Search and Rescue - Lasers and Signaling Devices

[Dan]

Don’t forget that US Coast Guard will be monitoring the marine radio with their 100’ antenna that can reach further than 3 miles. That same article mentioned 13 miles.

 

[tursiops]

Don’t forget that US Coast Guard will be monitoring the marine radio with their 100’ antenna can reach further than 3 miles. That same article mentioned 13 miles.

13 miles is pretty much the line-of-sight from 100 ft to the horizon. D=1.23 sqrt(H), with D in miles, and H in feet.
H is measured to the base of the antenna...not the tippy-top. Actual VHF range is slightly farther, because at VHF there is some bending of the radio rays to follow the curvature. In round numbers, people use 4/3 the line-of-sight, or
D= 1.6 sqrt (H), or even rounder, D=sqrt(2xH), i.e. a 50 ft antenna will give you 10 miles.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

So most of my dives will be done 50 miles offshore. Sounds like the Nautilus wouldn't be much help unless another boat was out there within 3-5 miles of me.

 

[rjack321]

Just out of curiosity...
Did any of the aircraft searching for Cameron have IR goggles?
Did any of them fly/search at night?

 

[BRT]

Just out of curiosity...
Did any of the aircraft searching for Cameron have IR goggles?
Did any of them fly/search at night?

Somewhere in this thread it said the air search stopped at night. Which made the strobe in my BCD pocket look less effective.

 

[Dan]

So most of my dives will be done 50 miles offshore. Sounds like the Nautilus wouldn't be much help unless another boat was out there within 3-5 miles of me.

Then, get PLB instead.

This video mentioned one person lost at sea about 70 miles off Miami where no cellphone signal available, was rescued in 45 minutes after launching the PLB1.

 

[rjack321]

Somewhere in this thread it said the air search stopped at night. Which made the strobe in my BCD pocket look less effective.

My nephew is a USCG rescue swimmer. Night searches are a rarity even in first world nations with all the latest equipment. 406mhz PLBs also have 121.5khz homing beacons which work in all weather and sea state conditions - far better than mirrors, lasers, flares, dye packets, AIS beacons, SPOT messages etc...

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Then, get PLB instead.

Ok great info thank you, is that the brand you like? Or does anyone have a preference?

 

[rjack321]

Ok great info thank you, is that the brand you like? Or does anyone have a preference?

ACR has a floating model. You still need a housing to keep it dry, and some sort of a leash or lanyard. But at least if it is inherently buoyant it's that much harder to drop and sink.
ResQLink™ Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) | ACR ARTEX

Some of the smaller models from other manufacturers would be nice from a storage perspective.

 

[Dan]

Ok great info thank you, is that the brand you like? Or does anyone have a preference?

It’s small enough to fit in an old $10 camera case that I got from eBay. It has 7-year battery life & warranty.

I put it in my BCD waist pocket & dove with it in the last 2 years (~200 dives) & to as deep as 144’ (44m).