Epirb or an delome inreach

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Blazman234

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Starting to plan for next year and I was trying to decide what would be best. Any one have any thoughts? Most of our use happens in LIS, fishers island sound, between the forks of Long Island and block island sound. Seems like the inreach will do what the EPIRB does and we can use it for hiking on land as well. Any one have any expirence good or bad with the inreach? Thanks in advance nick
 
I purchased a ACR Aqualink PLB. Fortunately, I've not had the need to use it but during my reviews I found this to be a good company/product. You are able to register it with your vessel name, your name etc... and you can take it with you as you stated. I think it's a good option vs a mounted EPIRB. Obviously, both have their advantages and disadvantages and you just have to make a call. Either option is better than not having anything at all. Hope this helps.

https://www.boemarine.com/collections/p ... tor-beacon
 
Blazman234":2tvqsvsc said:
Starting to plan for next year and I was trying to decide what would be best. Any one have any thoughts? Most of our use happens in LIS, fishers island sound, between the forks of Long Island and block island sound. Seems like the inreach will do what the EPIRB does and we can use it for hiking on land as well. Any one have any expirence good or bad with the inreach? Thanks in advance nick

Not familiar with the Inreach, but I'm guessing that is a personal locator beacon device?
I have an ACR PLB that is registered to me, not the boat.
I carry it in my ditch bag on the boat, but it also goes with me whenever I move boats up and down the coast.

Not quite the same as a full fledged EPIRB, but for my use, it fits my need.
Get the one that incorporates GPS so the rescuers know where to find you.
 

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I have an In-Reach. It has been very handy up here in AK. I do 60 mile one way trips with out cell service and knowing I can text someone if I need help gives me piece of mind. It also lets me contact someone without getting the USCG involved if my problem is not that life threatening. The in-reach also can be linked with a smart phone to make texting similar to your regular phone text. I have found it very handy when group camping and I forget something.
 
Blazman234":190mvevh said:
.....anyone with expirence good or bad with the inreach? Thanks in advance nick
The Delorme Inreach is GREAT! I paid the 80 bucks more and got the Explorer model, although I subscribe to the "Cheapie Charlie" 11.95/mo. plan. This allows me unlimited "pre-typed" messages of unlimited recipients, of the 3 pre-stored messages it can hold. Overages to that plan are 50 cents per "ad hoc" typed e-mails or texts. That 11.95 plan however, does allow 10 free typed on the spot, messages per month. The LCD screen allows "2-way" interaction as well with First Responders when using the SOS button. Hands down superior over the SPOT product. Just remember that with your unlimited messages of 3 "pre-stored" (canned) messages, that they can only go to e-mails. If you want to go as texts to cell as well (SMS), pre-store the phone # in this format.... [email protected] (for Verizon) recipients. In this case you would have to know your recipients provider. This is not the case if you have a more expensive monthly plan, or are willing to pay the "per message" overage.

Another great feature is that someone you allow can "ping" your position without you intervening. You can also set up to automatically send recipients your position, as frequent as set up as frequent as every 2.5 minutes (10 cents per point, or needs more expensive plan), or hours between intervals. Your position (coordinates) go out in your messages too. The recipient can click an included link to pop up a map of earth, showing where you are. When zooming in close enough on that map, shows real images of maps, such as Google Earth" images.

My 3 preset messages are adequate to let my wife know I'm "Out of the boat & in the water', or " I'm OK and IN the boat. 3rd message I use for " I'm Ok but having difficulty/delay". Messages limited to 160 characters.

InReach allows you also to stop & start service on monthly intervals, or upgrade/downgrade your plan. 9-1/2 months seems to be the break-even point on the 11.95 plan to do this, so I save slightly by using annual plan. Some plans go to $80/month. Many "home page" screen icons allowing you to do much. Packed with features but works fast and flawlessly. I love it!

Edit... When configuring preset messages, recipients, account preferences, etc. online on their site, there is a large field for paragraph of "comments" that I use as a "float-plan" in the event I have to use the SOS function. The GEOS monitoring center monitors 140 countries (out of Texas), and contacts 1st responders in your area. I remark on the local Coast guard base. I update this paragraph on the night before a dive, with the current date. This way they take an SOS more seriously without confirming through your contacts if is false alarm. (I also update the coast guard's database this way for my MMSI # for VHF DSC functionality). InReach uses the most reliable Iridium satellite network of 66 low orbiting satellites. 100% global coverage. When your messages go through, you hear an audible tone seconds later, unlike an EPIRB that you wonder & hope for hours that it went through. (plus 2-way interaction with responders on-screen).
 
