EPIRB - PLB Bulk Buy discussion

[tasadam]

Here's an interesting quote...
http://www.contactcom.net.au/online/ind ... 5&Itemid=1

Due to the 121.5MHz analogue EPIRB shutdown in February 2009, demand has far exceeded supply for the new 406MHz Digital EPIRBS and PLBs. Stocks regularly run out but as we are continually receiving backorders from GME we strongly suggest placing your order to ensure your place in the queue, current delays are around 2-4 weeks from placement of order. Only paid orders are placed in our queuing system.

And they sell the MT410G for $729 !!

This may mean we might all have to wait a while before we can get a buy kicked off. I will be talking to a few suppliers about price - GME will not deal with us directly.

On another front, looking at the KTI again, I asked for more info on why their unit is taking so long to be approved.
I said

I have been reading and hearing in a number of places that these units have been waiting for approval for quite some time, more than just a few months.
Just wondered whether you had an update - a proposed date? Or indeed what the delay is?
I am looking to do a bulk purchase of GPS 406 epirb's and am hoping yours is on the market - it is certainly in the short list.
If it is available.......

This explaniation answers that -

The KTI Mini-Sat and KTI Mini-Sat-G Personal Locator Beacons are currently in the COSPAS-SARSAT approval process and we hope to have stock available within three months. We had planned to release these products well before this time however the approval process has become very complicated with COSPAS-SARSAT changing the performance requirements twice since compliance testing began on our products. They require that products already in test meet these new specifications, which our products were not designed to and have not been tested to. Obviously many customers cannot wait this long but unfortunately we have not been offered a level playing field.

[corvus]

Adam I recon we may have to wait as the GME ones have gone up at least $100.00 my contact is waiting till everyone is back on deck from holidays.
c

[tasadam]

I now have a favourable price, and availability (or should I say "expected delay") on the GME MT410G. No pricing will be made public here, nor will the supplier.
It is a Tasmanian shop - a real business and not an internet supplier.
In due course I will PM the members that have responded to this topic with information.

Any expressions of interest can be added to this topic.
Any discussions on pricing, supplier, who is buying etc... will not be discussed in this topic, but will be communicated via PM.
Regards.

[Son of a Beach]

I now have a favourable price, and availability (or should I say "expected delay") on the GME MT410G. No pricing will be made public here, nor will the supplier.
It is a Tasmanian shop - a real business and not an internet supplier.
In due course I will PM the members that have responded to this topic with information.

Any expressions of interest can be added to this topic.
Any discussions on pricing, supplier, who is buying etc... will not be discussed in this topic, but will be communicated via PM.
Regards.

Looks like you've struck a great deal. Well done! (I'm not in the market for it right now, but your deal makes me wish I was).

[tasadam]

It would appear that there is enough discussion for a separate topic on Satellite phones, so feel free to start one. I do not have the time to split this topic now.

[Joe]

GME just put their cost price up $100 on the units and also advised today that there is an 8 week waiting period before they can supply.

[tasadam]

GME just put their cost price up $100 on the units and also advised today that there is an 8 week waiting period before they can supply.

I believe the $100 price rise was a little while ago - certainly the RRP from my supplier was $749 so it included this price rise.
I have no reason to believe the price quoted to those interested would change at all, I also do not doubt the delays just quoted. 6 weeks, 8 weeks, not a lot of difference, still pretty bad considering the old system gets effectively turned off in a couple of days.
I have been holding off a bit, waiting for any KTI news, but it doesn't look promising.
I am still waiting on specifics from my supplier, I suspect his spam filter is blocking me so will go visit once I am in Launceston again.

Having said all that, I wonder whether GME will lower their price by $100 once they have lost the monopoly.

DISCLAIMER - not a monopoly, but in my opinion might as well be based on info previously supplied.

[Son of a Beach]

It would appear that there is enough discussion for a separate topic on Satellite phones, so feel free to start one. I do not have the time to split this topic now.

Yeah, good point. I've split off all the posts that don't appear to be directly related to this particular bulk purchase proposal to a new topic here: Emergency Help Devices - EPIRB/PLB, Sat Phone, SPOT, etc.

Please post all discussion of such devices to the new topic, and use this topic only for discussion of the bulk buy proposal.

Note that it was a bit of a difficult split. If you think I've left any of the posts in the wrong topic, let me know by PM.

[wello]

Found the GME MT410G for $633 including postage at the following site.

http://www.aeroshop.com.au/BiziGen89fc. ... P&docID=23

Welllo

[wello]

Never mind. I ordered one and they came back a couple of hours later advising the price had gone up.

Classic illustration of supply and demand principals.

[tasadam]

I have today confirmed there is still an 8 week delay.
Prices of GME equipment has gone up - my contact is going to confirm the price. Certainly GME radio gear increased in price by 30% recently. But as there was a price rise recently anyhow, we might be lucky.
I have arranged how to make payments and it is going to be easier than I had thought.
I will supply further info in a PM to all interested people once my contact responds to me.
Regards.

[Penguin]

Thanks Adam

Look forward to PM

P

[loric]

G'day fellas,

I bought mine off these guys - they are a big mob in melbourne - top crew.

http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=144&item=74527&intAbsolutePage=1

I paid $589 a year ago, so the new price of $599 isn't too bad.

I like the unit, and the AMSA website is pretty good for updating info etc.

[tasadam]

Still waiting for my supplier to get back to me to confirm the quoted price.
However, as mentioned, for a little more, you can order directly from the site mentioned -
http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemd ... lutePage=1
$599.
They cannot do anything for a bulk order.

