bradlw
Contributor
What do the boat captains see when a VHF AIS locator is triggered?
things such as the Nautilus Lifeline or the Ocean Signal RescueME MOB1 (I know it's not really for diving). Are there other similar devices?
I understand that there are limitations with these things
One of the primary ones is that the captain has to have the radio set to receive the signals
The boat's radio has to be powered on
etc....
so you can't completely count on all the pleasure boaters, fishermen, etc, in the area for rescue
and they aren't PLB's transmitting on 121.5/243.0
and there's no satellite communication with them
But I'm trying to understand what the boat captains will see. Does it just show up on their chartplotters as just another AIS "target".... like another boat in the area?
if that's the case it seems much less useful. Someone would have to be actively looking for you and you're very likely to be just lost in the noise if you're in any busy area, like near shore coastal in Florida. Probably good enough if you tell your charter operator that you have the thing so that they will be looking.
But if something happens to your boat while you're on the dive and they aren't looking when you end the dive, will the other boats in your area even see you?
I've had an interest for a very long time in things like SCUBA, general aviation private pilot, backpacking, kayaking, etc.... but I've not really done any meaningful backcounty stuff in a very long time. Life is just in the way. I've always thought that if or when I ever do start doing it again that I would make it a priority to get some sort of PLB device or similar.
I sort of like the idea of a satellite communicator like an Inreach because I could use it for backpacking or whatever/wherever, and it's more useful with the messaging features, etc.
But a pure PLB seems in some ways better for actual no-joke I want to be found situations
And then there are these VHF AIS things...which seem like they would generally be better suited for SCUBA...at least for SCUBA from charter boats in populated areas
So even though my upcoming family dive trip should be a very tame outing (Key Largo), I'm toying with the idea of getting one now even though I'm not really sure how often we'll be diving in the future. I don't know if any of them will have a passion for it, and if they don't then I probably won't dive often. Anyway I'm thinking about it just because my family will be in tow on this outing and they seem like the best compromise for rescue without the drama for SCUBA.
so a "SCUBA only" device like a VHF AIS device may not be the most versatile thing for me, but I'm still considering it.
things such as the Nautilus Lifeline or the Ocean Signal RescueME MOB1 (I know it's not really for diving). Are there other similar devices?
I understand that there are limitations with these things
One of the primary ones is that the captain has to have the radio set to receive the signals
The boat's radio has to be powered on
etc....
so you can't completely count on all the pleasure boaters, fishermen, etc, in the area for rescue
and they aren't PLB's transmitting on 121.5/243.0
and there's no satellite communication with them
But I'm trying to understand what the boat captains will see. Does it just show up on their chartplotters as just another AIS "target".... like another boat in the area?
if that's the case it seems much less useful. Someone would have to be actively looking for you and you're very likely to be just lost in the noise if you're in any busy area, like near shore coastal in Florida. Probably good enough if you tell your charter operator that you have the thing so that they will be looking.
But if something happens to your boat while you're on the dive and they aren't looking when you end the dive, will the other boats in your area even see you?
I've had an interest for a very long time in things like SCUBA, general aviation private pilot, backpacking, kayaking, etc.... but I've not really done any meaningful backcounty stuff in a very long time. Life is just in the way. I've always thought that if or when I ever do start doing it again that I would make it a priority to get some sort of PLB device or similar.
I sort of like the idea of a satellite communicator like an Inreach because I could use it for backpacking or whatever/wherever, and it's more useful with the messaging features, etc.
But a pure PLB seems in some ways better for actual no-joke I want to be found situations
And then there are these VHF AIS things...which seem like they would generally be better suited for SCUBA...at least for SCUBA from charter boats in populated areas
So even though my upcoming family dive trip should be a very tame outing (Key Largo), I'm toying with the idea of getting one now even though I'm not really sure how often we'll be diving in the future. I don't know if any of them will have a passion for it, and if they don't then I probably won't dive often. Anyway I'm thinking about it just because my family will be in tow on this outing and they seem like the best compromise for rescue without the drama for SCUBA.
so a "SCUBA only" device like a VHF AIS device may not be the most versatile thing for me, but I'm still considering it.
