Determining the fine line of activating a PLB

It is my understanding that the existing technology surrounding PLBs is capable of handling some basic messaging and, I sure, will be implemented eventually. EvoSmith, did you have a panic time (or just "saturday")? Setting a time (for me, depends on circumstances but generally a few hours after I would expect to be able to contact my trip-contact) is more explicit. Isogi, I put that situation (of being overdue, trip-contact raises the alert, no PLB activation) to AMSA and was told that they would initiate a search response anyway - they don't conclude that you are probably OK and so delay initiating a response. Note: this is Aus, not NZ - clearly there are some differences. The overarching sentiment I've received from AMSA is "If you think you need to activate a PLB, don't risk dying, activate it"

@izogi Yea I've looked in to Spot etc before but all current advise seems to be they are unreliable in NZ. Why can't they just put the "running late but ok" etc features on the better network that PLB's use? Seems like a consumer product screaming to be made if possible............ @bernieq Yea I said I thought I'd be out Thursday night, in time to get my flight on Friday. So Saturday was my official "panic date". No time, just date as I thought that would be a big enough buffer.

theres various competing technologies out there that use different satellite systems. theres claims that the PLB satellite system will eventually loose out to two way satellite comms type devices, they are increasing massively in uptake, reliability and coverage, SPOT is the worst at the moment, inreach and yellow bricks are more reliable with a better satellite system, with PLB's being the best of the lot.

There are different editions of SPOT and they have differing performance metrics, so be cautious when comparing reviews. It'd be useful to know which edition the reviewer has tested. On PLBs, I think being useless bricks (until a real genuine emergency) is part of design requirement. Without that, there's a risk that the battery could be run down by doing other stuff, and if that happens then its behaviour during a real emergency becomes less predictible against the specifications it's meant to be capable of for being sold as a PLB. It'd be nice if the network could relay messages beyond an exact position. I don't know all the details of why it's been designed as it has been. I guess the logic is that if it's a real, genuine emergency, then details don't matter as much as getting there to help as immediately as possible.

i've got the latest, 3rd generation of SPOT, and its still unreliable under tree canopy and can be unreliable in deep narrow valleys, especially east west vallies. the satellites it uses are in the northern sky.

when the only purpose is to call the cavalry because life just turned brown and jammed the fan you need something small easy to use and designed primarily for that purpose along with the support that goes with it. Any other device that includes other functions could well end up used up by the time you really need it

PLB's tend to have testing functions to test the battery and the ability to connect with satellites. although the latter function uses up the battery pretty fast but at least you can check that the device works periodically before you take it out on a trip

Very good question, in the original post. Here's some official guidance for using PLBs http://beacons.org.nz/ActivatingaBeacon.aspx#When%20Use, and especially http://beacons.org.nz/RealLifeScenarios.aspx Something very important mentioned in the replies above is putting the rescue crew in danger, e.g. at night or terrible weather or other dangerous flying conditions. - "As the trampers had been in no immediate danger, they could have delayed activation of the distress beacon until daylight ... activating the beacon during the day would have made it considerably safer for the rescue crew." When there really is a bad injury but it can wait until morning, maybe pressing the button just before dawn would be most appropriate, to give the rescuers some lead time but not trigger them to fly at night? Depends entirely on circumstances - does the injury etc justify endangering the crew?

Only time Ive come close to pushing the button I was in a situation very similar to the senario described above. I wont give many details as the other involved person is probably well known to several here. Very unnice weather as it always is when these things happen. Other party who shall be known as OP for the rest of this post knew the area extremely well and also hunts in the area as well as tramping. Arrangement was for OP to go in the night before and meat us at the hut. We got there to find OPs gear but no OP. Assumed OP had just gone for a walk no worries prepared dinner. Getting dark now still no sign. Discussion had and decided that as we didnt know which way OP had gone and with there knowledge of the area there was no point trying to search till morning and that they were probably hunkered down in one of the private huts after finding the river had become uncross able. Beacon was put on the table with the intention that if OP did not turn up by 9am the beacon would be activated. OP turns up soaking wet but ok at 8.55 First thing said was "you havnt activated the beacon yet have you" Answer no but it has been unpacked ready to use. Panic over. As trip leader I still ended up writing a report about this but the 2 errors that caused it was me letting OP come in separate to the group and also and more importantly OP not filling in the log book when they went for a walk. What had happened would of made us the laughing stock of stuff.co.nz had we pushed the beacon that night but how were we to know. OP had gone for a walk up the wet weather diversion track then north along the track that intersects it for about 30 minutes then turned roound and came back. We came up the track while OP was further up the trail. He came back and missed the track which was poorly marked and despite searching couldnt find it. He decided that the best plan was to head for his car before the access was locked and head home. Got home rang my place hoping that we hadnt gone. When he found we were in there he had a sleep then went back to the car park at 5am with mountain bike to get to the start of the track then tramped into the hut mostly in darkness. If we had pushed the beacon we would of recieved a helecopter at night. Im guessing the first thing they would do is go to the carpark and find his car not there then contact his house and find him in residence. The question at that point is would they come back and tell us. It wouldnt be a story Id want in the papers

numerous times in the mountains i've wanted my mummy.... but i always refrained from hitting the button....