Equipment Any diver uses a Walkie-Talkie with APRS function while losing sight of the boat?

[baoch]

I am looking for a direct and fast way to contact the boat, if I get lost in the sea after rose to surface.

I have several key points:
1.reliable
2.direct which means swift respond
3.long range. A diver may drift 50km away from the boat.
4.Waterproof, pressure proof or tiny enough to be contain in a dryfob.
5.easy to use. Since boatman may not be familiar with it or not a good English speaker.

PLB (such as Garmin InReach, ACR ResqLink) can help you to contact rescue center, rescue center to the Coast Guard or any other resque force etc,. too many procedures and too much time would be taken.

PAB (such as Nautilus Marine GPS) may be useful and very direct to stay with the boat but the VHF signal range is quite limited due to the 0.5-1w transmit power and environment. And most important part is No dinghy equipped receiving radio generally.

I even looked into LoRa(Long Range) equipment with Meshtastic build-in, such as HelTec Capsule Sensor and LILYGO T-ECHO which are tiny, cheap($40 to get a pair), tiny (can be stored in a GOPRO housing) and wide-used in IoT scenes. But they are not often used in diving, no one knows whether it's reliable or not in that condition.

I searched in this forum, someone uses Walkie-Talkie to call the boat when floating on the sea, but it's a challenge to describe the location precisely. And APRS(Auromatic Packet Report System) would be the best choice. It can transmit the location data(including altitude, latitude, longtitude, speed, orientation) to another Walkie-Talkie'screen with APRS. Seems easy to use for both the diver and boatman.

I'm wondering is there anyone with the experience of using this kind of Walkie-Talkie? Is it really a good choice?

 

[tursiops]

Your requirement #3 requires a satellite. This is not neccesarily a problem, depending on your location. Where are you diving?

 

[greeniguana]

I use APRS on 2 meters. I have a ham radio license. Can you even legally use APRS on a non ham band such as GMRS? No idea. Maybe in foreign countries or international waters it doesnt matter anyway. I've never heard of a marine band radio with APRS. APRS is also pretty clunky. Not what I would put in the "easy to use" category, and definitely not something I would want to rely on in a life or death situation.

 

[Colombia Dive Adventures]

Nothing that I am aware of meets those requirements.

Consider diving with PLB and providing boat operator a handheld vhf with dsc and AIS. They have finally become more affordable at under $300 and are easy to use. This is a good solution for boats that don't have an AIS or one that does not work. Always a good idea to ask as AIS is not mandatory for vessels under 300 tons.

 

[scubadada]

Nothing that I am aware of meets those requirements.

Consider diving with PLB and providing boat operator a handheld vhf with dsc and AIS. They have finally become more affordable at under $300 and are easy to use. This is a good solution for boats that don't have an AIS or one that does not work. Always a good idea to ask as AIS is not mandatory for vessels under 300 tons.

Colombia Dive Adventures issues a PLB to each diver. Each of the RIBs has a handheld unit as mentioned above in addition to monitoring by the mother ship.

I have been to Malpelo twice on the Ferox, provides real peace of mind in such a remote, wild area.

 

[grantmac]

50km?! What kind of drift dive are you on?

 

[Jaan]

Some ships captains and livaboards house their marine radios, flip phones, PLBs and other communications devices in our DRYFOB-XLs

There is a list on our website of know devices that fit but I’m sure there are more too ..

FAQ - DRYFOB

Frequently asked questions about the DRYFOB car key container. Yes, the DRYFOB container is suitable for scuba diving and has a warranty.

dryfob.com

The DRYFOB-XLs interior measures 4.80″ (122 mm) height and 2.75″ (70 mm) diameter:

The Horizon HX 40 marine radio seems to be popular and fits.

 

[Jaan]

Curious what you come up with

 

[baoch]

Your requirement #3 requires a satellite. This is not neccesarily a problem, depending on your location. Where are you diving?

Satellite do a long range job，but not as fast as I need once lost at sea.

Nothing that I am aware of meets those requirements.

Consider diving with PLB and providing boat operator a handheld vhf with dsc and AIS. They have finally become more affordable at under $300 and are easy to use. This is a good solution for boats that don't have an AIS or one that does not work. Always a good idea to ask as AIS is not mandatory for vessels under 300 tons.

I think this is feasible enough, thank you!
I already have a Nautilus rescue GPS, then I'll get a new handheld radio like you said.

50km?! What kind of drift dive are you on?

Check this out

D

Unknown Thread '9 divers went missing in Palau and were rescued after 24 hours'

Dec 27, 2024

All 9 Chinese nationals who went missing while diving in Palau rescued - China.org.cn

Looks like due to poor judgment towards the weather conditions, and an incompetent boat operator.

• dlao
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Accidents, Incidents, & Near Misses

Some ships captains and livaboards house their marine radios, flip phones, PLBs and other communications devices in our DRYFOB-XLs

There is a list on our website of know devices that fit but I’m sure there are more too ..

FAQ - DRYFOB

Frequently asked questions about the DRYFOB car key container. Yes, the DRYFOB container is suitable for scuba diving and has a warranty.

dryfob.com

The DRYFOB-XLs interior measures 4.80″ (122 mm) height and 2.75″ (70 mm) diameter:

The Horizon HX 40 marine radio seems to be popular and fits.

Thank you
And what's the HX40 communication range in practical?

 

[attack33]

Transmitting APRS on a frequency other than 144.390MHz is highly frowned upon and potentially illegal in US domestically, differs internationally. However, It is not like the FCC is going to swim up to you in open seas. Besides the legalities, handhelds generally only push about 5 watts and on VHF it would blow my mind if you hit 10 miles.

Then there's the line of sight issue... the ocean is unpredictable and if you get into rough seas, you lose your line of sight to the boat, therefore losing your ability to be received.

A waterproof handheld that does APRS might exist, but it would probably be super expensive I bet.

I have played with APRS quite a bit and absolutely would not risk my life on it.

I don't think any of your requirements get checked by the inherent constraints of the situation you have described.

Garmin does have a subscription service inReach® Consumer Subscription Plans | Garmin that will allow you to text, but you do have to pay for it.

It will be interesting in the near term to see how cell phones evolve with SAT communication when cellular service is non-existent. The plumbing is there in the newest model phones. If they can build upon that functionality, then just throw your phone in a housing.

Good luck!