Skip to Content

PLB - worth it?

9 replies [Last post]
Thu, 2010-04-08 08:51
pineapple girl
Offline
Joined: 03/03/2009

I am interested in your opinions--I was just doing some online price comparisions on PLBs prior to the boat show and ran across this on the Landfall site:


"A PLB is not a substitute for an EPIRB aboard an offshore vessel, largely because PLBs have a battery life in the neighborhood of only 24 hours. While your approximate location may be determined by the satellite-signaling 406Mhz beacon, it is the 121.5Mhz homing beacon that will bring a rescuer close to you. If you are well offshore, it could be far longer than 24 hours before a surface vessel can reach you.  ...  For offshore vessels, our strong advice is to stick to a rugged, vessel-mounted, long-lived EPIRB for the ultimate fall-back safety device for your vessel. Equip yourself and each crew member with a good auto-inflatable vest, a tether, and jacklines — and use them. If you want the additional security of a homing device for locating crew overboard, make sure your vessel is also equipped with a suitable RDF."


Do you think it is worth it to have a PLB on your person during the Pac Cup? 


thanks for your input!


 

Top
Thu, 2010-05-06 11:43
#1
ping li
Offline
Joined: 11/28/2007
PLB

I'm seeing myself singlehand, So If something happen to me on the sea, I will have to have a button to push. The PLB is right for me, but may not the best option for your case.


 


Ping

Top
Tue, 2010-05-04 08:26
#2
ping li
Offline
Joined: 11/28/2007
PLB - worth it?

The McMurdo PLB FastFind 210 come with GPS and 121.5MHz Homing signal. Me and my son each carry our own, Now we have 2x24=48 hours activation time if activated one after another one 24 hours later., I think it worth the money. The problem is it don't float, So have to tie to life vest and make sure it point to the right deriction if activated.

Top
Tue, 2010-04-13 12:56
#3
dshkipin
Offline
Joined: 10/21/2009
AIS update

Thanks Valis, this totally makes sense now. I have gotten it to show up in San Francisco along with another Class B signal in the marina that happens to be the same boat make as mine – looks like one can upload a picture of a boat which is pretty sweet. In Vallejo only Class A vessels showed up online - probably with higher AIS wattage output or much higher antenna gain. Totally love it so big thanks to those with an antenna on their house. Next step is to configure it with vhf chart plotter to see if I can make MMSI calls, but that is after the inspection.


Victoria out.

Top
Mon, 2010-04-12 10:31
#4
pineapple girl
Offline
Joined: 03/03/2009
Awesome!

THANK YOU for the feedback, excellent ideas.  I carry a handheld VHF anyway so upgrading to a DSC capable unit sounds like an excellent option.  I think the RDF system would be ideal but is not in the budget for 2010.  Maybe 2012. 

Top
Sat, 2010-04-10 14:18
#5
Valis
Offline
Joined: 04/24/2007
There are many solutions to

There are many solutions to this, but unfortunately they are all far from perfect.  Here's what I've seen (and my opinions).


PLBs won't help you find an overboard crewmember, unless you have an RDF (Radio Direction Finder), or at least an radio alarm that goes off as soon as the crew activates the PLB.  Look at ACR for examples of these: (http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2850), (http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2850).


 


Of course, if you have an always-on satphone, the Coast Guard will phone at 2:00AM you to ask why one of your PLBs is transmitting (as I discovered during the 2008 return trip, when a PLB was accidentally activated).  If a crewmember was actually in the water, they could have given me the lat/lon.  I don't think I want to plan on being able to use this technique though.


For what it's worth, I have PLBs stuffed inside each of the crew's PFD.  It's a tight fit, but we always wear the PFDs while at sea, so (other than the expense), it's not a bad approach.


The DSC-enabled (DSC = Digital Selective Calling) VHF method that was mentioned by dshkipin has a lot to recommend it.  I just got two of the new Standard Horizon HX851 handheld radios to evaluate.  They are waterproof, contain a GPS, and have an "EMERGENCY" button under a red protective cap.  A DSC-capable radio on board will sound an alarm when a crewmember presses the red button, and it will display their GPS position.  Some chartplotters will plot this position as a MOB waypoint.


