Emergency Personal Locator Beacons

[lock_washer]

Just wanted to see if anyone's got any information or experience with Emergency Personal Locator Beacons. Are there any models out there now that all you have to do is turn them on, and they immediately connect to current SAR satillites, and rescue organizations and give your location? Are they waterproof so you can take them underwater with you as part of your dive gear? Or at least fit into a waterproof canister to take with you?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Lock Washer

 

[DennisS]

Here's one, they have the waterproof container on the bottom of the page.

McMurdo FastFind Max G PLB 406 EPIRB

 

[H2O 70]

I haven't personally used an EPRIB. I have used The Spot.

SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER :: HOME PAGE

It is versatile. You can set it so it transmits your location every 10minutes. You can program it so you can send a pre-programmed e-mail message to however many e-mail accounts you want to. It has an emergency button that will transmit you location continuously to emergency services.

My buddy and I have used it a few times making the crossing to Bimini and for running around the Fl. Keys. We turn it on in the morning before we go out and when we get back for the day we send the 'We're okay' message out to our wives.

Whom ever you give permission to can log onto the account and see a google map of where you've been and where you are.

It is waterproof to 10ft. It uses a couple of 2aa batteries.

It is not a bad thing to have on the boat!

 

[DCBC]

I use an ACR MicroFix in my deep-water kit. It's in a sealed pressure resistant container (I think the unit itself is only good to about 30'). It provides SAR with GPS information and transmits a homing signal on the emergency band as well.

 

[muddiver]

I have searched the internet a couple of times and all I found was teh watertight container by McMurdo. I don't think there are any EPRB units that are watertight to scuba diving depths.

Most EPRBs will contact the emergency response systme as soon as you turn them on and some will automattically broadcast when they hit salt water. Because of this most personal EPRBs have a feature to set them to a test mode so you can check them and not have to pay the Coast Guard for a response by an Air Sea Rescue bird to your house.