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How to Choose Between a PLB and a Satellite Messenger

No matter how much you prepare beforehand sometimes events beyond your control mean you need help. And when you’re outside the reach of cell phones, and not on regularly-traveled trails, getting that help can be a challenge. Which is where satellite messengers and personal locator beacons (plbs) come in. By bouncing your cry for help off a satellite you can get assistance almost anywhere on the planet. And for the devices that allow non-emergency communication, you can even ask for help in less dire situations, or just check in to let mom know you’re okay. Here’s our picks for the best personal locator beacons:.

This is a gear review about the best personal locator beacons and satellite messengers 2023. No serious backcountry explorer should be without some form of personal locator beacon. These small and simple items are used to send out a distress signal when you’re in need of rescuing. A good quality hiking first aid kit can only do so much, sometime you may need to be rescued. Although we all may hope never to use one, they should still form a vital part of the emergency gear for any outdoor person. To make your decision easier, i’ve rounded up some of the best personal locator beacons (plbs) and best two-way satellite messengers on the market.

One-way satellite communicators take plbs to another level, allowing the user to send a specific message. These units use private satellite networks and therefore require subscriptions (kind of like cellphone plans). Many of these devices allow you to easily send messages to friends and family, in addition to baseline sos functionality. Typically, you customize your messages and contacts before heading into the backcountry, then select your text and recipient when you’re off the grid. This allows you to notify emergency contacts that you’re ok, that you safely arrived to camp, that you’re going to be one day longer than expected, that you need help getting your car unstuck from the trailhead lot, or any number of other updates short of sos’ing.

Using Personal Locator Beacons

Reading time: 2 minutes a personal locator beacon (plb)*  is a highly reliable and effective way to communicate a serious and dangerous situation to emergency services. A plb, when activated, sends the location and the device identity via emergency communication satellites and commercial aircraft. It is a one-way communication. A plb does not provide any information about the nature of the emergency. It should only be activated in a situation of grave and imminent danger – when faced with a life threatening situation. (* plbs are sometimes called epirbs, but the term epirb is now limited to emergency beacons for marine vessels.

Personal locator beacon (plb) is a gps device designed to locate you in case of emergency. If you get lost on a trip, the plb will allow you to send an sos signal. Gps, glonass, or gsm technologies are used in beacons to determine your position on the map. As a rule, plbs are very compact and easy to carry. They can also be used to monitor children – just attach a personal locator to a backpack or put it in your child’s pocket. Some plbs can be paired with smartphones and controlled from apps. Worried about your car’s safety? try using a car gps tracker.

A personal locator beacon takes the ‘search’ out of search and rescue. They’re compact, lightweight and, when compared to the potential cost of not carrying one, inexpensive. Gps and 406mhz all modern beacons transmit a 406mhz signal, but some also transmit the older 121. 5mhz signal to help searchers home in on your location once they arrive in the vicinity. Your chosen plb should also be gps-enabled so it can send your exact location to searchers. Registration it is a legal requirement to register your plb with the rescue coordination centre new zealand (rccnz). There is no charge to do this and once completed, your plb’s distress signal will be linked to your personal information – name, address, emergency contact phone numbers, medical conditions – that can offer clues to your specific needs as well as speed rescue response time.

Many who spend time in the outdoors consider personal locator beacons mandatory safety devices. Whether on a long wilderness hike or fishing in the gulf of mexico, being able to summon assistance in a crisis is critical to survival. These rescue beacons are called by several different names: distress radio beacons plb or personal locator beacon elt or emergency locator transmitter epirb or emergency position-indicating radio beacon or something similar when activated, a rescue beacon transmits a signal that can be detected by satellites. The signal information is then relayed to a center that coordinates a search and rescue response. Depending on the technology used in the survival beacon, positioning of satellites and the location of the emergency, it could take several minutes to a couple of hours for a satellite to receive the distress signal and forward it to an emergency search and rescue center.

When to Send an SOS Distress Call

Beacons are small devices used to alert vessels and search and rescue agencies of distress. Strictly they interface with receivers on ships and/or global emergency services via satellite systems. When manually or automatically activated upon immersion, these beacons send out a distress signal.

PLBs Must Be Registered

Ais- equipped epirbs and plbs transmit on 406 mhz, 121. 5 mhz (the international aviation distress frequency and utilised for local homing by aircraft) and ais. The hex id and position details are transmitted on 406 mhz. When a beacon is activated the signal is detected by the global cospas-sarsat satellite system and relayed to the amsa rescue coordination centre, which then coordinates a rescue response. Every beacon is pre-programmed by the manufacturer with a plb ais user id 972xxyyyy or epirb ais user id 974xxyyyy. This is labelled on the beacon near the hex id. The ais user id can be registered on the amsa beacon register alongside the beacon hex id.

All plbs must be registered. Registering your plb is fast, easy and free. It’s also required by law. Registration provides searchers with essential information that could save your life. Once registered there are no ongoing subscription fees.

In the united states, all beacons (including plbs) must be registered with noaa’s sarsat office by law. The registration includes critical information such as the owner’s name, address, telephone number and the plb’s unique identification number. This allows the rcc to call you as the owner and your designated emergency contact to determine if a real sar event is unfolding or if the beacon has been falsely activated. If the rcc cannot determine that the signal is false, they dispatch an sar team. Sar teams respond to falsely or inadvertently activated beacons all the time. The manpower and dollar costs of responding to false alerts are extremely high and are a significant burden to sar resources.

Plbs have a limited lifespan, and their batteries typically expire after a certain period. Check the expiration dates of your plb’s battery and other components, and replace them as needed to maintain peak performance. Register and update your plb information ensure that your plb is registered with the appropriate authorities and that your contact information is up-to-date. In case of an emergency, this information is crucial for rescuers to reach your emergency contacts and coordinate the rescue operation effectively.