PLB/GPS

[GPSGuided]

InReach is not a PLB, is it? It doesn't have a radio beacon, right?

[Strider]

Should you activate the PLB button you have the advantage of texting the emergency services.

This part is very interesting. What number do you use to contact emergency services via SMS?

[photohiker]

Should you activate the PLB button you have the advantage of texting the emergency services.

This part is very interesting. What number do you use to contact emergency services via SMS?

Haven't tried, but as I understand, once you activate the SOS button, you may get comms from the emergency response centre.

The team at the IERCC is staffed and ready 24/7, 365 days per year, with SAR Mission Coordinators and Duty Officers. As soon as they receive your message, they’ll track your device and notify the appropriate Australian search and rescue authorities or the appropriate local authorities if you are somewhere else in the world — they’ll also stay connected to provide updates on your location or to communicate with you. As soon as you activate your inReach™, you have full, free access to the IERCC through GEOS SOS monitoring and emergency dispatch.

http://www.alwaysinreach.com.au/11-serv ... y-response

Messages would come via the InReach's Irridium satellite comms, not via SMS (which is not an InReach comms system, and would likely be unavailable anyway).

[ribuck]

InReach is not a PLB, is it? It doesn't have a radio beacon, right?

The InReach doesn't have a beacon. It sends your GPS co-ordinates with the distress signal, via satellite.

If for any reason you need help and the unit can't get a good GPS signal, you can describe your location to the rescue services by text message.

[Watertank]

InReach is not a PLB, is it? It doesn't have a radio beacon, right?

The InReach doesn't have a beacon. It sends your GPS co-ordinates with the distress signal, via satellite.

If for any reason you need help and the unit can't get a good GPS signal, you can describe your location to the rescue services by text message.

I have an InReach. It uses satellites for all its messages, not the mobile phone system. So if the unit cannot connect to satellites then you won't be able to send a text message. That said if it cannot connect to satellites then I presume neither it nor a dedicated PLB will work.

[MrWalker]

InReach is not a PLB, is it? It doesn't have a radio beacon, right?

The InReach doesn't have a beacon. It sends your GPS co-ordinates with the distress signal, via satellite.

If for any reason you need help and the unit can't get a good GPS signal, you can describe your location to the rescue services by text message.

I have an InReach. It uses satellites for all its messages, not the mobile phone system. So if the unit cannot connect to satellites then you won't be able to send a text message. That said if it cannot connect to satellites then I presume neither it nor a dedicated PLB will work.

A dedicated PLB sends a stronger signal to a different set of satellites and is more likely to get through in gullies or under trees where the InReach might not work. However, I have noticed that my InReach seems to send its 10 minute track position updates in places where my SPOT did not get through, so its quite good at getting signals out.

[photohiker]

I have had similar experience with the InReach. Very reliable. It uses the Iridium satellite network which is in low earth orbit (780km)

The PLB has around 5w power output vs the Inreach 1.6w. I think the higher power is because the greater distance to the GEOSAR satellites:

LEOSAR: ~800km
GEOSAR: ~35,000km
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internati ... _Programme

[ribuck]

Also, with the InReach you know when the satellite has received the distress signal. If you are in a precarious position with doubtful satellite view, you might like to know whether help is on its way or whether you need to risk trying to make your own way out.