PLB's

R

rommer

Active member
Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2003
RO Number
12280
Messages
6,037
I don't do a lot off off shore runs but every once in a while I find myself in "less than perfect" conditions.

Got a great deal on a PLB fastfind 210 with GPS for just under $200 on decided to take the plunge.

Seems like a decent unit which certainly doesn't claim to replace an EPRIB it sure looks to be able to perform the same functions without auto deploy. (Waterproof but not float-able but came with a free flotation bag)

Opinions?
 
Personal Locating Beacon...
...or PEPIRB, Personal Electronic Position Indicating Beacon

Not floatable, less battery life than a full EPIRB and not automatically activated. Older ones were 406mhz "beacons" only. The new ones send a GPS position as well. The 210 is 406 + GPS + 121.5 + visual strobe. USCG uses McMurdo stuff, probably indicates it's rugged.

Tethered to a Life Jacket you WEAR, Good choice!
 
I went to the ACR/Cobham site and searched for an answer to the question, "What is the difference between a PLB and a manually deployed EPIRB?", but could not find an answer. Since I am not actually in the market for either, I did not e-mail them, but you could. I would very much like to hear the answer.

( Note that the above question is for current production/approval 406 Mhz units of each type, not outdated units ).

--edit--

j-d posted while I was still typing. Still, my response has some small value...

--edit 2 --

Well, I went to McMurdo, and still did not directly get the answer, however, here are links to to representative models, and their "summary specs"

Smartfind/E5 406 MHz EPIRB

(PLB) Fast Find 210 / 211

This substantially supports j-d's post...
 
One difference I know of is that en EPIRB is registered to a specific vessel. A PLB is registered to a specific person.

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

One difference I know of is that en EPIRB is registered to a specific vessel. A PLB is registered to a specific person.

Bob

Click to expand...

Don't think that's true. My PEPIRB is registered on the same form as an EPRIRB and contains all my vessel info.

Ken
 
quote:
Originally posted by Philyteach

quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

One difference I know of is that en EPIRB is registered to a specific vessel. A PLB is registered to a specific person.
Bob

Click to expand...

Don't think that's true. My PEPIRB is registered on the same form as an EPRIRB and contains all my vessel info.
Ken

Click to expand...
+1
My registration has all vessel data
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

One difference I know of is that en EPIRB is registered to a specific vessel. A PLB is registered to a specific person.

Bob

Click to expand...


You -can- register a PLB with the standard EPIRB registration form online. Although there may still be a PLB option, the system won't prevent you from using the more detailed EPIRB form.
 
The key to a PLB is to have it on you and know how to deploy it. Falls into the "way better than nothing" category particularly if you go some distances solo. I prefer an EPIRB myself as it self floats (keeping its antenna out of the water, which you have to do yourself with a PLB), has twice the battery life, a strobe, activates through a manual switch or when wetted (must be released from its bracket). Of course a PLB is more portable, and can be registered to your person, so you can use it for hiking, cross country skiing and other wilderness activities.
 
Strobes are a fantastic piece of equipment - real, purpose built strobes, not the little ones most EPIRBS have built in. Consider how little of a person floating in the water is actually above water, and how extraordinarily difficult that is to locate at night.
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

Strobes are a fantastic piece of equipment - real, purpose built strobes, not the little ones most EPIRBS have built in. Consider how little of a person floating in the water is actually above water, and how extraordinarily difficult that is to locate at night.

Click to expand...
Mike
by 'purpose built strobes' you mean something like this?

10011.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

Strobes are a fantastic piece of equipment - real, purpose built strobes, not the little ones most EPIRBS have built in. Consider how little of a person floating in the water is actually above water, and how extraordinarily difficult that is to locate at night.

Click to expand...


+1

Most SCUBA Dive shops will have some very good strobes with, at lease neutral bouyancy.

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by abalmuth

quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

Strobes are a fantastic piece of equipment - real, purpose built strobes, not the little ones most EPIRBS have built in. Consider how little of a person floating in the water is actually above water, and how extraordinarily difficult that is to locate at night.

Click to expand...
Mike
by 'purpose built strobes' you mean something like this?

10011.gif


Almost just like that. I'm a huge fan of ACR's FireFly III, but I'm not crazy about the Waterbug version. The water activated feature seems to eat up batteries. It's only two AA's, but I look at it as a readiness thing.

Click to expand...
 
We actually have the ACR's FireFly III’s on our PFD’s, I found the waterbug Pic first and it was close enough in looks ;-)
 
Mine has a rather small LED strobe on it. (The small white square on top of the unit)

Supposed to have a 2 mile range but not sure I buy that.

fast-find-210.png
 
quote:
Originally posted by caltexfla

My ACR EPIRB has a pretty big darn strobe on it, especially compared to those shown above, but you certainly can't overdo it by having both. For carrying on my person, I prefer a solid light. For a strobe, here's the real deal:

http://www.acrelectronics.com/products/b/marine/catalog/rescue-lights/sm-2-marker-light

Click to expand...


Those SM-2's are beasts. I've seen them take some pretty serious abuse and keep going. Great for life rings, but a bit unwieldly for PFD's.

One of the advantages of the FireFly type xenon strobes over the LED ones on the PLB pictured above is the 'omnidirectionality' for lack of a better (and probably made up) word. A person in the water - even a floating strobe like the SM-2, is only going to be directly visible when it flashes at the peak of a wave. On a clear night, though, the 'flash' is occasionally noticeable from the trough of a wave.

See, I value my sleep, so if I'm out looking for a person in the water in the middle of the night, I really want to find them as quickly as possible so I can get back to my rack. I'm sure they'll want to be found quickly, too, but probably for different reasons. But if they have an EPIRB or PLB transmitting, I can steer on that 121.5 signal (modern 406MHz EPIRBS transmit on 406.025MHz AND transmit a low powered 121.5 signal just for that purpose). Add a good strobe to that equation, and I can pick them up visually, too.
 
Yeah, I see the SM-2 as more of a ditch bag and life raft device, plus another thing to throw in the water if someone goes MOB. We used one tied to some fenders for MOB practice in broad daylight and it was very visible.

Ditch bags and MOB practice (reminder to self: we need to re-up) are another worthy thread altogether, ditto life rafts, though I think this is pretty much a near and in-shore cruising crowd here.
 
"I really want to find them as quickly as possible so I can get back to my rack. I'm sure they'll want to be found quickly, too, but probably for different reasons."

Actually, NC, I'll bet that they are rather interested in "getting back to their rack", too. ;)

Frankly, If I can afford it, and it helps you do the job quicker, then I'll carry it...

In the "redundancy is your friend" dept, carrying one "water activated" strobe such as waterbug, plus a manual activated strobe such as firefly 3, means that a) even if I am knocked out, I've got a strobe for a few hours. b) When I wake up ( or the auto one quits ), I've got a fresh one to activate...

Just a thought.

Note: If my boat goes down, then I am really interested in buying pizza for the entire responding station ( in person :)).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top