gCaptain has long been a fan of the idea behind SPOT’s personal locator devices but gCaptain readers have pointed out a major concern, a SPOT it is not a PLB (the personal equivalent of an EPIRB) . The SPOT device can send a distress message with your location but it doesn’t go directly to the Coast Guard, rather it must first get routed through their private rescue coordination center. The other problem is that it doesn’t meet strict design standards of a certified PLB and, let’s face it, when you are in major trouble you want something that’s bulletproof.

So it is with open arms that we welcome ACR’s newest device the ACR AquaLink View PLB which comes compelte with ACR’s 406Link service which, like the SPOT, allows you not only to send a distress signal but also send an emergency or I’m OK signal to friends and family.

Here is Panbo’s take on the device:

The first time was the best. I was tootling down the Bay in May when I tested the ACR AquaLink View PLB. I’d already appreciated its high build quality, and how neatly instructions about how to activate its two self test modes and primary distress function are explained right on the casing. Then when I pressed the GPS Test button for five seconds, it was very nice to have the small LCD screen show the procedure step-by-step and advise me to give the antennas a good sky view. And it was impressive that the GPS — perhaps never used before, or at most tested in Florida — got (and displayed) a position in well less than a minute. (In fact, the whole test procedure is so quick that I’ve had a hard getting a good photo with the scrolling screen in action.) But the kicker was how my cell phone buzzed a moment later with a text message confirmation that the beacon’s test signal had made it through the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, along with a link to its accurately mapped position…

Because I’m also testing the Pro version of ACR’s 406Link service, the same “All’s well” short message and location link could have been emailed and/or texted to four other recipients. Frankly, though, I consider that Spot-like messaging feature quite secondary to the reassurance felt when you can test a critical safety device like this PLB all the way through the system (short of the rescue center). Continue Reading Panbo’s Review…

gCaptain believes that one of these devices should be required inside every lifeboat and liferaft that goes to sea and we fully endorse the Aqualink but their is still one problem… the communication is still one way! To actually communicate with rescuers you need a two way emergency locating device, of which our favorite is currently Solara Data’s Field Tracker 2100, a device currently in use by the park service as well as our favorite emergency evacuation company. Standby as gCaptain waits for its own 2100 to review.

A few months ago we received a press release from McMurdo on a revolutionary product, the Fast-Find 210 PLB, a portable version of an EPIRB, The revolutionary part was not a change in the way distress signals are sent from the device but rather the size (very small) and price point ($299 list) of the device. Subscribing to the theory of Too Good To Be True, we have held off on writing about the product until we had confirmation on the quality of the unit from a trusted source. Today that verification came, via Panbo, from friend of gCaptain and survival expert Doug Ritter. Doug writes:

Bearing in mind the limitations inherent in our tests we conducted as outlined above, bottom line is that this new McMurdo Fast Find represents a significant advance in performance in a much more compact package.  It isn’t perfect, the cap design and not quite single-hand deployment issues are a bit annoying, but they are not deal killers and the combination of the truly pocketable size, significantly improved GPS performance and low cost makes it a compelling distress signaling device. McMurdo have essentially leapfrogged the competition with this one. The new Fast Find is small enough and affordable enough to outfit your entire family in case someone gets separated from the group, falls overboard, etc.

Carry a Fast Find together with an effective pocket survival kit with essential survival and basic signaling gear and you’ve got most wilderness emergencies covered with just a pocket full of gear and not at a huge cost. These new Fast Finds are much more enticing due to their small size and low cost, hence more will carry them and more lives will be saved. Win, win, all the way around.

What does this mean for the average mariner? First, with greater acceptance and knowledge of PLB’s, shipping companies will start to equip each lifeboat with individual units to augment the vessel’s base station. If the trend catches on you may even see them included in liferafts or clipped onto individual lifevests.

Regardless of whether shipping companies adopt these units on a wide scale it is now economically possible for the average mariner (or passenger) to purchase his own unit independent of the vessel’s GMDSS equipment. This leads us to the question: “What are the safety implications of mariners and vessel passengers having the ability to transmit distress communication independent of the Captain’s orders?” and “Will individuals stringently assure these devices are properly registered and maintained?”

Be sure to read Doug Ritter’s full review, and keep up-to-date on the latest marine safety electronics by bookmarking gCaptain’s GMDSS category and Panbo’s Marine Safety section.

We also want to thank our friends at West Marine for making Doug’s review possible and for offering gCaptain readers $25 off the purchase of a McMurdo Fastfind 210… just use click on this link and use coupon code use code AFFSPCL to visit their store and place an order.

