Nautilus Lifeline Work In Coz?

[Quicksilver II]

I disagree. Its just one tool that fulfills a particular role. Its not the only tool. And it may not be the best tool for you to use based on your particular circumstances.

Lifeline / InReach / PLB each have their pros and cons. Better to have one of them than nothing. But figuring out which particular solution is best for you is a case-by-case analysis.

I choose to carry a PLB. YMMV.

Copied directly from their website:

"Works everywhere on the planet with all marine radios installed since June 1999 on ships, yachts, fishing boats, tugs and every other boat on the water"

I don't mind product limitations, I do mind being sold a false sense of security with misleading advertising.

 

[JFS]

This is what I use now that the original Nautilus Radio is no longer supported for servicing. I have also figured out how to replace the internal battery in my Nautilus for less than $10 to keep it working. For something that is compact and can be used to contact boat, port captain etc this is probably the best alternative to Nautilus radio. I used to put this small Horizon hx40 radio in a UK c8 light. I wanted a smaller housing and saw DryFob manufactured a XL version. I checked my measurements on my radio and it fits perfectly. When I contacted DryFob they were surprised as to what I wanted to put in it as they designed it for keys etc. I have this canister in my pocket on all dives now and has been used on some occasions. For under $250 for radio/canister , it's a good item to have. Just make sure your captain knows you have a radio and know what radio channel your boat is on. @Jaan

 

[Quicksilver II]

This is what I use now that the original Nautilus Radio is no longer supported. I have also figured out how to replace the internal battery in my Nautilus for less than $10. For something that is compact and can be used to contact boat, port captain etc this is probably the best alternative. I used to put this small Horizon hx40 radio in a UK c8 light. I wanted a smaller housing and saw DryFob manufactured a XL version. I checked my measurements on my radio and it fits perfectly. When I contacted DryFob they were surprised as to what I wanted to put in it as they designed it for keys etc. I have this canister in my pocket on all dives now and has been used on some occasions. For under $250 , it's a good item to have. Just make sure your captain knows you have a radio and know what radio channel your boat is on. @Jaan

This looks like the way to go!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[chaad]

I had a chat with a regular Coz diver recently who told me most of the boats don't monitor the channels the Nautilus Lifeline broadcasts distress signals on.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

Is this thing worth carrying or would a Garmin InReach/PLB be a better choice for Cozumel?

Thanks in advance!

This question shows that OP's regular coz diver friend doesn't understand how a Nautilus radio works. As another user pointed out, there's no channel to monitor. The Nautilus sends out alerts over VHF radio using two simultaneous protocols: DSC and AIS. When a DSC alert goes out, all VHF radios in range automatically switch to channel 16, sound an alarm, and display information on the radio's little screen. The alarm is loud, annoying, and impossible to ignore.

The DSC alert sent from a Nautilus device sends the following info to nearby radios:

• MMSI for the Nautilus radio (not particularly useful for rescue purposes, just how it works, like Caller ID for marine radios)
• Alert type: man overboard
• GPS coordinates of the Nautilus device

Nearby boats can initiate a rescue attempt or radio appropriate authorities. Usually both at the same time. The responding boat needs a GPS unit so they can navigate to the coordinates they received over the radio. Any cheapo GPS unit will do including most modern smart phones.

While I'm talking about what data the alerts convey, I might as well talk about AIS. It is true this is only common on larger, often commercial, vessels. It does the same alarm and relays generally the same info as the DSC alert. The biggest difference is AIS alerts are plotted on a screen/map as opposed to just the raw coordinates a DSC alert provides.

I don't have a problem with the product, I have a problem with the advertising:

Copied directly from their website:

"Works everywhere on the planet with all marine radios installed since June 1999 on ships, yachts, fishing boats, tugs and every other boat on the water"

I don't mind product limitations, I do mind being sold a false sense of security with misleading advertising.

That statement is true. It isn't misleading. Any ship with a radio installed in the past 25 years is going to have DSC capabilities. Unfortunately not all ships operating on the water have had a new radio installed since 1999 like the LOB @tursiops went on in the Marshall Islands.