BUT

This site
http://www.wetweathergear.com.au/prod103.htm
has them listed at $569. I just got off the phone and they say that price is correct. Their frt charge per unit is $13.20
Or they could bulk post many of them for a total of $16.00 - http://www.wetweathergear.com.au/webcontent34.htm

The manager will ring me tomorrow to see what they can do for bulk.
They are in Geelong, whereas the supplier I am working with is in Launceston.
Does it really matter?

There is likely to be a couple of months wait no matter who we buy off, and we will need to pay our money then join the queue like everyone else for as long as it takes.
Same for whoever we use as a supplier, so it comes down to price, and whether we are willing to use an interstate supplier.
Stay tuned...

[loric]

maybe a thought when you guys place an order...

The retailer keeps a log of the purchaser and the respective HexID on the unit. They then fill out this form that they send that to AMSA.

When i log into my AMSA account - i can enter all my own emergency contact details etc.

[tasadam]

I have got tired of constantly chasing up with the supplier that I had in Launceston, so have given up.
Originally the price they gave me was $594, but for more than a month I have been trying to get them to confirm a price, and still I have no answer.
They have advised me that their failure was due to the unavailability or inability of their GME rep to get back to them.
They are aware of this thread so they can contact me should they choose. But for now I feel it a waste of time chasing them when they are available online -

The GME MT410G can be purchased by anyone interested from Wetweathergear for $569 plus freight.

My suggestion for all those interested would be to do their own thing, purchasing online from that link. Caveat Emptor (That is, I hold no responsibility).

I apologise for the extended delay and ultimate failure in the sourcing of information, I trust you find the $569 price favourable, I hope the delay in getting these units is not excessive (expected to be around 8 weeks but feel free to confirm with them), and I wish you all well should you proceed through that supplier.

Disclaimer - this information is supplied in good faith. Please do your own checking before purchasing if you have any concerns.
Any further updates will be added to this thread, I do not plan to send PM's to all unless I get some groundbraking news on an earth shattering price.

EDIT on 13th April 2009 they were $569. Today, 29th April 2009 they are $585.

[Taurë-rana]

Thank you very much for your efforts, Adam, it's a pity that it didn't work out. I sometimes get the impression from retailers that they aren't really all that interested in selling stuff!

[Joe]

GME have been the cause of this nightmare. I am still waiting on a large number of units I ordered 10 weeks ago from them. They have managed the changeover very poorly. Im sure they use the argument that we all had years notice that it was coming and shouldnt have left it to last minute...but thats human nature. Adams supplier in launy would have tried their best...I know first hand how frustrating dealing with GME over this is.

[walkinTas]

Im sure they use the argument that we all had years notice that it was coming and shouldnt have left it to last minute...

You can use the same argument to say they had a years warning and should have been better prepared - i.e. more stock.

[Ent]

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[tasadam]

I have some pretty heavy duty reading and research to do.

I have updated the first post in this topic with the outcome to make it easy.
Sing out if you have any questions.

[PeterJ]

Thanks for all you effort of this Adam.

I put in an order after your previous message and I got the $569 price. They are waiting on the supplier so I haven't yet had delivery. I notice some other sellers have a much higher price so your research has saved me money.

Once again thanks.

[tasadam]

I notice some other sellers have a much higher price so your research has saved me money.

That was my intention all along so I am happy to have helped.
Do let us know when it arrives, and what your experiences are on the registration process.
Cheers!

[Tony]

This just came up on the BPL forum it is a GPS equipped PLB that only weighs 150g, that is half the weight of the GME PLB.

http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/products/produ ... roduct=101

Tony

[tasadam]

This just came up on the BPL forum it is a GPS equipped PLB that only weighs 150g, that is half the weight of the GME PLB.

http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/products/produ ... roduct=101

Tony

I sent them an email and got a response.
They sent me a couple of flyers - they can be downloaded here - Page 1 and Page 2
(warning - Page1 = 1.96Mb and Page2 is 1.13 Mb)

Here's what they said -

As a follow up to your email enquiry with McMurdo for GPS version of PLB’s. Please find attached copy of brochure for new model PLB due shortly into country. At present we have no exact costing. As you can see from brochure this unit is much more compact, lighter and smaller , ideal for your intended use.

These will be available in Tasmania from Tas Lifting Lampton ave Derwent Park ph 62728000 once stock arrives. May i suggest you keep in contact with them as this would be the quickest and easiest way of seeing this unit once it arrives. The attached information would also be handy for your use to attach to your forum for bush walking requirements.

[Ent]

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[tasadam]

Also 24 hours sounds a long time but snowed in with bad weather (remember this thing is for a bad event) grounding aircraft does not sound quite long enough assuming that search and rescue need an active beacon to find you rather than a historical GPS reference.

Cheers Brett

The 24 hour minimum is a number built by design, the Cospas-Sarsat website have a link to a document detailing the regulations for the design of EPIRBS and PLB's.
I am sure this number is because of the design regulations, but the document isn't loading now so I cannot read it
I refreshed, it loaded, it's 220 pages and I can't be bothered searching thru it
I got cirious so I searched and found they are talking about EPIRBS, seems they have different standards to PLB's -

2.4 The battery should have sufficient capacity to operate the satellite EPIRB for a period of at least 48 h.

So there's probably a document somewhere for PLB's as well.

In this post I listed a graphic containing the specs on 3 other units, you'll see all they say for battery life is "in excess of 24 hours".
The list pf approved PLB's and EPIRBS shows a page for each unit (example) that shows whether it was tested for 24 or 48 hours.

Yes, some companies charge an extortion rate for changing the battery. Something to consider when choosing a model.
But the headaches of meeting the regulations having purchased one of these, I think I'd just send it in and pay.
And complain about the cost.

[Ent]

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[Ent]

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[David Mitchell]

GME MT410G are now $547inc GST and in stock at the supplier mentioned by Adam.