Chuck & Peter both talk of a new type of SAR device - see www.mobilarm.com/page/about_mobilarm_v100.html I may be being daft, but I can't see where the website description says it transmits to the SAR satellite system (as a PLB or EPIRB does). I don't think does. It says it gets GPS info (obviously from the GPS satellite system) like many PLBs do, but then it goes on to say that it's _unlike_ a PLB and sends the mayday signal out by VHF (on Channel 70) - which is exactly what an HX-850 does if you manually trigger it to 'mayday'. I can't see where it says it _also_ transmits a standard PLB/EPIRB call to the global SAR satellites. The more I read its background info - the more sure I feel it doesn't do it. The new v100 type of device seems ideal for people on oil rigs or yacht-racing in a mid-Pacific fleet (or even on a Sidney-Hobart) - as nearby boats will be alerted to a man-overboard very quickly and should easily find him before going out of VHF range. Hope so. I'd certainly agree with Peter when he says that for the solo kayaker or group of kayakers, you'd be wanting a 2-way VHF as well. But if the v100 doesn't perform the standard VHF functions - and does no more than a DSC-VHF in an emergency - then surely that makes the V100 a step down from a DSC-VHF (like the HX-850) - and not the other way round. (Perhaps it's only real advantages are that it's a bit smaller than a PLB and - compared with a standard HF - a beacon's battery doesn't get discharged through regular use.) I don't know enough about the arguments on when & if the various jurisdictions outside of the US (and Norway, it appears) are going to implement the infrastructural and operational changes to make DSC work (or permit automated transmissions on the normal voice emergency channel VHF#16). It takes both ends of the VHF link to work digitally - someone or something has to be listening on VHF#70 for a digital mayday and has to know how to decipher & deal with it. Perhaps that's why Mobilarm sells you both the v100s and a base-station. Our NZ Maritime Safety and the Coast Guard both (disappointingly) say they have no plans to implement DSC... Anybody know how a DSC VHF works when it's in Mayday mode - does it lock you out of using VHF#16 verbally while the VHF#70 digital conversation is happening ? There are a number of tries & re-tries on VHF#70, I know. Perhaps there are two transmitters - one dedicated to the digital traffic ? Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Feb 08 2011 - 08:18:12 PST
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