PLBs and DSMBs

[Celt]

That was the event that led me to get one, too.

Last week a guy hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park got lost. He was able to call people and say he was lost, but he could not tell them exactly where. He died within 24 hours because of the nighttime temperatures.

Absolutely crazy the amount of people that go to sea or hiking unprepared. We had dozens of launches during Covid taking people off the mountains. Poor footwear, inadequate clothing, nothing to drink or eat. I'm OK I have my phone attitude. Location device's have there place but there no substitute for preparedness. You have to survive while waiting.

 

[rmorgan]

A diver from a liveaboard off Saba a few months ago didn’t come back and, as far as I can find, was never found. Perhaps having some form of device wouldn’t have helped—but perhaps it would have saved her life. The liveaboards anchor in the same waters the day boats tie up, and dive many of the same sites, so it wasn’t about remote locations.

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks for the additional info. I wonder how deep is too deep for a Plb before a canister is needed. I’m not arguing that a canister isn’t needed for any dive whatsoever, but instead at what depth it becomes “mandatory” to protect your equipment.

ACR, the manufacturer of the model I carry says: Waterproof: 16.40 ft (5m) @ 1 hr., 33 ft (10m) @ 10 min. Some sellers advertise them deeper, but that's probably from transcription mistakes.

Do you think you’d be able to crush your Plb in your hands? If not 66 feet seems possible.

You may or may not get away with it. I wouldn't try it.

 

[boulderjohn]

ACR, the manufacturer of the model I carry says: Waterproof: 16.40 ft (5m) @ 1 hr., 33 ft (10m) @ 10 min. Some sellers advertise them deeper, but that's probably from transcription mistakes.

You may or may not get away with it. I wouldn't try it.

I had a small Nikon camera years ago that advertised that it was safe to take to 33 feet.

Nope.

 

[waterone]

Or at a minimum the tools to survive a night in the woods on a mountian.


Thanks for the additional info. I wonder how deep is too deep for a Plb before a canister is needed. I’m not arguing that a canister isn’t needed for any dive whatsoever, but instead at what depth it becomes “mandatory” to protect your equipment. More so for the mental exercise it.

1 atm is roughly 14.5 psi, right? 2atm = 30psi, 3 is 44 psi.

3 atm gets you to 66 feet (salt water)

In 1992 a research study established the grip strength of a selection of college students has a mean pressure of 64psi.

Do you think you’d be able to crush your Plb in your hands? If not 66 feet seems possible.

I’ve seen the custom divers offering and have been considering purchasing it.

3 atmospheres pushing water into all areas equally and against any seal, a bit different than being squeezed dry. While most are rated for less than they can take, I wouldn't do it unless I didn't care about it working. I have taken my old phone and a waterproof case (good to 6 feet) down to 30 but won't do it with my new phone.

I had a small Nikon camera years ago that advertised that it was safe to take to 33 feet.

Nope.

I had one of those, bright orange.

 

[Jeff_O]

3 atmospheres pushing water into all areas equally and against any seal, a bit different than being squeezed dry. While most are rated for less than they can take, I wouldn't do it unless I didn't care about it working. I have taken my old phone and a waterproof case (good to 6 feet) down to 30 but won't do it with my new phone.

I had one of those, bright orange.

I always put my plb in another water proof container that has clear view of plb inside. You can then see if it is flooding. Also when I windsurf with one. If I fall off at speed the pressure is not the same as dropping into water from a few feet high and submerging slowly to 3ft deep. Additionally note some plb have you do the monthly self test to just hit test button, but guess what? Emergency rescue red button is near it. Too easy to hit wrong one during test. Like to see it made better. Also fold out antenna on some plb expose emergency red button. Guess what some when antenna folded closed so yea then red button is covered, but other test button not. Carry it in back pack and it goes and does a self test by it self and runs battery to nothing. I have my plb shimmed with foam to have test button resessed in clear water proof container. Think about retaining plb when taking out of extra waterproof container. I have teathers everywhere and won't let it blow away in gale winds.

 

[gerald werner]

Just spitballing - I’ve seen multiple dive containers for a PLB and as noted they are all pretty damn big.

The issue is that with pressure water could ingress into the device, correct? We’re not worried about the depth and pressure physically destroying the device.

Would it then be appropriate to vacuum seal the PLB? The bag is impervious to water, and you can tear it open if you need the PLB at the surface.

I tried this about a year ago. Vacuum sealing alone did not work. The pressure did not destroy the unit but it kept both pressed buttons pressed. I found this stainless steel soap box below from Containerstore. Vacuumizing the PLB in it worked and did not seem to affect the buttons.
I took it on 50+ dives to 130 ft max.
I believe the pressure will compress the foilbuttons. The steel box is strong enough to keep the pressure inside the sealed bag low enough.

 

[macado]

I didn't see this posted in this thread but I know it's been posted on Scubaboard before. A few of us in New England are using canisters designed by Light Monkey to store our PLBs, dye packs, mirror, whistle, etc.

At the time Light Monkey did a custom run for us to fit the dimensions we wanted but they now sell them on their website. They are most expensive than some other options but I needed something that could go to 300ft (~100m).

15.300.600-Dry Canister for PLB

shop.lightmonkey.us

Truth be told - I'd be lying if I said I carried it every dive but I do take it one dives where I am offshore a significant distance, or where there is less boat traffic and I might drift without encountering land or another vessel for quite a while. They also fit some cellphones which is useful in places like Mexico; I've carried it in cave dives incase I needed to surface at another entrance/cenote in the jungle.

Back to the thread's original question, they are not super common but my small group of friends in New England do utilize them. I've seen them off boats NJ and NC too.

 

[AustinV]

I have a similar Light Monkey canister, Got it last year and I now carry a ResQLink PLB every dive. Never had a situation come up where I may have needed UNTIL I started carrying it ironically. Didn't have to use it but had the situation gone differently I would have been glad to have it on me.

 

[Jaan]

When we first announced the DRYFOB for car key storage, there were quite a few here on SB asking for us to make a larger size for PLBs. We made a small quantity of these in an XL PLB version which sells for $99 and can house just about all the mainstream PLBs with room to spare. It is not see through, and perhaps a bit bigger than needed for the smaller PLBs but some do like to put additional safety stuff in there too. Anodized aluminum, dual o-rings, rated to 330ft. If anyone is interested in more details here is a SB review. DryFob XL: Affordable Canister for PLB Feel free to PM me also.