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Some folks feel that a PLB is a better solution.
Tons of info on PLB's here The Ultimate Personal Locator Beacon FAQ most notably is: http://www.equipped.com/faq_plb/default.asp
Q: Who will respond when I turn on my PLB?
A: That will depend upon your location.
Typically, the Coast Guard responds to marine distress, but they may also utilize appropriate local or state assets if available and closer.
Inland distress is generally the responsibility of local law enforcement, typically a county sheriff in much of the U.S. often with the assistance of local volunteer search and rescue teams. These may call upon federal or state assets if available.
The Civil Air Patrol generally responds to an aviation distress signal in most states in the U.S., and historically this has been primarily because generally extensive air search is necessary to locate the inaccurate 121.5 MHz beacon. In most cases of a 406 MHz PLB alert they will not be activated unless indications are that it comes from a downed aircraft and that local SAR resources cannot locate and take care of it in short order. That downed aircraft indication will come from providing that data in the Additional Data section, or from the Emergency Contacts listed on the registration form.
In most cases these days where the PLB alert is a remote location, the first assets to arrive will be airborne, typically a helicopter from the closest SAR resource, regardless of who operates it.
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So regardless of whether itÔÇÖs a SPOT or a PLB, if you have to use it, you're still at the mercy of the same authorities/responders. In my situation a PLB would not have been any better, perhaps worse because would they have realized the locals were incompetent and raise it to state police?
So, as stated before - there is no magic button.
I am however thinking about satellite phone. They rent for about $60 a week. In hindsight, that would have been very helpful (I think ÔÇô I have no first hand knowledge of satellite phone)
Tons of info on PLB's here The Ultimate Personal Locator Beacon FAQ most notably is: http://www.equipped.com/faq_plb/default.asp
Q: Who will respond when I turn on my PLB?
A: That will depend upon your location.
Typically, the Coast Guard responds to marine distress, but they may also utilize appropriate local or state assets if available and closer.
Inland distress is generally the responsibility of local law enforcement, typically a county sheriff in much of the U.S. often with the assistance of local volunteer search and rescue teams. These may call upon federal or state assets if available.
The Civil Air Patrol generally responds to an aviation distress signal in most states in the U.S., and historically this has been primarily because generally extensive air search is necessary to locate the inaccurate 121.5 MHz beacon. In most cases of a 406 MHz PLB alert they will not be activated unless indications are that it comes from a downed aircraft and that local SAR resources cannot locate and take care of it in short order. That downed aircraft indication will come from providing that data in the Additional Data section, or from the Emergency Contacts listed on the registration form.
In most cases these days where the PLB alert is a remote location, the first assets to arrive will be airborne, typically a helicopter from the closest SAR resource, regardless of who operates it.
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So regardless of whether itÔÇÖs a SPOT or a PLB, if you have to use it, you're still at the mercy of the same authorities/responders. In my situation a PLB would not have been any better, perhaps worse because would they have realized the locals were incompetent and raise it to state police?
So, as stated before - there is no magic button.
I am however thinking about satellite phone. They rent for about $60 a week. In hindsight, that would have been very helpful (I think ÔÇô I have no first hand knowledge of satellite phone)