Emergency Personal Locator Beacon for Scuba

Kevrumbo · July 13th, 2006, 09:27 AM

After going through my own Drifting Deco saga in the South China Sea, I finally made up my mind to purchase one of these:
http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/?Menu=17&Page=/Contents/ListProducts.asp&ID=1094
Canister with PLB stowed inside, slides right onto your waistbelt; size is a little smaller and somewhat similar to an old Halcyon Proteus 3 Can. . .

http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/
http://searchandrescue.gsfc.nasa.gov/sedl/sarlab.htm
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/sar.htm

caverkevin · July 13th, 2006, 09:40 AM

This is something I have been thinking about doing for some time. With all the survey work and wreck diving that I was doing 30+ miles from shore in the Great Lakes. It just made sense.

My buddy has the McMurdo unit and the dive can built from aluminum. Very sweet set-up. The can has a built-in 2 inch webbing slot. This guy just wears it on his hip in front of his pro-14. I just made sure to say near my buddy

What I was waiting for was the release of the ACR terrafix. The size of the unit is small enough I figured I could replace one of the batteries in my pro-14 with the PLB. Then just run the light with one 7A/hr lead battery. Also could make up a custom NiMH pack if I wanted more power. But I kinda partial to lead batts in the sea

Cheers!!

Kevin

Vie · July 13th, 2006, 09:44 AM

Kevrumbo, what other device(s) did you look at? What were your reasons for choosing the Fastfind PLB?

graham_hk · July 13th, 2006, 10:10 AM

I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search.

IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had)

Best, Graham

caverkevin · July 13th, 2006, 10:33 AM

I think with 406MHz PLB there is always someone in the air looking. The satellite coverage was a bit lacking a few years ago. My understand there is now global coverage between 75' South to 75' North. I think that covers most of the diving hot-spots around the world.

As for the units, the non-GPS integrated unit leave a large search area. Like a couple square nautical miles. You position is fix with triangulation from the sats. Where as the GPS transmit you location. The only bad thing, because of data concerns, the last couple seconds are left off the position. So SAR know where you are with in 2/3's of a square nautical mile.

I concur with what you are saying if we were talking about 121.5 system.

The huge factor with a PLB is it must be registered with the government. If you done submit the paper work, they don't know who the signal belongs to when they receive it. That delays the response time.

Cheers!!

Kevin

Quote: (Originally Posted by graham_hk)

I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search.

IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had)

Best, Graham

Kevrumbo · July 13th, 2006, 10:51 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by graham_hk)

I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search.

IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had)

Best, Graham

I believe Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in the vicinity of SCS participates in the operation of the COSPAS-SARSAT System:
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/Managem...gCountries.htm
I'm sure Singapore has reciprocity as well. And I did have excellent surface support as well as a clear sunny day, unlimited visibility, and other than a ripping current at depth, a very benign sea state and minimal surface swells --Thank Goodness-- when I along with my Buddy surfaced nearly a Quarter-of-a-Mile away from the Mother Ship. I will not count on, nor will I assume to have such favorable conditions should this ever happen again. . .

graham_hk · July 13th, 2006, 12:25 PM

Seems there have been some advances since I last looked a few years ago and might be worth looking.

But... Malaysia and Philippines are not covered by COSPAS-SARSAT so that rules out all of my South China Sea diving (and, although I am biased, most of the good diving).

***ericfine50*** · July 13th, 2006, 03:10 PM

The idea of the beacon inside the pro-14 is great one. The size of that can really lends itself to doing it. A buddy of mine did that for the Doria dive he did a few years back.

Janos · July 13th, 2006, 09:20 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by ericfine50)

The idea of the beacon inside the pro-14 is great one. The size of that can really lends itself to doing it. A buddy of mine did that for the Doria dive he did a few years back.

You can also get oil filled ones that are rated to 100m and don't need a housing. They're also much smaller than a Pro14 cannister.

Janos

Rick · July 13th, 2006, 09:25 PM

What's wrong with 3 smb's and a decent skipper?

July 13th, 2006, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Kevrumbo(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: El Segundo CA, South Santa Monica Bay, USA Posts: 133	Emergency Personal Locator Beacon for Scuba After going through my own Drifting Deco saga in the South China Sea, I finally made up my mind to purchase one of these: http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/?Menu=17&Page=/Contents/ListProducts.asp&ID=1094 Canister with PLB stowed inside, slides right onto your waistbelt; size is a little smaller and somewhat similar to an old Halcyon Proteus 3 Can. . . http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/ http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/ http://searchandrescue.gsfc.nasa.gov/sedl/sarlab.htm http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/sar.htm __________________ "Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published [or posted] around the world --even if what is published is not true. . ."

