In Distress...Or?.... EPIRB use & discussion

[Joe Pyrat]

That confused me for a while, but the difference seems to be the SPOT uplinks to the satellite then the satellite downlinks to the ground station which sends to the interested party over the Internet (that's a guess regarding the Internet, but probable).  A phone communication goes something like this; the phone uplinks to the satellite, which  downlinks, to the ground station, which after doing its thing over POTS,  uplinks back to the satellite, then the satellite downlinks to the phone.   So SPOT (and all the other transponder type devices using L-band) send a one way communication to their control center.  The S-band phone traffic has to travel both directions.  I guess in a nutshell the satellite never communicates with the transponder, but it must with a phone.

I'll check out the SSCA thread, thanks.

[chris2998]

I am taking the USSP boating course and I just coverd a chapter that says you can rent the epirb from like west marine but WHY would you want to?
if you are going to carry this thing to possibly save you're life in a life threatening
scenario I'd want a Brand new one off the shelf that someone has not rented before me. I have seen there like 5-800 dollars but thats cheap if you really have to use it.

[Godot]

$500-800 might be fine for a long term cruiser.  For some of us folks who just need it for a month and that is it, well, that becomes mighty expensive.

[Joe Pyrat]

The advantage of renting vs buying might be that you get a "fairly" new unit each time you rent, where if you buy it may be quite old by the time or if you ever need to actually deploy it.  If I just did the occasional run to the Bahamas for a short period, say a few weeks, renting would probably be the way to go, however if you are planning on staying out longer owning would make more sense economically.

[chris2998]

yeah I guess so but still wouldn't hurt to own it.

[s/v Faith]

I know this is not new news, but I just got this email from Good Old Boat magazine and thought I would post it as a reminder.

Dear Good Old Boater,

We came across this piece of information, courtesy of BoatU.S. The
United States Coast Guard will stop monitoring the old EPIRB frequency
(121 Mhz) beginning on February 1, 2009. COSPAS/SARSAT, the
international satellite-based search and rescue organization, made this
decision nearly 9 years ago, giving mariners time to transition to the
new 406 Mhz technology.

So while the landlubbers make their TVs transition to digital, sailors,
especially those of us who frequently sail more than 20 miles away from
the shoreline, need to make sure we're using the new 406 MHz
technology. The BoatU.S. Foundation rents the new 406 Mhz EPIRB for $40
a week and reports that the retail price for the new equipment and
installation runs about $500.

Hopefully none of us will have to, but we should all be aware of how to
signal the Coast Guard for help when out of cell phone range and VHF
coverage. For more information, see Don Launer's Signaling for Help 101
in our January 2009 issue, visit www.BoatUS.com/foundation/epirb, or
call the EPIRB (888-663-7472).

Safe Sailing!

Karen, Jerry, and the Good Old Boat Crew.

[/size]

[Auspicious]

Another interesting and relevant discussion at SSCA here.

[nowell]

Life would be a lot simpler if I didn't have folks at home who cared about me.  A lot lonelier, too.

Guess it all depends on your definition of loneliness. Personally I look forward to my sail time to get away from everything (and everyone), but, as we all do, I have my own demons to deal with in the way that best suits me.


As for the whole question of safety, I personally find the idea of a smaller inflatable filled with foam interesting. As for the scoot, I will just use VHF and my tender (aside from the typical vests, flairs, etc etc). Of course, I also have the Corps to thank for the Combat Water Survival Instructor (8563) class, which im sure will help in a "worst case".

Of course I have no one to miss me when im gone, except the debt collectors  ;D