmin unit. Details: ACR PLB vs InReach - Backpacking Light

If you google garmin inreach vs plb, you'll find many other opinions. If you choose the Garmin, then you may also want to add a strobe device to carry as well.


Good plan, but I have to wonder what delayed that action? For me, I was hesitant to spend $300 for a heavy aluminum dive canister in addition to the cost of the PLB, but that expensive model has been discontinued with the choice of lighter $100 canisters.

for me, I’m planning to do a lot of my diving in Indonesia. I’m not sure how useful a PLB is If most of the smaller boats don’t even have electricity, let alone have the equipment to catch your signal

 

[Dan]

for me, I’m planning to do a lot of my diving in Indonesia. I’m not sure how useful a PLB is If most of the smaller boats don’t even have electricity, let alone have the equipment to catch your signal

You miss the point of having PLB completely. Had those 3 divers brought a PLB in this diving accident, 3 divers missing off of Java, the Indonesian SAR (Basarnas) & Marine Corps would have rescued them, instead of searching for 10 days & found a dead one on a beach 200 km away and spending tons of $$$ & time (200 rescuers, including 19 divers, 4 helicopters, 12 vessels, including a navy ship, police patrol boat) covering 27,000 square kilometers in search of them.

If I were lost at sea in Indonesia, I wish they would do the same for me. NOAA would contact my brother in USA (he in turns would contact US Embassy in Jakarta) & Basarnas to start the rescue.

 

[tursiops]

for me, I’m planning to do a lot of my diving in Indonesia. I’m not sure how useful a PLB is If most of the smaller boats don’t even have electricity, let alone have the equipment to catch your signal

The PLB does not talk to the boat, it talks to the SAR satellite and rescue system.

 

[Dan]

My PLB1 has 7-year warranty for its battery to last for 24-hour of transmitting 5 watts of 406 MHz emergency alert signal directly to SAR satellites with an annual test per manual recommendation. The signal contains my personal information that I put in the registration form, any updated info that I added before traveling and current GPS locations during that 24-hour lost at sea.

Hopefully I would never use it (knock on wood). If the alert signals were ever received by NOAA, they would contact my emergency contact person, listed in my registration form, and verified that I was at the GPS location at the time to insure that was not a false alarm.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Related discussion here; perhaps you want to chime in, for anyone that is interested.

Garmin In-reach mini as PLB?