Personal GPS locator

[rockDAWG]

Ok, it is not an EPIRB, but I find it more useful to inform my boss where I am. It is easy for me to prove that I am actually sailing and not at the strip joint look at the PYT

Does anyone have one of these? Your experience?

ACR Products

[jackdale]

I have one (without the view). I use it in conjunction with 406link.com. It works wells. the results look like this - Recreational User Beacon Testing and Management Web Site

[Allanbc]

You realize you could always send it out sailing with a bud while you go to strip club, right.

[RhythmDoctor]

Originally Posted by Allanbc

You realize you could always send it out sailing with a bud while you go to strip club, right.

Isn't that why most people get them?

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by RhythmDoctor

Isn't that why most people get them?

It is a good thing that my wife is not into sailing and never visits Sailnet.

ACR has many models for the PLB, 2881, 2882, 2883 and 2884. Unfortunately, there is no model comparison chart view. Anyone have any info to which I shluld get?

[Ilenart]

I think they are excellent & plan to get one asap. Especially need to get the GPS version rather than the EPIRB only. Just reading about 5 guys that ended up in the water for four hours off the WA coast when their 14m power boat sunk. The EPIRB only version can take a couple of hours to narrow down the location, depending on the number of satelites in the area. The GPS version transmits your coordinates to within 5-10m as soon as a single satelite picks it up. Thoses guys would'nt of lasted much longer than four hours in the water.

Ilenart

[rockDAWG]

I agree. Most of EPIRB carried on the boats are severely outdated. ACR did a good job with their PLBs. I love their features of self test and I am OK message with GPS location.

[administrator]

We do the same with our teenage daughter via her Sprint cell phone and yes she knows we can track her location. Sprint Family Locator Plan.

[rockDAWG]

I just talked to the ACR technical support. This unit (2884) has some limitations that every one intend to buy one should know.

1. The battery is not rechargeable
2. The battery just have enough power to send message out for about 400 times. So if you need to send " Honey, I am OK, here is my GPS coordinates, do it sparingly.
3. With full power, the unit will only last for 30 hours. If you are out more than 30 hr before rescue, you are in trouble. I asked if it is advisable to turn off the unit to save battery after the emergency broadcast and turn back on every 6 or 12 hours. He said NO. I am not quite agree with him. But that was he answer.

I am not sure if there is a better PLB out here. I think I am going to pick up one before the off shore trip.

Comments are welcome

[hellosailor]

"1. The battery is not rechargeable"

So you might reconsider the Spot or Spot-II, both use inexpensive customer-replaceable batteries. With the release of Spot-II, there have been drastic price drops on the inventory of Spot units, too.