Nautilus LifeLine nexGen available

[tridacna]

Short answer: if you can se the boat, you can probably talk to it. If you can't even see it, good luck.

How do you propose “talking” to the boat with this device? I thought it sent a “man overboard” message with coordinates. (Relax Mel, I know what you mean).

I guess that you could attach it to a 8’ SS to increase range. Simple enough to do.

 

[tursiops]

How do you propose “talking” to the boat with this device? I thought it sent a “man overboard” message with coordinates. (Relax Mel, I know what you mean).

I guess that you could attach it to a 8’ SS to increase range. Simple enough to do.

"Talking" is colloquial for us radio geeks...it just means messages/data passed.
I think it would be just as sensible to carry a small cylinder of He and fill up a balloon to take the NLL to a really good height....

 

[chaad]

The range is advertised as up to 34 miles. That would be an absolute maximum range in great conditions with an antenna that has gain and altitude...such as coastal Coast Guard antennas. The typical whip antenna on a boat has nowhere near that range....Remember that VHF radio is nearly line of sight, and the line of site distance (in km) to the horizon from any given Height H is about 4km for a Height of 1m...so your NLL held 1m above the water has about a 4km range to the horizon. The key to range is therefore the height of the antenna on the boat; if that is (say) 9m, then you get about a 12km range to the horizon. The line-of-sight distance goes as the square root of H, so you need a really tall antenna -- with a lot of gain -- to get to 34 miles.
Short answer: if you can se the boat, you can probably talk to it. If you can't even see it, good luck.

The FAQs on the Nautilus website generally says the same, with real world success at 5-6 mi.

Range for someone in the water to a skiff is demonstrated to be 5-6 miles. The higher you hold your LifeLine, the better the range. Demonstrated maximum range to an elevated antenna is 54 km.

 

[Jeff_O]

The FAQs on the Nautilus website generally says the same, with real world success at 5-6 mi.

Rule of thumb from doing amateur radio. VHF frequency on an unobstructed by large waves or other, is I think I heard, 20mi based on curvature of the earth.

More power in watts is not as important. I did see 1/2 watt for think, DSC and 1 watt for AIS.

 

[tridacna]

"Talking" is colloquial for us radio geeks...it just means messages/data passed.
I think it would be just as sensible to carry a small cylinder of He and fill up a balloon to take the NLL to a really good height....

“Relax Mel, I know what you mean”. Did you read that? I’m an engineer who used to be a radio ham years ago. I’m aware of the physics of radio transmission.

Perhaps we should all call carry surface to air missiles mounted on our tanks attached to a Nautilus to ensure adequate line of sight.

 

[Jeff_O]

“Relax Mel, I know what you mean”. Did you read that? I’m an engineer who used to be a radio ham years ago. I’m aware of the physics of radio transmission.

Perhaps we should all call carry surface to air missiles mounted on our tanks attached to a Nautilus to ensure adequate line of sight.

Not a bad thought and plausible too, except for the extra weight and size.

Even the PLB's using satellite communication might also have issue with large waves. It is still worth having one so I own a PLB and maybe looking at an underwater housing for it.

Windsurfing I put it in a Pelican case as hitting the water at speed, can equate to a depth of water pressure of more than the surface.

Note some PLB's may have a test button without a cover to prevent it from being pressed. I therefore take precautions when putting the PLB of the like, shimmed inside the waterproof case, else a dead battery as I read a hiker found out removing from a back pack!

Under or around tall trees trying to use a PLB for hiking, or in a city around tall buildings it is not optimum, though small enough it is again worth trying in an emergency.

I know some of these alert rescue devices have provisions to send information on non-emergency situations, though they probably all require monthly or yearly fees. The free to use for emergency only suits me fine though, as I think I understand the Nautilus Lifeline is.

 

[scrane]

So, back to my original question to @Nautilus Explorer: In what way is the nexGen superior to the Gen2 in ease of use, effectiveness, or added features. I'm interested in upgrading, but I'm unsure of what the benefits would be.

 

[Pearlman]

I am starting to think there are no feature upgrades just a new chipset from a new supplier with better battery life … mine has DSC too so I see no reason to upgrade.

 

[O-ring]

I just sent my Marine Rescue GPS (MRG, Nautilus Lifeline generation 2) over to Nautilus Lifeline (RMA) in Richmond, BC, Canada via USPS.com that costs me $32.20. Assuming shipping cost via Canadian mail is the same as that of US mail, the total cost for trading in my old good working MRG with the new Nautilus Lifeline nexGen would be $199.40 ($135 + 2x$32.20). In the end it’s not worth it to trade-in my good working MRG with Nautilus Lifeline nexGen. I might as well just buy Nautilus Lifeline nexGen and keep my good working MRG as a back up to the new Nautilus Lifeline nexGen.

Just got an email back from them and am coming to the same conclusion. The language in the email I received specifically mentions $135 plus shipping and I will, of course, incur shipping costs sending it to them as you did.

Is Nautilus still doing the on board credit of the Socorro marine park fees? If so, I might just pick up a next gen using my credit the next time I am down there.

 

[hammet]

No PLB no care