How do you guys carry PLBs?

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Capt.813

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Messages
14
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Location
Tampa Bay
# of dives
50 - 99
i have the ACR res-q-link and i am about to buy a new one as my current one is out of date, i always left it on the boat while diving but i know it does no good to me if i get separated from the boat. what PLB and case would you recommend? the waterproof cases i seen on amazon did not look reliable for scuba. i would like one that is rated for at least 120ft.
 
I haves the Artex plb1 in a dive monkey canister.

if I had it to do over again, I might have bought the Hdvseatek canister.
 
I have the HDVseatek canister and the Custom Divers canister. I prefer the latter...a bit less bulky, easier to handle.
See https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8656476/ and https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8664556/.
Here are the two canisters side by side.
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Not the cheapest option, but this is the route I plan to take:

InReach Mini in a Dive Case. Down side is, it's subscription based. Up side is, it's two-way communication via satellite, to dedicated rescue service and/or home. I have an InReach already, which I've used for years. The subscription package I use has an annual fee (honestly don't recall how much), and I pay month-to-month fees on top of that when I want to use it. This works out to the least expensive plan for me, because I don't get to use it regularly enough to justify full-time service (which is cheaper per month, but you're paying always...)

It's got a lot of handy features that are pretty much useless in a dive setting (except on the boat, perhaps) like two-way text messaging from your phone via bluetooth over satellite. Texts cost a bunch per message, or require a higher-grade plan, so I never utilized them. It does allow you to send unlimited preprogrammed (you set them, up to a given length) messages to preset numbers (which you can change from your online portal), so I have mine set up with "I'm leaving for my next destination now," "Checking in, everything is ok," and "I've arrived at my destination," with phone numbers for select loved ones back home. They all know what each roughly translates to in normal English. It can also automatically pin you on a map at given intervals. When I'm on a long solo motorcycle trip, it pins my location/speed to an online map every ten or fifteen minutes, so anybody who has the password can "check on me" whenever they want. If I stop outside cell reception, I can drop the generic "checking in, everything ok" message, or "I've reached my destination" if I expect to camp for the night (or several). Really really slick system, if you find yourself off the beaten path with any frequency. I've used it all over the US, parts of Canada, all over Iceland, and way out in the Pacific islands, and I've never had issues with service dropouts.

Another added bonus is that the subscription service includes search & rescue insurance, evacuation insurance, etc. And did I mention it's two-way communication, so you don't just trigger it and hope somebody heard it and is coming for you?

Now, anybody want to buy an older, full-sized InReach so I can trade for the Mini and get the dive case? :eyebrow:
 
You do know you can do a battery replacement for cheaper than buying a new one right? I keep mine along with my other emergency gear in a light canister that never had holes drilled in the top. I clip it off behind me at the bottom of my backplate.
9DD5F320-55B7-4850-8C6C-63E85289D4AE.jpeg
 
I recently bought a weight belt to strap my Nautilus radio to across my chest. I was putting it on my belly strap on my BCD, but think this is too much of a PIA between surface intervals and giving my gear to the dive shop. Across my chest will give me easy access and not interfere with the rest of my gear. And, it won't slide over my hips (it will have to get around the belly bulge first).
 
HDVSEATEK small size. I have a ACR PLB 425 View. Photos below. Enough space for a signal mirror, emergency blanket, and more. I put it in a hydros pro cargo pocket as shown but I don’t have a hydros pro. I clip it to the hip d ring and then male-female clip it to my leg. It’s low profile and I don’t feel or notice it when diving. For scale, I’m 5’4.5” and about 132 lbs. My knees are armored in that photo. I’ve gone down to 118 ft with it. It’s rated to 70 meters/229 ft.
 

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I used to keep mine in an old light canister. I didn’t even bother getting an undrilled lid, just pulled the cable gland and plugged the hole (Dive Rite wreck canister uses PG-11 plugs, the old Halcyon Pro9/14 is 1/4 NPT). I’ve recently gotten one of the huge Halcyon pro14 canisters, and plan to up my emergency survival game with a handheld marine radio and maybe a cheapo waterproof cell phone.

Since my truck got broken into during a dive, I now use the light canister for cell phone and wallet, and use a canister made of 3” pvc for my emergency supplies. Three inch pvc, with a coupling for strength and an o-ring sealed clean-out fitting for the lid. This went to 250 last weekend, no leaks.
 

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https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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