Page 1 of 2
Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:11 pmby Dutchy
Hi guys,
I'm in the market for a PLB (EPIRB is for off shore marine)....
Options are McMurdo fastfind 220, GME 410G with GPS or ACR ResQ link with GPS....
http://www.chsmith.com.au/Boating/Safety-Equipment/EPIRBs-and-PLBs.htmlGME has best battery life and floats without a bag.... McMurdo and ACR are smaller and lighter... Still thinking GME (cheaper too)....
What do you think?
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:14 pmby Strider
GME410g is around twice the size of the others and heavy too. I went with an ACR ResQlink+ (buoyant)
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:23 pmby GPSGuided
Why not that Ocean Signal PLB1 rescueME? There's at least one thread on this on this forum and there are good prices around.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:26 pmby Dutchy
GME is $289, Mc Murdo about $320, ACR $345.... Last two only float with bag (weight + size?)
Do i count my dollars (longer life, cheaper) or weight and size? (I'm no gram counter, trust me!)
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:26 pmby Strider
ResQlink+ is also inherently buoyant.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:42 pmby icefest
GPSGuided wrote:Why not that Ocean Signal PLB1 rescueME? There's at least one thread on this on this forum and there are good prices around.
This.
You are carrying it the entire way. On every walk. Every
ounce gram grain molecule atom hadron quark.. err, Pick the one with pretty colours (or just the one you like best).
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 9:45 pmby Dutchy
icefest wrote: Pick the one with pretty colours (or just the one you like best).
They're all yellow!
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 10:06 pmby Scottyk
GPSGuided wrote:Why not that Ocean Signal PLB1 rescueME? There's at least one thread on this on this forum and there are good prices around.
yep this is the smallest, lightest and must be the best option for what we do I think
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Mon 10 Mar, 2014 10:28 pmby Chris
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 4:58 amby Dutchy
Thanks....$100 more, fir limited benefit over the gme...about 90 grams and and bit of space....
Will have a think about it today....
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 5:14 amby Lizzy
I have the GME with GPS- still have 3 years to go on its 7 year life. Have not needed to use it (& hopefully won't) but I consider it great insurance especially when you divide the cost over 7 years. It may not be the smallest or lightest but it's still very packable. We talk it bushwalking and paddling. So if the cheaper price helps - great!whichever you get it's a good thing to have- don't forget to register with AMSA
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 5:16 amby wayno
this topic has been discussed at length before
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 6:49 amby Ellobuddha
I went with the Ocean signal rescue me.
I like the really compact size. It sits neatly on my pack shoulder strap and doesn't get in the way at all. I walk alone most of the time so its right there if I need to use it quickly.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 9:05 amby north-north-west
Lizzy wrote:I have the GME with GPS- still have 3 years to go on its 7 year life. Have not needed to use it (& hopefully won't) but I consider it great insurance especially when you divide the cost over 7 years. It may not be the smallest or lightest but it's still very packable. We talk it bushwalking and paddling. So if the cheaper price helps - great!whichever you get it's a good thing to have- don't forget to register with AMSA
Ditto & I'm very happy with mine (about a year younger). Neither weight nor size are an issue (although remembering to test it regularly is). It does add a little to one's peace of mind just knowing that the option is there - especially for someone like me who can't just phone for help.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 3:15 pmby neilmny
I have the GME and I hardly notice it in my pack. It tucks into the top out of the way
and east to get to. I also carry it on bicycle trips and really even when driving out in the sticks
where the mobile coverage is poor or non existant. For a bloke who has survived a major heart
attack it is about the best insurance I can carry. Just do eeet man!
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 5:56 pmby Dutchy
wayno wrote:this topic has been discussed at length before
I love useful post, they bring a smile to my face! Times, prices, sizes, weights, warranties and other things change.... and many posts here end up as babble (no offence)... thought I'd keep it simple, if this is the way you ad to a tread, go for a walk, you obviously have too much time on your hands....
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 5:59 pmby Strider
Dutchy wrote:wayno wrote:this topic has been discussed at length before
I love useful post, they bring a smile to my face! Times, prices, sizes, weights, warranties and other things change.... and many posts here end up as babble (no offence)... thought I'd keep it simple, if this is the way you ad to a tread, go for a walk, you obviously have too much time on your hands....
And if you can disagree with Wayno's post (the most useful in this topic BTW), he is clearly not the only one with too much time on his hands..
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 6:12 pmby Dutchy
another one that posts to get his posts up rather than contribute.... Thanks to those who added something useful! Will get the GME, extra cash can be spend on something else!
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 6:12 pmby Scottyk
I am not sure why you would buy anything but the Resueme plb1.
The cheapest I can find the GME is $289 on ebay, it has a 7 year battery life and weighs 250 grams
The rescueme is $345 at arnolds boat shop, it has a 7 year battery life and weighs 115 grams
So for a $8 a year saving you get to cart an extra 135 grams around for seven years.
No I don't call myself a ultralighter by any means but this one seems to add up.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 6:47 pmby Strider
I didn't go for the PLB1 as I wanted something inherently buoyant and with decent attachment points.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 6:57 pmby stepbystep
Post intended to be helpful to boaties has been removed to keep petty minded members calm. Sheesh!
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 7:02 pmby Scottyk
Strider wrote:I didn't go for the PLB1 as I wanted something inherently buoyant and with decent attachment points.
Yeah fair enough, the PLB1 does comes with a wetsuit type material pouch that makes it buoyant if you want to be
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 8:36 pmby Supertramp
Check these guys out, got mine from them & easy transaction:
http://www.epirbhire.com.au/I got the Kannad SafeLink SOLO PLB & it's small & pretty lightweight as well.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 9:51 pmby Strider
Something else to be aware of is how long the strobe light is able to be used. Some models only run the strobe for a certain number of flashes after activation (e.g. Fastfind 220), whereas others (e.g. ResQlink) will run the strobe until the battery runs dead. Keep in mind all PLB's are mandated to a 24h+ battery life. Not sure where the PLB1 stands in this regard.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 9:55 pmby icefest
Strider wrote: Keep in mind all PLB's are mandated to a 24h+ battery life. Not sure where the PLB1 stands in this regard.
48hr AFAIRThis is wrong, see my new post.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 9:58 pmby Strider
icefest wrote:Strider wrote: Keep in mind all PLB's are mandated to a 24h+ battery life. Not sure where the PLB1 stands in this regard.
48hr AFAIR
48hrs for EPIRBs. 24hr for PLBs.
http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/distress-bea ... #whattypes
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 10:08 pmby icefest
I double checked, the PLB1 is indeed only certified for >24h@20 deg c.
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Tue 11 Mar, 2014 10:16 pmby Strider
icefest wrote:I double checked, the PLB1 is indeed only certified for >24h@20 deg c.
Whereas the ResQlink is >24h @ -20C (-4F). Not an issue in this part of the world obviously
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Wed 12 Mar, 2014 2:05 amby wayno
Dutchy wrote:another one that posts to get his posts up rather than contribute.... Thanks to those who added something useful! Will get the GME, extra cash can be spend on something else!
the search function on the forum can be extremely useful rather than re aksing what people have already spent a lot of time answering in the past, i dont have the time to keep repeating the same information over and over
Re: Which PLB / EPIRB
Posted:
Wed 12 Mar, 2014 7:21 amby wildwalks
(moved thread to techno babble)