Sat Phones, Personal Locators...etc feedback needed

[crankcall]

Go have a look at the new "spot connect". It converts your smart phone into a sat communicator. Its pretty well priced. The spot locator does what it's intended to do and is a pretty common sense tool for back country adventure. The EPIRB is pretty expensive and doesn't do anything the SPOT wouldn't do.
Another pretty handy tool is a CB walkie talkie, all those roads in the middle of nowhere usually have some truck traffic and they carry tools. You only get about a 15 mile range but thats a big circle.

Lots will say the adventure is not the same if you have backup gear like sat phones, but adventure stories are better when you can tell them, and you have to come back to tell them.

[MacDoc]

Too many negatives on the Spot when the and even more on the messenger plus do you really want to rely on a Smartphone battery when the sealed units are good for 5 years.

This ACR PLB unit is $269 with superb reviews and please remember Spot Trackers require a subscription which puts the cost over time much much higher plus the Spot requires batteries so even more cost and risk involved.

ACR Electronics ACR ResQLink™ 406 MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon

by ACR Electronics 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews) | Like 1329589137 false 1 4 4 3 (4)

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List Price: $279.99 Price: $269.00

The guys in the biz down here think the Spot is a toy - and getting lost in Australia is constant problem as water in the interior is non-existent in many areas - I tend to agree.

At this point I will probably wait til I get home to buy the PLB ( prices in Aus are high for most things ) but I still might rent one here.
and these units also have the optional messaging available.

ACR ResQLink . 406 MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon with Optional 406Link.com Service At 4.6 oz, the ResQLink weighs less than a couple of PowerBars®. And topping at just 3.9 inches, it's smaller than the cell phone in your pocket. Small and mighty, the ResQLink is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for anglers, pilots and back country sportsmen. With three levels of integrated signal technology - GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability - the ResQLink quickly and accurately relays your position to a worldwide network of search and rescue satellites. A built-in strobe light provides visibility during night rescues. PLBs have been proven tried and true in some of the world's most remote locations and treacherous conditions. Just ask the 400 or so pilots, boaters and back country explorers who were saved by a PLB during a rigorous test program in Alaska. Based in large part on the test results, the federal government approved use of PLBs in the United States in 2003. Even in extreme conditions and situations, the ResQLink activates easily. Just deploy the antenna and press the ON button. With its powerful 66 channel GPS, the ResQLink guides rescuers to within 100 meters or less of your position. And, in the continental U.S., search and rescue personnel are typically alerted of your position in as little as five minutes with a GPS-enabled PLB such as the ResQLink . Two built-in tests allow you to routinely verify that the ResQLink is functioning and ready for use - with the push of a button, you can easily test internal electronics and GPS functionality. Features. Small Size Lightweight Super Bright LED Strobe On Board 66 Channel GPS Self-Test and GPS Test Features Typical Performance of 30 Hrs. Non-Hazmat Battery Wrist Lanyard Made in the U.S.A..

this sums it up for me

I think it's important to site the differences between this unit and a competitor "Spot" which lets you send nifty "I'm OK" messages. Spot is not a SAR 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon. It is a GPS communicator. The Spot Communicator has been fraught with problems where tracking and personal messages have not been successfully sent. Out of 91 users on REI's website 34 have complained that they have been unable to send messages. This works out to roughly 30% chance that your message didn't make it out. The statistics are even worse for the Spot Smartphone unit. Are these the kind of odds you want in a real emergency?

What I really want is a "Help, come get me" message that will work in the event that I am in an emergency. If I'm in trouble I want my message heard, and for that I'm going to rely on a SAR 406 Mhz beacon! This thing is lightweight and small, and it lets you test it once or twice a year to confirm that it's working. That's what the 12 messages are for, not for idle chit-chat with loved ones.

Yes, it's pricier than the competition at first glance, but there are no yearly subscription fees with this. You buy it once and it's good for years. With the spot you have to pay subscription fees at or over $100 a year. In the long run this ACR is much cheaper.

case closed in my case - gonna stick with the rescue system the pilots and pros rely on.

[Wheelieboy]

Out of 91 users on REI's website 34 have complained that they have been unable to send messages. This works out to roughly 30% chance that your message didn't make it out. The statistics are even worse for the Spot Smartphone unit. Are these the kind of odds you want in a real emergency?

Whoever wrote that isnt very good at statistics. Unless out of the complaints, the device fails to send messages 100% of the time, all it means is that 30% of users have experienced message failure at one point or another.

[MacDoc]

and that nitpick matters how? Sorry but too many negative reports and too costly given the subscription for something that MIGHT work and you can't tell if it doesn't.

They are very different systems. One is proven - the other iffy. And the proven one costs less over time ....what's to even think about.

[Wheelieboy]

and that nitpick matters how? Sorry but too many negative reports and too costly given the subscription for something that MIGHT work and you can't tell if it doesn't.

They are very different systems. One is proven - the other iffy. And the proven one costs less over time ....what's to even think about.

Just an FYI on a bad interpretation of statistics since it was quoted and bolded. There was no challenge to your opinion, no need to get so defensive.