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PLB personal locator beacon

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dlm34077(at)q.com
Guest

Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 5:36 pm Post subject: PLB personal locator beacon

I know that all aviators understand PLBs but it  sure would save a lot of lives and a lot of search time and money if the nation  at large were aware of their unique value. I just read an account of a Canadian  woman who was just recovered after weeks in the wilderness along the NV-ID  border; her husband who went for help is still missing. There is a Fastfind PLB  made by McMurdo which costs between $250-$500. The price when I first purchased  was $500 but my last two purchases were the Fastfind 210 for about $250. After  receiving your unit, you register the beacon on a federal website; no charge;  registration must be renewed in five years. Registration requires phone contacts  for when the beacon is activated. 

  

 When an emergency occurs and cell phones are not an  option, activate the beacon. Within a couple of minutes the internal  WAAS GPS locates your position and digitally transmits the beacon ID,  and exact position to national SAR in MD. The initial data transmission  is 406Mh to a geosynchronous satellite over the Pacific or Atlantic which  downlinks to MD SAR. They check the phone contacts for info; if no answer or  info, local 911 responders go to the coordinates provided. Neither this or  cell phones will work from the bottom of a well but this technology is designed  to work most anywhere on the planet. I carry one of these in my  aircraft  for anyone who survives the crash. New passengers are  briefed on its location and activation. 

 The Fast 210 is the size of a cigarette pack and  can be carried in a pocket if survivors are forced out of the wreckage due to  fire or for other reasons need to leave the area. Two of my 4 land vehicles also  have a PLB in the glove compartment; cell phones have been known to be INOP in  the deserts, mountains, on/over water and other wilderness.

  

 I know that some aviators use 406Mh ELTs but even  these have their limitations; will they survive the crash? can a survivor  extract the ELT and antenna and get away from a burning wreckage? Some use  SPOT which requires purchase and an annual fee.

  

 I also use APRS for tracking in the aircraft, and  three land vehicles; even in aircraft there are places (Minden Valley NV) where  even a 10W 2 meter signal ((at)14000MSL) will not hit a digipeater and dump the  track into the internet. 

  

 KE7TPH

  

  

 http://www.fastfindplb.com/en/index.php

  

  

 http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Fastfind+210&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=13875083625999886646&sa=X&ei=Jz3HTbT0CJD4sAOTyeTrAQ&ved=0CEgQ8wIwAw#

   [quote][b]

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n801bh(at)netzero.com
Guest

Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 10:16 pm Post subject: PLB personal locator beacon

There are wonderful aspects of technology and the PLB is one of those... On the other side of the coin is GPS got these poor people into the same situation as apparently it showed a shortcut and they followed the tip right into that remote canyon and got stuck. Altho I still believe the latest / greatest stuff is a super tool when used properly. 

do not archive

Ben Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com



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