The Nautilus is not a bad device. In fact it is an incredible device. If a boat loses a diver, it is very very likely the dive boat is within range of the Nautilus. In the rare case the diver has ended up more than 5 miles away from their boat, odds are good there's another boat in range that will receive the alert.

Is it possible no boat will be within 5 miles? Yes.

If you are diving in a remote area, a PLB might make more sense, but keep in mind that a rescue via PLB is going to be much slower than being picked up by your dive boat that is just over the horizon.

PS: I'm including a photo of a DSC equipped radio receiving a man overboard alert (not specifically from a Nautilus device). I snagged the still from a Nautilus informational video.

 

[chaad]

Just because it has a button doesn't mean it is wired to gps. On 90% of personal boats I board, I see the wires hanging out of the back. They hook up power and ground to make the radio work.
Unless you have a very expensive radio, it likely communicates on the 0183 network, not NMEA2000. Most graphs and GPS made in the last decade don't even have 0183 hookups. Rather than buy an adapter, they typically get left unhooked.
Long way of saying, just because the radio is capable, doesn't mean it is going to work more often than not.

What does this have to do with receiving a DSC alert? No GPS needed.

Now if that boat with a DSC button but no GPS starts sinking, they won't be able to send coordinates out to nearby vessels. Sucks for them, but not related to this discussion.

 

[Dan]

I'm diving with Aldora next month. I asked today over WhatsApp and was told Aldora boats are NOT capable of receiving a signal from a Nautilus / DSC.

Not that they are obligated to but it seems odd they don't have radios that are capable of it. That or Nautilus is full of **** about it being standard on all radios after 1999.

Is the coast guard present in the area? Surely they have them.

I'd rather buy more dives than a $450 Garmin InReach.

Aldora’s marine radio may not monitor / capable to listen to channel 16, but most likely other boat (not necessarily a dive boat) within the MOB signal that the Nautilus emitting will and find you or relay it to nearby coast guard.

 

[Dan]

Aldora’s marine radio may not monitor / capable to listen to channel 16, but most likely other boat (not necessarily a dive boat) within the MOB signal that the Nautilus emitting will and find you or relay it to nearby coast guard.

If this happens to you, Aldora will look bad for not only losing you, but also for being unable to locate where you are and having other boat locating & rescuing you.

 

[Quicksilver II]

That statement is true. It isn't misleading. Any ship with a radio installed in the past 25 years is going to have DSC capabilities. Unfortunately not all ships operating on the water have had a new radio installed since 1999 like the LOB @tursiops went on in the Marshall Islands.

The Nautilus is not a bad device. In fact it is an incredible device. If a boat loses a diver, it is very very likely the dive boat is within range of the Nautilus. In the rare case the diver has ended up more than 5 miles away from their boat, odds are good there's another boat in range that will receive the alert.

Is it possible no boat will be within 5 miles? Yes.

If you are diving in a remote area, a PLB might make more sense, but keep in mind that a rescue via PLB is going to be much slower than being picked up by your dive boat that is just over the horizon.

PS: I'm including a photo of a DSC equipped radio receiving a man overboard alert (not specifically from a Nautilus device). I snagged the still from a Nautilus informational video.

Thank you for this. I suspected there was more to the story and I was too quick to condemn the device. I find it pretty hard to believe there aren't a fair amount of post 1999 radios in the channel.

Surely, if a diver was known to be missing, the searchers would be listening for a distress signal. And I'd guess an aircraft could pick that signal up from far further than 5 miles.

I'm a little torn on buying the Garmin, in addition but something about jumping into strong ocean current at night apparently gives me more pause than most people. I may put it off until I take a more remote trip.

Between the Nautilus and my iPhone (in a DiveVolk case), I like to think I have a pretty good chance of summoning someone.

Thanks all.

 

[tursiops]

I was too quick to condemn the device.

Yep. Having all the info is helpful.

And I'd guess an aircraft could pick that signal up from far further than 5 miles.

I'm not sure that aircraft monitor marine VHF channels.

 

[chaad]

I'm not sure that aircraft monitor marine VHF channels.

I don't think they do unless we're talking about specially equipped coast guard planes.

I saw a video showing Nautilus Liveaboards (which lend a Nautilus radio to each of their divers) talking about how they'll put their helicopter up in the air with a VHF receiver hanging below for this purpose.