Emergency Equipment to Assist Search and Rescue

[HDVdiver]

The drawback is that you need a dive canister for every plb I've seen. Which cost as much or more than the plb itself and makes it much bigger.

That was the case a few years ago when the only available purpose built canister was the large, heavy and expensive McMurdo FastFind PLB Dive Canister. Also, being machined from aluminum I always worried that the threads on my unit would corrode and prevent opening in an emergency. That old clunker has now been converted into a cave diving light canister...

The new generation of very small PLB's has allowed several manufacturers (that I'm aware of) to produce equally compact and cheap (around $100) purpose built PLB dive canisters. Being made of tough high impact plastic they are totally maintenance free. Most will easily fit into the average BCD pocket or a technical pouch.

If you still find carrying a small canister a hassle, Breitling offer their beautiful looking PLB wrist watch...at $15,000 a bit more expensive than a canister+PLB...

 

[the_dragon_no1]

Unbelievable.....!!

 

[DandyDon]

This site carries nice looking dive canisters, offers either size for $95 with free worldwide shipping, but doesn't give many details. Diver Locator Satellite PLB Canister from HDVSEATEK. So I guess I'll email them with questions.

I think this is their ebay site, again without many details: Canister for EPIRB PLB Scuba Diver Locator Beacon | eBay

Edit: I found a new one being sold by an Australian individual on ebay for $43.70 USD, 150 mm x 75 mm (5.9"x2.95"), so I guess my ACR 2881 measuring 3.9”H x 1.9”W x 1.6”D will fit, even allowing for the curve of the cylinder - surely! It'll be here in 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[KevinNM]

Light Monkey sells as spare parts empty dive light canisters. They also sell spare lids. I have not tried to see if you can get them to send you a lid without any holes drilled in it. You could fit a lot of stuff in one of the bigger ones if they will.

Given this (and other) incidents around here I'm not really enthused about diving in this region. It seems far too casual about customer safety. I'd certainly want that PLB if I did, but that doesn't help that much if the SAR force that is supposed to find you takes that day off for a holiday.

 

[mikeycanuk]

I bought 3 of the HDVSEATEK units from their site on eBay.

Total mistake, 2 of the 3 units leaked, they are HUGE for the PLB1 and the pouches they come in fell apart after a few days of LOB diving. The pouch was attached to our tank band strap on our BCD's. Anyone want one (or 3) for cheap? Our plb1's are ok as I checked them daily for leaks. In fact I put them away after just a few days on the boat.

The custom divers one does seem to have leaking issues as well from what I've read. Some suggested sealing the PLB in plastic with a foodsaver type bag first. Not sure what to do. There is a guy in the UK who makes a canister too but after getting a quote he has not responded....odd

One interesting piece of gear we discovered were neoprene dive shorts with pockets. We were starting to have too much gear hanging off our BCD's. A SMB and the Lifeline become tangling hazards when doing back entries. A smaller canister, LifeLine and SMB (maybe even a spare mask) would fit nicely into the Apeks Tech shorts I've ordered (still waiting). Just a thought.


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[DandyDon]

I bought 3 of the HDVSEATEK units from their site on eBay.

Total mistake, 2 of the 3 units leaked, they are HUGE for the PLB1 and the pouches they come in fell apart after a few days of LOB diving.

The pouches are described as: Topside carry pouch included (not for underwater use).

 

[mikeycanuk]

Missed that. Still doesn't negate that fact it's huge and leaky.

????

The "topside" pouch has grommets and a place to put through webbing harness like on a BP&W or cam strap.


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[HDVdiver]

I bought 3 of the HDVSEATEK units from their site on eBay.

Total mistake, 2 of the 3 units leaked, they are HUGE for the PLB1 and the pouches they come in fell apart after a few days of LOB diving. The pouch was attached to our tank band strap on our BCD's. Anyone want one (or 3) for cheap? Our plb1's are ok as I checked them daily for leaks. In fact I put them away after just a few days on the boat.

The custom divers one does seem to have leaking issues as well from what I've read. Some suggested sealing the PLB in plastic with a foodsaver type bag first. Not sure what to do. There is a guy in the UK who makes a canister too but after getting a quote he has not responded....odd

One interesting piece of gear we discovered were neoprene dive shorts with pockets. We were starting to have too much gear hanging off our BCD's. A SMB and the Lifeline become tangling hazards when doing back entries. A smaller canister, LifeLine and SMB (maybe even a spare mask) would fit nicely into the Apeks Tech shorts I've ordered (still waiting). Just a thought.


