Somebody on this list (Doug, I think) said once that 406 Mhz ACR PLB Aqua/Terra/Aero Fix) would've been great if it were TAD smaller. Good news here - ACR now have MicroFix PLB http://www.acrelectronics.com/microfix/microfix.htm, and it is roughly 1.5 times smaller. Width has come down from 3.1" to 2.2". Other dimensions are about the same. It's also lighter now - 10 oz VS previous 12 oz, and battery life is 4 hours longer (40 hrs VS 36 hrs). Bad news is that street price is about $600 (VS $400 for previous "Fix"). I hate tiny buttons of cell phones, but in this case I don't mind this thing being small. Buttons are probably same size as before, heh, heh... One thing I don't understand - why they rate its accuracy with internal GPS at 100 meters (same as in previous model). My Garmin usually shows less than 15 meters acccuracy in open areas. Must be a different GPS circuit and/or different satellites (this would've been not too savvy - why not sharing same satellite network)? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
alex wrote: > [snip] ACR now have MicroFix PLB > http://www.acrelectronics.com/microfix/microfix.htm, and it is roughly > 1.5 times smaller. One thing I don't understand - why they rate its > accuracy with internal GPS at 100 meters (same as in previous model). My > Garmin usually shows [better than] than 15 meters accuracy in open > areas. Must be a different GPS circuit and/or different satellites (this > would've been not too savvy - why not sharing same satellite network)? Alex, it must use the same satellites; I suspect the search/locate algorithm encoded in its chip refines position to 100 meters and then goes into "rest" mode, reducing current drain, so the unit will be able to provide that info to the SAR service for a longer time. If it were to continue to refine and narrow down its location to the greater accuracy typical of a good GPS receiver, it would use up more battery capacity. But, I'm guessing; there must be a gearhead on the list who knows for sure. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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