But, did you know that there is a critical piece of life-saving equipment that will also be affected with a change from analog to digital transmissions?

If you own or use an emergency distress beacon on a boat or on a plane, you should know that starting on February 1, 2009, the older beacons that transmit only an analog signal (121.5 or 243 MHz) will no longer be “heard” by search and rescue satellites. Just like checking your TV, you need to ensure that your distress beacon is capable of transmitting a digital signal (406 MHz) in order for it to be recognized.

There are three types of emergency distress beacons: EPIRBs (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons) for use in the maritime community, ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters) found on aircraft and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) for individual use. Although PLBs have always been manufactured to transmit to satellites on the 406 MHz frequency, older models of EPIRBs and ELTs were made to transmit to satellites on the 121.5 and 243 MHz frequencies. It should be noted that all 406 MHz beacons in the U.S. also contain a low powered homing signal that transmits on 121.5 MHz. This signal doesn’t reach the satellites, but it allows search and rescue teams to home-in on the beacon once in close range.

The decision to stop satellite processing of the 121.5 and 243 MHz frequency bands was made by the International Cospas-Sarsat Program with guidance from the United Nations. 406 MHz distress beacons have been used successfully for over 15 years now and they have proven to be more powerful, more accurate, and they are verifiable. Because of the digital nature of 406 MHz beacons, every beacon in the world has a unique ID encoded in its signal. As long as the beacon is registered (which is required by U.S. law), search and rescue forces can quickly confirm that the distress is real and have access to important information about the beacon owner.

When a person in distress activates an EPIRB, ELT or PLB (or an EPIRB automatically activates when a vessel sinks or an ELT automatically activates when an aircraft crashes), a signal is transmitted to search and rescue satellites. This “alert” is then relayed to a network of ground stations on Earth. If the signal originates in the U.S. the alert is sent to the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) operated by NOAA. The USMCC processes the alert then distributes it to a U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center depending on if the location is in a maritime or inland environment. In the past five years (2003-2007), 406 MHz beacons have directly contributed to the saving of 1,224 lives in the U.S. alone.

Mariners should know that 121.5 MHz EPIRBs became prohibited for use in January 2007.

Aircraft owners and operators should be aware that, although 121.5 or 243 MHz ELTs still meet FAA carriage requirements, the distress signal will not be automatically sent to search and rescue personnel. The only way an alert will be realized is if a radio in close proximity to the beacon is tuned to the 121.5 or 243 MHz frequency and the operator passes the alert information to proper authorities. Even if this takes place, without the amplifying information provided by 406 MHz beacons, the results of a successful search are greatly diminished. That being said, pilots and other aviation interests should increase their attention to monitoring the 121.5 MHz frequency any time they have the chance to do so.

If you decide to replace an old 121.5 MHz EPIRB or ELT, please make sure you disable it by removing and properly disposing of the batteries. Also, remember to register your 406 MHz beacon at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov. Registration is free, easy to do and mandatory. You can include and update important information anytime such as emergency contact numbers, a description of your boat or aircraft, a person’s medical condition, or even a simplified float or flight plan—anything to make it easier for us to find you!

All beacon owners and users should check their beacons (just like those TV sets) before the switch to digital takes place in February 2009. Your life may well depend on it!

This information is provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue (CG-534).

Panbo, the marine electronics blog, brings us today’s gCaptain Holiday Gift Suggestion. The unit is the SPOT Satellite Messenger & Emergency Locater and it’s fairly amazing.

First a note. This is not a substitute for the most important safety item aboard ship an EPIRB. If you are looking for the best personal emergency solution we recommend the ACR – ResQFix 406 GPS Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) . (EPIRBS are know as PLB’s when used for personal use and ELT’s in aviation).

So what can the SPOT do? Basically it is a unit that updates your position on a google map which your friends can log into and track your position. It also has extensive emergency locating features at a fraction of the price of a PLB or EPIRB. Panbo tells us;

The just announced Spot is a waterproof Globalstar messenger and GPS combo that will purportedly let you alert the authorities (at least the U.S. ones) [we know it uses GEOS SAR but doesn’t have global coverage) with your position, or ask for help from your friends or just notify them of where you are, or build an online track of your travels. It will be available in November for $149 with an annual service contract ranging from $99 upwards depending on what features you want to use. There’s not much detail on the Spot site yet, except for some pretty extreme fear marketing, but I’d guess that this product will get some real attention, even from some boaters. And I’m glad that, unlike TracMe, Spot is not confusing the market place by using the term Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).

For $149 at Amazon this seems like a bargain to give your family some extra peace of mind and let your kids track your position at sea from your home computer (check with your ISPS DP for your company’s policy).