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The fact that you used the "Topide only carry pouches" underwater says it all! As is pointed out on the website (and the ebay listing) the pouches are NOT DESIGNED FOR UNDERWATER USE...and should not be used underwater!
Also, if you don't apply O-ring grease to the O-rings of course they will leak...true for camera housings, strobes...and PLB containers. Dry O-rings get distorted during compression...and leak.

Every HDVSEATEK canister is individually pressure tested to 70m in a hydro test tank prior to shipping. How well the end user maintains them is up to the user.

Don't forget that most PLB's are water resistant to varying degrees. A leaky container (unless catastrophic) shouldn't result in any damage to the PLB.

As far as size is concerned different manufacturers design containers for different PLBs and/or other safety accessories. Some (Custom Divers) are made for a specific model of PLB (Fastfind). Not much else will fit. Others (McMurdo and HDVSEATEK) are for the larger PLBs...the latter specifically for the Australian made GME AccuSat. Smaller is not always better (lower transmit power; smaller battery; no powerful strobe; doesn't float). A larger canister can also contain a signal mirror; small flares/star shells (Pains Wessex); and an aluminized thermal blanket as a surface marker and sun shade.

As an additional benefit, the slightly larger canisters can also accommodate many different models of handheld VHF marine radio instead of a PLB. This gives the option of first resort being radio communication with the dive boat...or going to the other canister with the PLB if there is no response to the radio alert.

 

[mikeycanuk]

I used silicone to grease the o-rings so they were not dry. I even cleaned and re-greased 2 of the canisters to no effect, they still leaked. And this a brand new canister. I appreciate you make and sell them but it's big to the point of not bring something that can be easily stored on a dive. So why wasn't the pouch designed for underwater use? I'm curious as to the thought behind the reasoning as to why not. I had the pouch attached to the tank band, a perfect spot for it and easily reachable on the surface. Obviously wasn't designed for this (my mistake) as it tore apart in days, what was it designed for?

On eBay it states easily will fit in a BCD pocket. What BCD pocket were you using???






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[seeker242]

The SART does not search and rescue globally.. the PLB /EPIRB ( for boats) is global.

I've been out of the loop for a while, but it used to be that the SART worked on the 121.5 technology, while still around, is no longer monitored by the Coast Guard. PLB/EPIRBs use 406 MHz and include GPS information with the transmission.. Most other devices just don't match the power of a PLB though may have bells and whistles.
With the registration of the PLB/EPIRB you can do (free) updates with personal details.. say you are taking your PLB hiking in the mountains. Update the registration. Next week you are diving with 3 friends. Update the info to include your friends and itinerary. When S&R gets the GPS transmission they will know it's not an accidental activation.

Normal SART works on 9 GHz frequency so that it can be picked up on a ship's X-band radar. The new AIS-SART works on VHF frequencies. Both are local and only work line of sight to the radio horizon. Satellite EPIRBS used to work on 243 MHz but that was discontinued because the satellite system was deactivated. Today's EPIRBS and PLBs transmit on 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz. The 121.5 MHz is the homing beacon that can be detected by a radio direction finder after SAR locates the general area of the distress call. But normally this isn't needed much anymore as most EPIRBS and PLB sold these days also transmit GPS position.

Most AIS-SART, like the McMurdos, are NOT designed to be taken diving. It's designed to survive when a vessel sinks, but that's it! If the device is not specifically designed for a diver, it would be foolish to use it as such without pressure protection.

Normal SART works only work if a vessel nearby has an x-band radar. But even then it might not work depending on the radar operator. They could easily just ignore the signal. AIS-SART would also work the same way. You have to rely on other boaters to relay the distress call to SAR. With only Line of sight distress calls, you are essentially at the mercy of other boaters acting responsibly. That's never a good idea!

Of course SART and AIS-SART are good things for a boat to have onboard, but they should not be used as a primary signalling device IMO. You want something that can directly alert the SAR, without having to rely on some potential goofball on some nearby vessel to do it for you.

I'm in the loop on the stuff because I'm an EPIRB/PLB/SART service technician for ACR and McMurdo.