PLBs Can Save Your Life

[Jiminy]

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

Garmin In-reach mini as PLB?

The thing I like most is the small case with no extra space. That is the #1 issue i have with the current PLB's
is having to use a huge case / no custom fit case!

 

[tursiops]

The thing I like most is the small case with no extra space. That is the #1 issue i have with the current PLB's
is having to use a huge case / no custom fit case!

Fine, but be aware it is a satellite communicator, not a PLB.

 

[outofofficebrb]

The thing I like most is the small case with no extra space. That is the #1 issue i have with the current PLB's
is having to use a huge case / no custom fit case!

I keep mine in a leg pocket that is connected to my hip d-ring and buckled around my leg. I also thought it was really intrusive at first given the case size but I don't notice it while diving and I stash a safety mirror and a heat blanket which I can also use for shade. Some might opt to also include dye, emergency medication, etc.

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, I clip it to a D ring on my BC and never notice it on the dives.

 

[JohnnyC]

The problem with small, custom-fit cases, is that you end up needing a ton fo them to actually carry your "come get me" stuff. With 1 canister, I can carry a PLB, glowstick, whistle, mirror, dye pack, granola bar, fresh water pouch, and have enough room for a Nautilus is I wanted to go that direction. Rescue streamer attached to the outside only because I'd need a canister twice as wide if I wanted to put it inside. Guys that carry even more than that end up needing a bunch of cases and dry bags and stowing them all over the place.

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't end up like a Christmas tree, all the giftos all over the place. One canister that's attached to me, requires intention to remove so it's not going to get lost, and capable of carrying multiple, useful items of varying levels of "comegetmeness," is the ticket IMO. I can go from whistle, to mirror to the proverbial "pop smoke" if I need to, including enough of the last mile goodies to give me the best chance of getting picked up.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

The design doesn't necessarily need to add alot of bulk to a PLB or it can be an add-on case like the Garmin - it would just be nice to have better, 1-stop solutions from the PLB manufacturers for divers.


Regardless of subscription, I would have no problem with $50-$100 for a proper, custom-fit, non-bulky case for a PLB.

The problem, at least years ago when there was a push for ACR to make a diver friendly PLB was there simply wasn't enough of a market for such a canister. yeah, there's a couple hundred people, maybe a thousand on here, maybe 2-3 thousand worldwide that would actually buy one. Very small return for the costs of development. Best case is to find a canister that works and stick the PLB in there.

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.

Correction, NOAA does not require you/loved one/etc. to contact rescue. NOAA has their own chain of command and they would be contacting SAR in the country of your distress. NOAA is alerted within 10 min. of you activating your PLB-- ANYWHERE in the wold! That's some serious peace of mind.
Also, since the PLB is registered to you (unlike the more robust EBIRB that is registered to the boat), you can take it with you hiking, skiing (think avalanches!), driving...

 

[Joshua Young]

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.

Would the response be faster had they have something like the inreach instead of a PLB?

 

[DandyDon]

Would the response be faster had they have something like the inreach instead of a PLB?

The Inreach units are more for those who don't mind paying a subscription so they can do some text messaging thru their satellite system when out of cell phone range. It does include an emergency function that activates their GEOS response as compared to a PLB that you register in your home country and would activate SAR thru those channels. Either would be better than nothing, but which would be faster would depend on too many variables to call. GEOS also offers rescue insurance as it's in the corporate game rather than government services.

I don't care for the Inreach units for a few reasons: I don't think that they float if you fumble removing from the canister. You have to repeatedly recharge it since it's constantly tracking you plus any messaging. I don't care for the extra costs of a subscription.

 

[Dan]

Correction, NOAA does not require you/loved one/etc. to contact rescue. NOAA has their own chain of command and they would be contacting SAR in the country of your distress. NOAA is alerted within 10 min. of you activating your PLB-- ANYWHERE in the wold! That's some serious peace of mind.
Also, since the PLB is registered to you (unlike the more robust EBIRB that is registered to the boat), you can take it with you hiking, skiing (think avalanches!), driving...

I guess my writing was not clear enough to you. I said

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

Basarnas stands for Badan SAR Nasional, which is the SAR group in Indonesia. Badan means department. Nasional means National.

 

[Dan]

Would the response be faster had they have something like the inreach instead of a PLB?

Not according to @rjack321 in his post, here: Garmin In-reach mini as PLB?

...
2) The time to send a txt is potentially much longer than you'd like. I've had them take 30+mins with my InReach occasionally. You will have to hold it overhead all that time until the signal is sent

3) There is no homing signal. Your coordinates will need to be relayed from Garmin to SAR. If you are actively drifting those numbers will be out of date by the time all that chatter takes place (especially in a 3rd world country who may or may not even have direct communications with Garmin)

You are better off with a PLB that floats and has a homing signal.