This is a good solution that will help you find your way back to an overboard crewmember.  There are drawbacks though:




  • The radios are bulky.  Hold one in your hand.  They're not particularly heavy (they float), but I don't know if I could get my crew to reliably carry one on their person.


  • The battery life is only about ten hours (standby, GPS on).  It takes eight hours to re-charge, so practically the radio can't be left on.  An overboard crewmember will have to turn on the radio (as they have to do with the PLB).


  • If you get out of range of the crewmember, no one else is likely to hear them. 

Next on the list are systems like the



 These are either water-triggered, or use a "deadman" approach where they are normally sending an "I'm OK" signal.  When the signal goes away (overboard), the alarm is triggered.


Advantages:




  • Small


  • Automatically activated

Disadvantages:




  • Battery life may be an issue in a long race


  • Only notifies your own vessel


  • No direction-finding ability for the deadman systems

Conclusion:  Until someone comes up with a better solution, you will have to weigh the pros and cons of what's available now.  On VALIS, I have individual PLBs, because they provide some benefit and are a low-annoyance solution.  I haven't yet installed a RDF/alarm system, but am considering it. 


If only the DSC VHF radios were smaller, that might be my preference.


Of course, the best method is to not fall overboard in the first place, and if you do, to stay attached to the boat.  We are tethered at all times.  All the hi-tech solutions are merely an addition to our primary safety systems.


 


 

Top
Mon, 2010-04-12 18:31
#6
dshkipin
Offline
Joined: 10/21/2009
to Valis on tech stuff

True, tech items need constant supervision. Since Valis is evaluating the HX851 I thought I'd mention that on the earlier unit it is critical that the battery tray is locked in with a screw at the end, otherwise the legendary waterproof resistance of that model rests in peace in about 5 minutes - very easy to miss and I bet most people. Question to Valis somewhat unrelated: how did you guys get your AIS signal to show on the Internet? I tested my Class B transceiver but it does not show up on the Bay Area Traffic. Did you add your vessel to a database somewhere or did it just show up? How high is your AIS antenna? What is the wattage of the unit? Where is this mystery AIS pickup for the Internet?


Thanks from Victoria

Top
Tue, 2010-04-13 06:25
#7
Valis
Offline
Joined: 04/24/2007
HX851, AIS

Thanks for the info about the HX851 battery tray.


The AIS transponder on VALIS is connected to a VHF whip on the upper spreader (but I've used a stern-rail antenna for an AIS receiver with perfectly acceptable results).  The transponder is the ACR Nauticast B unit, and it transmits at 3 watts.


Showing up on the internet is easy -- it just happens automatically.  There are several hobbyist-run AIS receiver sites around S.F. Bay, and elsewhere.  I've got a receiver at my house north of Bodega Bay (at 1000 ft elevation), there's another in Gualala, and elsewhere up and down the coast.  These are all tied together via ad-hoc internet connections, and the combined feed is sent to several AIS display websites.  I just inserted a line of HTML code in the sailvalis.com webpage that displays the chart from one of these other sites, primed to center on VALIS if she is transmitting.


The AIS-hobbyist network also includes receivers near Portland, Seattle, Vancouver -- all over the planet really -- but there are many gaps.

Top
Fri, 2010-04-09 17:46
#8
dshkipin
Offline
Joined: 10/21/2009
We are taking DSC capable

We are taking DSC capable handheld radios instead. I am personally very fond of the technology because it allows for a number of comm. scenarios and much wider options than a satellite signal to somewhere the rest of the crew isn’t. With a DSC capable radio you can poll position of the "lost" radio at anytime provided it is within 5-10 miles, plus you can actually talk to crew. Minus the limited range it is perfect; use it as a walkie-talkie or gps - the list goes on as long as you have it attached to you at all times. Make sure you get unique MMSI (legality of this is questionable but that is what I did) for each radio and have each number on board programmed into every radio before departure as well. Make sure everyone knows how to use DSC options. 2 pennies from Victoria.

Top
Sat, 2010-04-10 12:46
#9
Administrator
Offline
Joined: 11/25/2006
Calling Paul

Paul Eliott on VALIS has put lots of thought into this.  I'll ping him for his two pence.

In my day, things weren't so new!

Top


by Dr. Radut.