After attending a talk by a well respected Scottish climber who made a compelling case for them I’m considering getting a PLB. It would mainly be for winter climbing but also for running as I often go alone to remote areas with limited phone signal.

I think a PLB is more appropriate for me than one of the other devices with greater functionality. I’ve done a bit of searching but there doesn’t seem to be many options out there.

Does anybody have any suggestions or advice on this?

Ta.

Hi Spin,
We carry a PLB in the Scottish hills and when sea kayaking. A Fast Find Ranger weighing 200g.
We have never used it however I consider it to be important in remote areas, if you are immobilised with no phone reception you can be in trouble in winter Scotland.
The Fast Find is a simple device which sends only a location, no other information. No subscription required.
I would recommend carrying such a device.
Dave

Sounds sensible idea.

I don’t want to put a downer on the thread, because for what you intend <span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>using it for it’s a very good idea.</span>

But I also hope you make some donations to those that may have to come to your rescue, because they’re all volunteers as you well know.

A mate of mine carries one windsurfing, he doesn’t go far off the beach but still thinks it’s worth it.

I have a  Spot for that function, but likely more than you are after.

I don’t want to put a downer on the thread

It’s impossible to post something on a forum, even a straight request for info, without someone making a value judgement.

It should be an internet law like Godwin’s Law!

I was pleased when the rules changed permitting their use in the hills. There are some things to be aware of though:

1. Make sure you register it and your “home contact” is likely to be contactable (or is even a voicemail message like – “sorry I can’t answer your call as I’m wandering the hills at the moment”); otherwise time is wasted trying to eliminate the accidental false alarm.
2. Beware that the red button doesn’t guarantee an instantaneous appearance of the red and white chopper. The technology is slower than you are probably used to with your phone getting a signal and location fix, it can take many minutes from pressing the button until there is sufficient information to think about deploying resources. That is further delayed because the information flow was designed around an era of faxes being sent!
3. Even once HMCG decide its real and know roughly where to send the assets they will take some time to arrive – unless you are very lucky it could be >2hrs from pushing the button to help on scene (so you still need to be prepared for managing your own emergency).
4. PLBs need to be held upright with good visibility of the sky to work well and receive gps position and transmit to the satellites that relay to the ground station. Beware if you are in dense tree cover this may be severely hindered, even steep gorges etc will make it hard; the wrong cliff face may be problematic. It probably won’t get a position fix if you’ve managed to hobble to a bothy and use it indoors – leaving them a several miles search area. Still leave your route plan with someone.

All those issues still exist with a Spot / Garmin type sos system (they may actually get a faster response because the nature of a real problem may be clearer and they don’t relay messages by fax). BUT they do have some slight advantages: if you are incapacitated and unable to request help then (if used in the right mode) someone can see where you last were; there is some reassurance in knowing that your message has been received; if you are delayed and overdue you can send your home contact message to say you are safe (perhaps in a bothy and will walk out tomorrow) avoiding a huge search; if you have a relatively minor issue that you couldn’t justify a red button for – you can still contact someone (perhaps to get a friend to pick you up somewhere or have an ambulance meet you after walking to a road).

I carry one for sea kayaking and mountain biking in remote areas. I have never used it but there have been some very swift rescues in the sea when a plb has been used. I don’t normally leave the beach without one.

because they’re all volunteers as you well know

Apart from the helicopter crews 😉

But yes… Donating to your local rescue organisation is always a good idea.

Budget?

https://www.breitling.com/us-en/emergency/

Apart from the helicopter crews 😉

But then it depends how the helicopter is funded, obviously the coastguard and raf helicopters are by taxation, if you get an air ambulance then it may well be funded by philanthropy and voulenteer fundraising.

But then it depends how the helicopter is funded

I’m pretty sure that the crew are still being paid.

I’m pretty sure that the crew are still being paid.

Yes, but my point was that without donations, they wouldnt be. Even more so than a voulenteer lifeboat or mountain rescue crew.