Here is Delorme InReach. AI highly recommend this product if routinely offshore 11 or so miles, or just want your last known position, known.

I take safety seriously, & during an emergency, or on the bottom of the ocean diving, "I never recall thinking of my wallet". Don't let the $300 or $380 discourage you. I also carry a Horizon waterproof/floating hand-held VHF with GPS/DSC distress capability, just like fixed-mount marine radios have.

Forgot to mention it has Bluetooth capabilities so can interact solely via your smartphone if you wish. Less cumbersome typing input, choosing contacts when not sending to stored contacts, etc. Great product!

IP67 rated, so 30 minutes underwater @ 1 meter deep.
 

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Brent":27ud6bl1 said:
I left off that I have handheld radio with dsc and PLB ourchased over 2 years...and think the InReach is neat but I dont need one yet!
Those are fine for the "once in a lifetime" SOS call, where then they are worth their weight in gold. However, if trying to put family members mind at ease when out further than cell coverage all day, several times each trip, the InReach satellite communicator is perfect for that as well.
 
Old topic but I'll chime in.

The answer depends on what your intended use of the product is. Also, it depends on what your safety equipment needs will be.

The DeLorme unit is primarily a communicator, with a "help" button. It's primary purpose is allowing you to communicate with non-emergency personnel (family) on shore and letting them see where you are; it's secondary purpose is calling for help.

EPIRBs and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are dedicated distress beacons. They are only good for letting someone know that you are in serious trouble and require immediate assistance, but they are optimized to do so and do it far better than the DeLorme. As distress signals, they are tapped directly into the COSPAS-SARSAT distress network, which is purpose built and streamlined to convey distress messages and positions to authorities responsible for coordinating and conducting rescues. As such, your distress signal will be received, processed, and responded to in a much faster and more streamlined manner than the one coming from a DeLorme communicator.

An apt comparison might be calling a 911 call center in Texas, when you're sinking off the coast of North Carolina, and trying to give them all the information necessary to come find you. It's going to take time for that message to be relayed to the right people with the local resources to come and help you. Whereas an EPIRB or PLB is akin to pressing a button that sets off an alarm at the nearest Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center with your vessel's name, details, and position. It's purpose built to relay distress calls in the fastest way possible, to a system designed to accept those calls, pretty much automatically.

If your primary concern is using the device for distress alerting both on water and on land, (i.e., "come rescue me"), your best bet is a dedicated PLB. This device can be registered directly to you and used both on land and on the water. They are compact, and therefore do not have the free-floating capability or battery life of an EPIRB, but can be carried on your person and are versatile. They are also offered with internal GPS, which broadcasts your exact position to rescue coordinators. However, they are not ideal for situations in which you end up in the water, as they need to be positioned upright and with a clear view of the sky to work properly. Sounds simple until you try it in a life vest in 40-degree water.

If you're going to be operating in an open-ocean environment, where rescue could be hours away, your only real choice is the EPIRB. These are robust and hearty devices designed to survive disasters in the marine environment and continue broadcasting distress alerts and position updates for an extended period of time. They can be purchased in free-float configurations, which will allow them to be automatically released in the case of a sudden sinking. The beacon itself will also float upright in the water, continuing to broadcast its signal. Here's an experiment: hold your phone up at arms length and see how long it takes your arm to get tired; that's how long you'll be able to hold a PLB aloft while in the water for proper satellite reception. Also, in addition to the 406mHz satellite signal, EPIRBs are equipped with a 121.5mHz homing radio signal that is used by SAR aircraft to close in on your position when they are in the area. In less than perfect visibility, nighttime, or with limited survival craft footprint (i.e. no life raft), guiding the helicopter into a position where it can find you with thermals will save you time in the water and very possibly your life. Coast Guard regulations require the use of EPIRBs for almost all commercial craft. I cannot stress how much more likely a distress call is to end in a rescue when a properly registered and functioning EPIRB is deployed and with the victims. For $500 for a 10-year battery life unit, it's a no brainer for me.

If, however, your primary boating area will be coastal, with rescue close at hand, and your primary need is to let those back on shore know that you're ok throughout the day, the DeLorme might serve you well. I have no personal experience with the system but from all accounts, the units work great as a communicator. I would be very hesitant, however, to use one as my primary means of distress alerting if I was anywhere more than a couple miles offshore.

Your mileage may vary, but safety at sea is one thing that I tend not to compromise on. I don't usually recommend that others do either.
 
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