How many liveaboards could track a PLB?

[slingshot]

Hi folks:

I've been looking into EPIRB/PLBs (personal locator beacon), but am wondering when outside USCG patrolled waters, how useful they would really be. I posted this in the liveaboard forum, because I am wondering which liveaboards provide PLBs, and whether anyone out there is salty enough to know if your typical liveaboard has the capacity to track a 121MHz homing signal. I've only heard of basic PLBs being provided to passengers on remote trips such as in the Galapagos. I'm looking at the McMurdo 406/121 GPS PLB, which can be obtained with a dive cannister.

Thanks,
Slingshot

 

[Atticus]

I've thought about this as well and have always assumed that I would need to buy my own tracking equipment and leave it with the crew. This of course would be treated as an oddity, but might still help in a pinch.

 

[slingshot]

Just found a flyer from the Palau Aggressor II that says they use a "high-tech DiveRes-Q personal EPIRB". I've seen that a boat (Peter Hughes?) in the Galapagos had miniB's. The 406Mhz/121.5Mhz ones send out a satellite received signal and a low power "localizing" signal at ~121Mhz, but I don't know if anyone other than SAR folks could track you.

 

[CldWaterDvr]

The Undersea Hunter at Cocos uses EPIRB’s too.

http://www.underseahunter.com/uh.htm

We further provide all guests with our Safety Kit that includes an extra-large orange dive sausage, a powerful storm whistle and a special safety light. Furthermore after one year of testing several Radio Diver Locator systems, we have found the symbiosis that fully satisfies our rigorous standards. The ACR miniature Personal EPIRB together with a high-tech Radio Direction Finder from SimradTaiyo will help locate a drift diver more than five miles away. These electronic units are fixed to the individual divers BCD. An on-board homing receiver will guide the vessel towards the missing diver, and these units will also transmit the marine international distress signal that is monitored by all ships and coast guard vessels.

 

[greenflash1]

When I dove the Tahiti Aggressor a few Years ago every buddy team got one.