PLBs Can Save Your Life

[rjack321]

I got a floating model and since its usually in a holder on my boat, I attached an additional keychain float

 

[Dan]

Well, I was wondering if the smaller PLB1 has the same range as the larger ACR2921, but then why do they all boast about having 5 watts? Those weak transmitters you mentioned as examples are built to hit special receivers designed to catch their weak signals, but I am really not knowledgeable about all that. It does seem that power, antenna, receiver, and more would come into to play with how well a signal is received, but tell me.

Apparently it’s good enough for @Luxe miles diver to accidentally launch his PLB1 through his soft case without the antenna pulled out from Indonesia to GEOSAR orbiting at 22,000 miles above Earth and back to NOOA MCC in USA, as mentioned below.

I went diving in manado area with my plb1 in a plastic waterproof flexible case. Upon surfacing, 15 min later i realized the plb was activated accidentally (due to pressure at depth). Since the antenna of the plb was not deployed and it was only less then 30 min of accidental activation? I did not think much of it (i thought for sure signal would not have gone through as antenna was not deployed and not much time was activated and went on our 2nd dive) (Activation was near resort dive site)

Upon return to land. We saw indonesian military personel at the resort (we thought it was routine inspection for that area). That was maybe less then 2 hour after discovery of the accidental activation. (Manado military have to take boat from mainland to resort island. 20 min away from mainlaind)

Later when we turn on our cell phone (cell phone reception signal only on land near resort) we we shocked to get many missed call, texts, and emails from our family emmergency contact. The message was : jakarta sar detected an activation of your plb near manado. North american Sar Contacted emmergency contact and verify situation. Family Emmergency contact said we were diving in indonesia and cannot reach us. North american SAR told our emmergency contact that jakarta said military was notified!!

That was when we panicked and realized that the plb1 is so powerful that even with the antenna down, and short activation time, the plb satellite signal actually went through! We frantically called NA sar and notified of the accidental activation. (Our family was panicking as they thought something happened to us)

After that trip we bought a proper hard case dive canister for the plb.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Wow, 70 miles out in a storm. That was close. I'm surprised you didn't buy one for the next trip after that.

Well we were not out 70 miles that day. The truth is if you go by the weather over here you would never get to dive, it is more about wind. It can say 70% chance of thunderstorms and we can go 40 miles offshore and we won't see a drop of rain, and no wind. By the time you come back in the storms have already passed.

But if you get under one of the thunderheads the weather changes instantly. I have been on the ride in and had one hit me, it sounded like a freight train and water spouts were everywhere. Out of nowhere we had gusts of 45 mph. In hindsight I should have waited out deeper and let the storm pass on this one, before coming in. I was in a hurry and thought I could beat it.

So unfortunately there is no way to plan for it. But if you watch the radar you can usually route around them when you are out there. We thought we had plenty of time, and weren't really worried about it because it was a shallow dive. 25 miles offshore is 45-50 foot. We looked at the radar and everything before we dropped down, it just showed me how fast things can change on the water.

Also I had no idea about PLB's until this thread Thank god for scuba board

 

[DandyDon]

Well we were not out 70 miles that day. The truth is if you go by the weather over here you would never get to dive, it is more about wind. It can say 70% chance of thunderstorms and we can go 40 miles offshore and we won't see a drop of rain, and no wind. By the time you come back in the storms have already passed.

But if you get under one of the thunderheads the weather changes instantly. I have been on the ride in and had one hit me, it sounded like a freight train and water spouts were everywhere. Out of nowhere we had gusts of 45 mph. In hindsight I should have waited out deeper and let the storm pass on this one, before coming in. I was in a hurry and thought I could beat it.

So unfortunately there is no way to plan for it. But if you watch the radar you can usually route around them when you are out there. We thought we had plenty of time, and weren't really worried about it because it was a shallow dive. 25 miles offshore is 45-50 foot. We looked at the radar and everything before we dropped down, it just showed me how fast things can change on the water.

