The Best Personal Locator Beacons and Satellite Messengers of 2023 231
by Admin
Posted on 25-10-2023 09:55 AM
Written by laura lancaster
updated aug 25, 2023 4:42 pm
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if you spend significant
time
in the outdoors, then a personal locator beacon or satellite messenger should be in your pack. While these devices vary from single-use distress signals to full-blown phones that can be used in virtually any corner of the world, they all have the power to alert authorities when you are in trouble and—most importantly—share your gps coordinates. While many individuals will find that they never need to use the sos button, if you do need it, a plb or sat device can save your life.
In short, choose a plb if you want to avoid subscription fees and/or you’re solely interested in being able to send an sos in an emergency . Choose a satellite messenger if you also want to be able to send messages to loved ones and/or are interested in additional features like navigation. Personal locator beacons (plbs): this satellite-synced device sends an sos signal to rescue agencies, along with your location. Key attributes include: works in remote areas worldwide* multiyear battery life (replacement requires sending it in) no subscription fees no ability to send messages home or cancel an sos call stronger signal than a satellite messenger (unobstructed view of sky works best).
Not all locator beacons are plbs. Together with 406 mhz beacons, the cospas-sarsat system is the only government-run worldwide network where a distress signal is automatically sent to the relevant rescue services in the country you’re in. All similar devices use commercial satellite messaging and rescue centers to receive and forward customized messages to the relevant rescue services. The cospas-sarsat system has masses of built-in redundancy in each and every phase of the system, making it the most reliable one out there. No device may be marketed or sold in the united states as a “plb” or “personal locator beacon” unless it is compliant with all of the rules of the cospas-sarsat and rtcm standards 47 cfr 95.
Also see our head to head comparison review of the current returnlink service enabled personal locator beacons available from acr and mcmurdo reasons to buy: a smooth easy to operate plb, return link service, comes with an array of methods of attachment to a lifejacket reasons to avoid: the casing feels like it might be less robust compared to other ruggesdised competitors specifications: 406hz satellite radio signal | return link service | 28hr battery life when activated | strobe light | weight 148g | 11. 48 cm (l) x 5. 16 cm (w) x 3. 78 cm (d) this personal locator beacon, unusually, incorporates a small lcd screen which fundamentally improves the user experience.
What to Consider Before Buying a Personal Locator Beacon or Satellite Messenger
Personal locator beacons do pretty much what they promise:
locate your person, and then report your position to someone who will perform a "search and rescue" to find you. The best plbs are small, portable, reliable and weather proof hiker emergency beacons. But there's one thing you need to know right away:
there is no two-way communication available with beacons, only the transmission of an sos message. Sos is the the international morse code distress signal, reserved for use only in a true emergency. If you're interested in two-way communication devices, read about satellite messengers instead. So why would you want to carry a seemingly limited personal locator beacon (plb) on your hikes?.
This is a gear review about the best personal locator beacons and satellite messengers 2023. No serious backcountry explorer should be without some form of personal locator beacon. These small and simple items are used to send out a distress signal when you’re in need of rescuing. A good quality hiking first aid kit can only do so much, sometime you may need to be rescued. Although we all may hope never to use one, they should still form a vital part of the emergency gear for any outdoor person. To make your decision easier, i’ve rounded up some of the best personal locator beacons (plbs) and best two-way satellite messengers on the market.
To compile this review, we started by carefully selecting the top models of satellite messenger and personal locator beacons. It's usually impossible for us to satisfactorily test every product on the market for a particular category. With plbs and satellite messengers, though, there aren't many options available, and we can test nearly every device. Especially in the two-way satellite messaging device sub-category, we've worked to get every single new option in our hands. The end result is a set of tested products that represent essentially all of the available satellite communication options currently on the market. From there, we purchased and activated these beacons and put them to the test for hundreds of hours, side-by-side, in several distinct situations and locations.