PLB's / EPIRB's

i carry a fastfind http://www.fastfindplb.com/us/fast-find-220 has a battery test and satellite aquisition test function to make sure it is still functional... pretty robust construction. they've been around a while and the site has references of their use.. theres a service agent in nz authorised to service them and replace the battery. nice compact design, almost impossible to set off by accident. a strong lid with a seal covers the activation button and you have to lift a handle to enable the lid release.. stick with a dedicated PLB and not a two way comms device like a spot or yellow brick, they transmit at a tenth of the power of a PLB and have smaller aerials and use satellite networks that dont have as good a coverage..

I like the way you think Wayne. However, I have a bunch of teenagers (St John Youth) who will be very keen to follow my journey on the TAT. Any suggestions please?

Waynowski, yes I have read several comments about the spot and brick devices. Horses for courses they say but I prefer reliability in all circumstances. I believe Living Simply stock the 220.

Hi @FrankB (sorry, accidentally started this addressed to @Kreig before editing!). I wouldn't be put off taking a SPOT or InReach or YellowBrick or whatever, if you want to help reassure people that you're fine. Being able to send messages to say "I'm fine", and show where you are, is a distinctive part of the functionality for those devices, so if that's what you want then they're a good fit. There's also no reason you can't also carry a specialist PLB if you want to ensure you have the best possibility to summon emergency help if you have an emergency. But if you're already carrying something which will do something similar "most" of the time (albeit less reliably depending on conditions), it's just another risk/benefit thing to weigh up as to how important the PLB still is. Maybe it's less critical to you, or maybe it's extremely crucial. Especially if you're solo, it's your own life in the end. Just make sure a reliable person has your intentions, and that you stick to them regardless of carrying a PLB or otherwise, so there's a good idea of where to look for you if you don't report in. I usually carry an ACR ResQLinq+ PLB. I selected it mostly because of its relatively light weight compared with others, combined with the general difficulty of finding comparitive info (besides price) about why any alternatives might be any better.

Hi Izogi. Thanks for your great reply! I think if it was just me, with no one following my progress, a PLB would definitely suffice. But seeing as though I'll have youth and no doubt others wanting to follow me, the ability to send a text or even just broadcast a location without sending emergency services into a frenzy, would be the way to go. I'm quite confident in my outdoor skills, and if get disoriented (in a blizzard or storm, for instance), I have no problem digging in for a few days. If I rip a leg open or something, I'm prepared to stitch it up myself, providing I can reach it. I'm an ex-Navy medic and advanced/remote location first aid instructor. I've never hiked this distance before, but have hiked in some very remote areas. I think a Spot/InReach etc might be the way to go. Cheers.

I also have an ACR ResQLink, chosen for size, weight and price (I imported it precoded to NZ from the States for just over $300 landed). Ignore the rubbish spread by some NZ resellers - the unit I bought in is perfectly acceptable to the 406 registry at Maritime NZ, is registered here in NZ, and will not result in 'delayed rescue' should I set it off. If you do buy overseas, make sure the seller precodes the unit before shipping - if not, you're up for another $100+ to have it done here.

the non plb devices are far less likely to get a satelite connecton in difficult terrain and bush, i've used a SPOT and especially in bush it almost consistently failed to transmit to a satellite in beech forest. their satellites orbit much lower on the horizon and the power output is a tenth that of a plb.... they are nowhere near as reliable when it comes to asurity of connection when you need it. when push comes to shove you're unlikely to be able to move around to get a better signal if you need to use it to call for help

Hutch and Wayne, both good posts. Cheers for the heads-up on the ResQLink Hutch. And Wayne, I'm hearin' you regarding coverage. Something I was already aware of. If they weren't so darn expensive I'd get both! Maybe I can buy a secondhand comms unit and a new PLB? I'll look into it.

@izogi " Being able to send messages to say "I'm fine", and show where you are, is a distinctive part of the functionality for those devices," While I can accept this function is of real technical and safety value to some people, I'd actively discount it. I find that any sort of active communication with the 'outside' world detracts from the reason why I went into the hills in the first place. I first noticed this working in Dusky Sound on long field trips. We had a 6pm Mountain Radio Sched every night - and very quickly it became our habit to keep the calls to a bare minimum. Superfluous chatter just left us distracted and unsettled for the evening afterwards. It took away from the sense of being in the place and moment - which is something our technical civilisation steals from us at every instant. And while us modern trampers are pretty removed from the 'purity' of people like Charlie Douglas (or even Robert Long @ Gorge River in his early decade or so) - I'd still argue we should be thoughtful about our technology choices and the compromises they represent.