I carry a SPOT tracker for exactly the reasons you state (I’m often running / scrambling in the Scottish Highlands alone).
SPOT is quite expensive (with the annual contract), but it does offer the function to send an “I’m OK” or “I need some help” message to a pre-set contact – so you don’t have to call Mountain Rescue for non-emergency situations.

SPOT is quite expensive (with the annual contract

My latest offer is €58(plus taxes). Just keep holding out 😉

I have a fast find 220 PLB. Not used it yet and hope not to. Reminds me I need to check the battery

Me and the dame have a Rescue me PLB, cost about 180 notes I think. It’s tiny, in fact it is smaller than it appears in the videos and blurb. That being the case it is a bit of a no brainer to carry it for sea paddling etc. Mate had a garmin beacon which was nice but costlier to run with subscription fee, although you could text on it. He eventually thought it was too fiddly, sold it and got a Rescue Me PLB instead.

I’m minded to buy a spot. Interesting that an offer on the subscription is possible. I wonder if that could be a black friday thing or is it just for old customers to bring them back to the fold? I like the idea of loved ones being able to follow you and being able to send ‘I’m oks’ and Non-emergency level calls to others.

I have a PLB (McMurdo Fastfind) primarily for sea kayaking, and a Garmin Inreach that I activate if I’m going on multi-day trip away from phone signals. The Inreach is similar to a Spot but a bit more functionality, it requires a subscription of £24/year plus £16 per month that you have it activated. The PLB doesn’t require a subscription but you do need to pay £80 every 5 years to have the battery replaced professionally.

Since PLBs are from a marine background, they need to be registered with the Marine & Coastguard Agency https://forms.dft.gov.uk/mca-sar-epirb/ I don’t know if the form asks for it now but it would be useful to tell them if you intend to carry it for use on land. I’ve also carried it in Canada and Scandinavia – the authorities there just asked me to ensure that the UK registry knew I where taking it to, so that if they were told it was activated they could confirm it was valid.

I also have a Greatland Green Laserflare that I can use to show my exact position if I see rescuers approaching.

I’m minded to buy a spot. Interesting that an offer on the subscription is possible. I wonder if that could be a black friday thing or is it just for old customers to bring them back to the fold?

The opposite. They run the usual system of cheap introductory offers (there’s a 50% off one been running for a few months) and then punt it back up after year 1. I’ve played hardball with them a couple of times now.

TBH I’d look at the monthly plans rather than annual. That’s what I’ll be doing now. There are many months that I could get away with something simpler / cheaper (like Google Location Sharing) so I’ll just cough up when more “wild” or lengthy trips are on the cards.

If you are buying new then also consider the Inreach.

Cheers for all the info folks. I shall go away and do a bit more research.

It’s impossible to post something on a forum, even a straight request for info, without someone making a value judgement.

It should be an internet law like Godwin’s Law!

I wasn’t being sarcastic, seriously I wasn’t. I reckon you know more about being in the wilderness than many of us on here.

Have fun.

Have fun.

Will do. 🙂 < That’s a smilie but it doesn’t show up for me.

I have an InReach Mini. Does exactly what it says on the tin, though not needed to hit the SOS button yet.

Big advantage is that it lets you SMS people via satellite so if you need some help, but not emergency help, you’re covered. Other people can track you if given permission.

I have an insurance package to cover rescue costs if needed.

Don’t bother with something that transmits on emergency frequencies instead of satellite (some Brietling watches?) since all it will do is lead to the people monitoring it turning the volume down.

I might get one , didnt realise they were so small and cheap.
Snapped a couple of windsurf boards in half whilst a 1/2 mile or so out, fine in the summer but in an autumn gale , not so clever
I guess the RNLI get called if the signal is inshore?

For a windsurfer half a mile off shore you would be better with a handheld marine VHF, or even just a phone in a waterproof case. The message would get to the RNLI much faster, in most cases.