July 13th, 2006, 09:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
Vie(Offline) Loner at the ball... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Krung Thep, Siam, mostly Posts: 191	Kevrumbo, what other device(s) did you look at? What were your reasons for choosing the Fastfind PLB? Last edited by Vie; July 13th, 2006 at 09:47 AM.

July 13th, 2006, 10:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kevrumbo(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: El Segundo CA, South Santa Monica Bay, USA Posts: 133	Quote: (Originally Posted by graham_hk) I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search. IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had) Best, Graham I believe Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in the vicinity of SCS participates in the operation of the COSPAS-SARSAT System: http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/Managem...gCountries.htm I'm sure Singapore has reciprocity as well. And I did have excellent surface support as well as a clear sunny day, unlimited visibility, and other than a ripping current at depth, a very benign sea state and minimal surface swells --Thank Goodness-- when I along with my Buddy surfaced nearly a Quarter-of-a-Mile away from the Mother Ship. I will not count on, nor will I assume to have such favorable conditions should this ever happen again. . . __________________ "Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published [or posted] around the world --even if what is published is not true. . ."

July 13th, 2006, 09:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
Janos(Offline) "Two Sheds" Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 400	Quote: (Originally Posted by ericfine50) The idea of the beacon inside the pro-14 is great one. The size of that can really lends itself to doing it. A buddy of mine did that for the Doria dive he did a few years back. You can also get oil filled ones that are rated to 100m and don't need a housing. They're also much smaller than a Pro14 cannister. Janos __________________ You can lead a horse to water but you can't climb a ladder with a large bell in both hands - Vic Reeves www.hellfins.com/shed

July 13th, 2006, 09:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rick(Offline) Jock Exley Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Falkirk/Stratford UK Posts: 730	What's wrong with 3 smb's and a decent skipper? __________________ Forget Everything And Remember http://phreaticzone.thedeepstop.com/ http://www.dublinbaydiving.com/

July 13th, 2006, 09:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
caverkevin(Offline) Doing It Caverkevin Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Kackilackie Posts: 363	This is something I have been thinking about doing for some time. With all the survey work and wreck diving that I was doing 30+ miles from shore in the Great Lakes. It just made sense. My buddy has the McMurdo unit and the dive can built from aluminum. Very sweet set-up. The can has a built-in 2 inch webbing slot. This guy just wears it on his hip in front of his pro-14. I just made sure to say near my buddy What I was waiting for was the release of the ACR terrafix. The size of the unit is small enough I figured I could replace one of the batteries in my pro-14 with the PLB. Then just run the light with one 7A/hr lead battery. Also could make up a custom NiMH pack if I wanted more power. But I kinda partial to lead batts in the sea Cheers!! Kevin

July 13th, 2006, 10:10 AM	#4 (permalink)
graham_hk(Offline) GUE instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: here, there and everywhere Posts: 780	I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search. IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had) Best, Graham

July 13th, 2006, 10:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
caverkevin(Offline) Doing It Caverkevin Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Kackilackie Posts: 363	I think with 406MHz PLB there is always someone in the air looking. The satellite coverage was a bit lacking a few years ago. My understand there is now global coverage between 75' South to 75' North. I think that covers most of the diving hot-spots around the world. As for the units, the non-GPS integrated unit leave a large search area. Like a couple square nautical miles. You position is fix with triangulation from the sats. Where as the GPS transmit you location. The only bad thing, because of data concerns, the last couple seconds are left off the position. So SAR know where you are with in 2/3's of a square nautical mile. I concur with what you are saying if we were talking about 121.5 system. The huge factor with a PLB is it must be registered with the government. If you done submit the paper work, they don't know who the signal belongs to when they receive it. That delays the response time. Cheers!! Kevin Quote: (Originally Posted by graham_hk) I don't think they would be much good in the south china sea. We looked at them for remote sites and found out that the further away from civilization and the more the percieved need for such a device is the less useful they become. Somebody has to be in the air looking for the signal - which means the boat needs to know you've got one and what frequency it uses and that air cover will be available for the search. IMHO much better to invest in decent surface support (which knowing who you did your SCS trip with I believe you would've had) Best, Graham

July 13th, 2006, 12:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
graham_hk(Offline) GUE instructor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: here, there and everywhere Posts: 780	Seems there have been some advances since I last looked a few years ago and might be worth looking. But... Malaysia and Philippines are not covered by COSPAS-SARSAT so that rules out all of my South China Sea diving (and, although I am biased, most of the good diving).

July 13th, 2006, 03:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
*ericfine50*(Offline) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: MA Posts: 622	The idea of the beacon inside the pro-14 is great one. The size of that can really lends itself to doing it. A buddy of mine did that for the Doria dive he did a few years back.