SPOT Messenger vs. ACR PLB

Pros and cons for each...like the features and price of the SPOT..but like the higher power and reputation of ACR.

Thoughts and experiences??

Regards,

Clay
Kimberton,Pa.

Have used SPOT for the tracking feature.

Works extremely well. However, I did not renew due to the cost of the subscription. If it were 1/2 what they want, I would take it in an instance. Thought they may offer a reduced price to come back like XM radio, but they didn't.

SIBUD said:

Have used SPOT for the tracking feature.

Works extremely well. However, I did not renew due to the cost of the subscription. If it were 1/2 what they want, I would take it in an instance. Thought they may offer a reduced price to come back like XM radio, but they didn't.

Click to expand...

Used ones are CHEAP

Clay said:

Pros and cons for each...like the features and price of the SPOT..but like the higher power and reputation of ACR.

Click to expand...

ACR - PLB.

Pro's - You push the buttons, the cavalry will come riding over the hill. You get the same response as an Airline crash (it's the same signal). Better coverage North of the Arctic Circle than the SPOT. Uses government managed satellites. Dispatching done by the federal govt.

Con's - You have to be in good enough condition to simultaneously push two buttons to activate the device. There is only one level of alert - DEFCON 5, TOTAL EMERGENCY. No intermediate help or I'm OK signal if you're out of cell phone range.


SPOT
Pro's - An "I'm OK" button to let your family know you're OK when cell phones aren't working. A "trouble" button if you have a non-emergency breakdown. "911" button for emergencies. You get tracking with an I'm OK check in. If something happens where you're incapacitated and you don't check in, your family can use your track to get a search going that can at least get close. IIRC, there was a fellow from Denver last year that went off the road with his Wing in Idaho. The search party had a couple hundred mile search area (based on time and last known location). They never found him. It was some hunters that stumbled on him a few weeks later under some brush. With a SPOT in tracking mode, they could have gotten close right away.

Con's - Not as good of coverage as a PLB. The original model isn't as accurate as a PLB (not sure about the new SPOT). The PLB can get you within a few yards. The old SPOT within a couple football fields. The SPOT satellite network is privately owned. Dispatchers try to figure out what the best resource to send for emergencies (possible human error).


My thoughts
SPOT's fine in CONUS. If I was going to Prudhoe Bay, I'd take both. SPOT so your family/friends can track your progress and I'd rent a PLB in case I needed the big time rescue.

No Longer True

According to the ACR website, that i just went to, you can now send an "I'm OK" alert.

But i haven't used either of these, so.....

SPOT vs. PLB

Probably answered my own question after further research...

http://www.acrelectronics.com/faqs/spotvs.aspx

Regards,

Clay
Kimberton,Pa.

Clay said:

Pros and cons for each...like the features and price of the SPOT..but like the higher power and reputation of ACR.

Thoughts and experiences??

Regards,
Clay
Kimberton,Pa.

Click to expand...

I will be taking a PLB on my remote tours as well as a sat phone.

I did a lot of reading into PLBs some time ago and even talked to some of the people at SAR that monitor and deploy search aircraft, etc.

The service that a PLB transmits to is government run world-wide. They are not going to go out of business. A SPOT, well it uses a sideband of the Global Star sat phone...not all that reliable (I'll be getting an Iridium sat phone for a good reason).

There must be a reason why aircraft and ships use PLB/EPIRB transmitters.