For the serious hikers...Survival in the Palm of Your Hand

[RockyMtnRay]

Personal Locator Beacons are now available for those of us in the continental US. From REI's email info (http://www.rei.com/email/articles/gm...b.html?prgm=gm):

Visits to wild places can yield deeply meaningful rewards. These adventures also entail risks that can occasionally prove life threatening—even for the most experienced outdoors people.

That's where Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) come in. Now available for use in the United States, this remarkable technology provides a powerful safety net for wilderness travelers.

A PLB is a portable transmitter (about the size of a TV remote control) capable of sending out a personalized emergency distress signal to a network of orbiting satellites. These satellites can then relay your information to search and rescue teams anywhere in the world.

A standard PLB takes an average of 45 minutes to alert SAR of your position. For GPS-enabled PLBs, however, it takes an average of just 5 minutes.

I just ordered mine from REI (http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...ry_rn=40002203)...I got the GPS enabled unit; about $750 with shipping and tax. A tad bit pricey but will be worth its weight in gold if I ever happen to suffer a disabling injury (e.g. broken leg) while hiking in the backcountry of the Rockies.

Interestingly, I first read about these PLBs in a story in the Good Sam Club's Highways magazine...have yet to see a mention in my backpacking magazines. Kinda ironic that an RV magazine would cover it first.

Ray,

Thanks for the information. Having been part of more than one SAR effort, I agree that this device, while a bit pricey, is a good insurance policy for the serious outdoorsperson. It could, indeed, be the difference between a rescue and body recovery.

Paul