Personal locator beacons

[Mark Chase]

I have an oil filled unit and it has been to 102m and I havent had a problem with it yet. Its done mabey 60 dives. I had the in a can version before but its a bit bulky and very expensive if you get the 100m rated can.

Prety much all the divers I know who had the old 'in a can' type are now using oil filled ones and divers like Pete are regularly going to 60 -90m and I havent herd of any problems from them either.


ATB

Mark Chase

[hazey]

Might be interested in one of these but my question is as follows:
The satellite version work by automatically generating a distress call - but how do these ones work.  Do the emergency services automatically 'listen' for them going off or does the system rely on the boat raising a mayday before they use the signal to track you down.

Many thanks
H.

[Mark Chase]

The efective range of the unit will depend on the height of the antena, the type of craft hunting for you and the sea state but the diferance can be massive. As a result it is more likley that someone will raise the alarm and then they will come find you but any one monitering the frequancy who is in range of your signal will pick it up. It doses not send out an SOS that is instantly picked up by satalite. The GPS ones are very expensive.

atb

Mark Chase

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (hazey @ Mar. 10 2004,08:42)]Might be interested in one of these but my question is as follows:
The satellite version work by automatically generating a distress call - but how do these ones work.  Do the emergency services automatically 'listen' for them going off or does the system rely on the boat raising a mayday before they use the signal to track you down.

Many thanks
H.

Personal locators do not work via the Sat system.

You activate and the unit can be picked up by any resiever in "line of sight"

Typically thats about 5 miles at sea if you are holding it up at arms length.

BUT

Almost all commercial airliners will pick them up, so if you dive off the South coast where loads of planes go over you have a better chance.

So basically once the alarm has been raised that there is a missing diver....... you have a good chance of being found once the search pattern gets withing 5 miles of you.

Regards

[wreckweasel]

There are version that work up in the 400Mhz area for satellite detection as well (The fastfind is one). Sadly, the time to alert/aquisition etc is up in 60-90 minutes range.

Stick with the 100Mhz versions, as Dave said. For reference, most rescue services are equipped to position and home on 100Mhz, not 400!

WOZ, Having done some digging, these puppies dont have a good reputation..... it could all be diver bullshit of course, but I'd be interested in seeing what comments you can dig out  

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (zaksherlock @ Mar. 10 2004,10:01)]There are version that work up in the 400Mhz area for satellite detection as well (The fastfind is one). Sadly, the time to alert/aquisition etc is up in 60-90 minutes range.

Stick with the 100Mhz versions, as Dave said. For reference, most rescue services are equipped to position and home on 100Mhz, not 400!

WOZ, Having done some digging, these puppies dont have a good reputation..... it could all be diver bullshit of course, but I'd be interested in seeing what comments you can dig out  

Note that any 406Mhz EPIRB will require registration to a specific vessel and a licence fee is payable.

Rescue services have the ability to detct and locate both 104.5 and 406MHZ

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (zaksherlock @ Mar. 10 2004,10:01)]Having done some digging, these puppies dont have a good reputation..... it could all be diver bullshit of course, but I'd be interested in seeing what comments you can dig out  

Zac what have you dug out?? If there is a problem with the nit I would like to be awair of it.

ATB

Mark Chase

[wreckweasel]

Just a couple of mates... who both spat when I mentioned them. The build quality seemed to be the major concern.

As I said... *could* be diver bullshit... but these two are ok chaps.

PS. Hows the custom dripper, still going strong?

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (zaksherlock @ Mar. 10 2004,18:18)]Just a couple of mates... who both spat when I mentioned them. The build quality seemed to be the major concern.

As I said... *could* be diver bullshit... but these two are ok chaps.

PS. Hows the custom dripper, still going strong?

Zak,

were these guys talking about the new oil filled unit?

Personally Iwintessed so much grief with the old units I wouldnt touch them again (I had three  all failed)
The new units sound much better as most of the complaints I heared were to do with the old 50m rated housing and how the slightest knock would dislodge the lid and allow it to leak

Regards

[Mark Chase]

Yes I agree about the housing for the old unit. I had one and was constantly told by otheres that they failed but I have to say my one was OK and I took it to 70m in the end. I checked with the people I know who own the new units and all are happy but of course, none of us have ever used them in anger yet.

The unit tests OK when I can get the chance to do it but thats about all I can honistly say. Apart form that, It just sits there waiting for the big day. ANy build quality problems would have to be with the internal electronics as there is not much to see on the outside.

ATB


Mark Chase

PS: Zac, Torch still doing well dispite a couple of home rebuilds of the head. Floodd it at 55m when the outer cable came out of the head but managed to rebuild it with £5.00 of bits from Maplins.