Also I had no idea about PLB's until this thread Thank god for scuba board

Ah, I see, ok. I watch thunderstorms on radar on my phone when I am photographing cemeteries or hiking a park, if I have service, but those tell me where the storms were 5 minutes ago I think. I try to leave myself plenty of escape time. I like my old Impala, but it is worthless on a muddy road.

 

[tursiops]

PLBs will do nothing to prevent divers been lost, if you don’t get lost in the first place there’s no need for SAR. No one has a right to expect someone else to come and rescue them if they mess up. Wandering off and making free assents in conditions where there is a possibility of not making it ashore or back to the dive boat is totally reckless.

Great argument. It's the reason no one needs bandaids....just don't cut yourself.

 

[Dan]

...Again, a lot of bother when there is a $100 solution ready...

Why doing it? Here’s one

...It would be a major bummer to be found floating and lifeless with a PLB sealed in a housing that you couldn't get open. Some larger light housings can be challenging to open. I know my petite wife could never open them without tools.

That is an argument against the HDVSEATEK ePOD for divers with small hands. The threaded ring is about 4.5"/115mm in diameter.

Imagine trying to loosen 4.5” diameter ring with small & wet thumb & index finger wrapping half circle around that big canister compare to opening a 3” lid by pressing your palm against the lid & wrapping your 5 finger tips over & around the a third of diameter smaller lid, like opening a cookie jar, as shown below. Which one would be easier to do?

Another good thing is this plastic canister is lighter & see through. You can actually see if water is leaking into it. It happened to my GoPro 6 once during a backroll entry. As usual, operator’s error. I didn’t close the lid evenly. I was able to thumb the dive, got back to the boat, dried out my GoPro & recovered it from water damage. You can’t do that with metal canister.

 

[MrBigfins]

View attachment 513919

Why doing it? Here’s one



Imagine trying to loosen 4.5” diameter ring with small & wet thumb & index finger wrapping half circle around that big canister compare to opening a 3” lid by pressing your palm against the lid & wrapping your 5 finger tips over & around the a third of diameter smaller lid, as shown below. Which one would be easier to do?

View attachment 513916

Another good thing is this plastic canister is lighter & see through. You can actually see if water is leaking into it. It happened to my GoPro 6 once during a backroll entry. As usual, operator mistake. I didn’t close the lid evenly. I was able to thumb the dive, get back to the boat, dry out my GoPro & recover it from water damage. You can’t do that with metal canister.

That's not metal, is nylon

 

[Dan]

That's not metal, is nylon

OK. My bad. Thanks for the correction. So, it’s not heavy, but still black & big 4.5” ring compare to 3” diameter lid with see through canister, I still pick the latter.

 

[MrBigfins]

At 6'7" I'm not personally affected by larger 9r smaller capsule, I actually prefer the larger size for a few more supplies

 

[DandyDon]

Imagine trying to loosen 4.5” diameter ring with small & wet thumb & index finger wrapping half circle around that big canister compare to opening a 3” lid by pressing your palm against the lid & wrapping your 5 finger tips over & around the a third of diameter smaller lid, like opening a cookie jar, as shown below. Which one would be easier to do?

The 4½" diameter ring would be easier than the 3" because you'd have more leverage. Your other hand would push against the ear with a hole for attaching your brass bolt snap.

"Pressing your palm against the lid" sounds too much like the pill bottles I struggle to open. Is that the skinny one that he said is not made anymore and "it is too small in diameter for many PLBs"? I doubt that see thru plastic is going to be tough enough to standup to getting knocked around on the boat hull when I backroll.

OMS made an inexpensive housing that was pretty good. I paid $40 and it is made from Polycarbonate tubing with PVC caps at both ends. Aside from it being out of production, it is too small in diameter for many PLBs.

View attachment 510879​

Post #6, DIY O-Rings for Divers in this thread might give some of you inventive/DIY divers some ideas: O-rings for Divers