Dogbowl
Contributor
There is a positive correlation between PLB size, battery size, and transmission times.
I looked up the battery specifications for my ResQLink+:
- Battery, Operational Life Exceeds required 24 Hours @ -20°C
- Battery, Typical Performance 30 Hours @ -20°C
Quoting from http://www.mod.gov.cy/mod/cjrcc.nsf/All/3C7C04AC22F798D5C2257914002A9E24/$file/Information about PLBs.pdf
"According to the COSPAS-SARSAT regulations:
- A heavy duty battery class 1 must be able to transmit a signal for 24 hours at temperatures of -40°C.
- A class 2 battery must be able to transmit a signal for 24 hours at temperatures of -20°C.
Low temperatures shorten the life span of a battery so the above conditions represent the worst case scenarios. For example, at a temperature of 21°C the above batteries will function for about twice the time they would if they were at lower temperature conditions."
I may be able to get more than 60 Hours from my ResQLink+. Your PLB1 appearss to have a class 2 battery so you should be able to count on more than 48 Hours in warm water.
Looks like both the smallest PLBs on the market, and the ones I’ve been considering (i.e., PLB1 and ResQLink+) both have Class 2 batteries.
I wonder if there’s a PLB that has Class 1 batteries for longer battery time but yet still small enough to carry on a dive? Probably not...?
How about signal strength? Is that wattage?