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I am shopping EPIRBS and wanted some input. Is one brand better than another? I heard I must buy one with GPS? Is this true or can I get by without GPS in the unit? I dont have 1k to spend on one. Budget is around $400-$500. Thanks
We have two of the ACR Personal locator beacons with GPS--one for me and one for the wife. The PLB are smaller and can be carried on your person. After reading some of the sad stories of both boaters and hikers etc lost because of lack of communications we went this way. I have had full sized EPRIB's on my boats for over 30 years--and all of them have been ACR. I paid $500 each for the Aqua fix. Ours have both the optical interface and internal GPS. The disadvantage of the PLB is that they only transmit for 24 hours, and you have to hold the antennas up out of the water. A small price to pay for the safety. If we were crossing oceans, we would still have a large ACR on the boat and dinghy (two--as we did in the past). We also have floating, waterproof hand held VHF's--again for the same safety reason. If we happen to be in trouble, it helps to communicate with rescuers. Pretty cheap insurance..
Just make sure that when you buy this equipment, you then go to the next steps:
1. think through where you'll keep it on the boat so you have access to it quickly in case of sudden sinking.
2. how you'll keep it - on a sturdy tie to your body / clip on, or in ditch bag with other safety items - that you confirm will float.
Just make sure that when you buy this equipment, you then go to the next steps:
1. think through where you'll keep it on the boat so you have access to it quickly in case of sudden sinking.
2. how you'll keep it - on a sturdy tie to your body / clip on, or in ditch bag with other safety items - that you confirm will float.
I understand that EPIRBs and PLBs without built -in GPS receivers are frequently available with brackets or holsters that allow you to connect a boat GPS to them. They would be constantly receiving the vessel's position, and would broadcast the last position when received. If wiring it all up isn't too much of a hassle, you could save a few bucks, at the risk of a few more air-gaps in an essential item of safety equipment.
__________________ If it ain't broke, I haven't played with it.
sandyda - 2/10/2008 10:08 AM
I understand that EPIRBs and PLBs without built -in GPS receivers are frequently available with brackets or holsters that allow you to connect a boat GPS to them.
They would be constantly receiving the vessel's position, and would broadcast the last position when received.
In the case of ACR this statement is true of their EPIRB's w/o onboard GPS
Their PLB's do not download position data from an external GPS automatically or continuously. It must be done manually (connect a cable & press a button)
IMO save up and buy the unit with internal GPS. It's not just where you were when an emergency began, it's where you currently ARE floating in the water. That ol' Gulf Stream moves stuff quickly to the North.
I have both the ACR 406 PLB with GPS and the ACR Globalfix EPIRB with GPS. On the PLB, I find the activation buttons more complex than needed, it should have one button to activate, you have to hold two buttons at the same time. Also on the PLB, the writing on the buttons is very small, and being middle-aged and wearing contacts (and reading glasses too!), I doubt I could read the instructions while in the water in an emergency, especially at night. Also, I have yet to be able to get the optical GPS interface cable to work, see my thread on this subject. If you can afford it, I'd highly recommend the full size unit.
__________________ 30' Chris Craft Tournament Sportfish
I work for ACR electronics and can add some more information to answer your question.
GPS is an enhancement to the 406MHz Beacon System. Without GPS data, world wide on average it take one hour to hear the beacon, determine a position though Doppler shift, review the information contained in the registration data base, and determine who the closets available rescues asset is. This process is called notification. At this point a mission is launched and your distance from rescuers and weather conditions will determine how long the rescue will take.
(As Low Earth Polar Orbiting satellites move thru the sky, they will hear a beacon very quickly. As their position relative to the beacon changes they are able thru Doppler shift to determine the beacons location with search radii of about 2 nm.)
When GPS data is added to the Beacon signal, the Notification period is reduce by 45 minutes and the search radii is about 100 meters. That is the two advantages of GPS data added to a 406MHz beacon.
(There is a second group of Satellites that are Geo Stationary. They can not determine a position thru Doppler shift but they can forward GPS data to the rescue forces. Since they don't have to wait for the Doppler shift position there is a time savings.)
By regulation of the FCC and RTCM, a PLB must be able to transmit for 24 hours with the temperature down too -20C. At nominal temps, they should transmit for about 30 hours.
I'm in the marine business and just purchased a ACR Globalfix w/gps for $718. at Consumer's Marine. I got the model where it is going in my ditch bag. Then at the AC boat show I got a added bonus from ACR which was a fanny pack inflateable life jacket. Great deal on a great unit and piece of safety equip. Capt.Matt
All great info
I also did a search and read a ton-
Seems like ACR is the favorite brand
How bout a discussion of brands-both with gps ACR Vs McMurdo
which one is better?
thanks
Tim
Which EPIRB to buy??? 
