Hunting & Fishing Personal Locator Beacons / Satellite Messaging

[Rerun7]

I’m looking into options for a PLB or Satellite messaging device because where I hunt there is no cell signal. It freaks my wife out when she hasn’t heard from me, especially on night hunts.

Anyone use these / have one you’d recommend?

I was just about to buy a Spot but read a lot of bad reviews on it

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

Most of those PLBs operate on/through Iridium satellite so just bypass the middleman per say and go direct to Iridium. You can get phones or their Iridium "Go" and service all under 1 bill and provider.

https://www.iridium.com/phones/

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[diverdon]

Friends of mine who spend a lot of time in Alaska hunting far from anywhere use the DeLorme.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

DeLorme is now owned by Garmin and requires Iridium satellite plan.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[ForgeValley]

Those bad reviews are correct, avoid the Spot service.

 

[SkyScrapin]

I'm in the same boat. 3 days off grid - the lady wasn't happy. My friends swear the InReach Mini is an easy solution, with the ability to text from your mobile phone. Problem that could likely arise is, what happens when your mobile battery dies (assuming no quick charge Anker or GoalZero)? Nothing can outrun battery life.

 

[W54/XM-388]

There is also the option a bit bigger, to just get a Ham radio licence, carry a portable unit & a good antenna and don't bother with needing somebody else to be the one you pay for communication.

If you leave a receiver running at home hooked up to a computer, you could send text messages & pictures back to it as well.

 

[Wyfox]

Garmin In Reach works great, bluetooth to your phone and text back and forth. Service plans are reasonable too.

 

[OzTRG]

I have the delorme in reach, yep it requires a plan, but you can sit on a $6 aus a month plan then when you head away you up to the appropriate plan (around $25 for a month. I have found them a little finicky to set up, requiring a windows computer. But once up and running they are great. Can text message, get weather updates and set it up so others can track you location on a web based map. Overall it’s worth it for me.

 

[Rerun7]

The inreach seems to get the best reviews. I was looking at the plans and have a question.

On the basic plan it says unlimited preset messages. What does that mean?

Are those messages I can pre-program like “I’m ok” and send that whenever I want?

Also, it says tracking points are $.10 each. Are those programmed waypoints or the tracking info it sends every 10 minutes?

 

[OzTRG]

The preset messages are as you describe. I’m ok, at camp site, etc.

The tracking points are the info it sends. So you have to decide the granularity of the tracking point sending you need for the activity you are undertaking

 

[Rerun7]

The preset messages are as you describe. I’m ok, at camp site, etc.

The tracking points are the info it sends. So you have to decide the granularity of the tracking point sending you need for the activity you are undertaking

Got it. And can you adjust the tracking intervals on a per trip basis or is that set by the plan you buy?

 

[OzTRG]

Can set per trip. When hunting/hiking I tend to use 2 or 4 hour intervals. This only impacts on the tracking feature not duress. If sos activated you location is given and you can text with responders

 

[Supersubes]

Haven’t read any spot reviews, but been happy with mine. Never needed to use it in an emergency. Seems to track ok, check-ins are easy and reliable, and the girlie can track my movements on her app as needed. Seemed like a good plan if I crash the dirt bike and knock myself out or am otherwise too Injured to reach the device, she’d know right where to send help.

 

[Rerun7]

Cool, that’s not a bad deal then, I think I’m going to try the inReach mini

 

[6point5CM]

Delorme inReach for me as well. Link it up with bluetooth, download all the maps on your phone in wifi, and runs as a backup GPS and utilize your phone to send texts out. I just buy the data plan 2 months of the year (hunting season). Work awesome and lets the wife even watch along with a map and track if she's bored.

 

[Rerun7]

I ordered the mini yesterday. Looks like it should fit the need really well

 

[OzTRG]

Rerun7 let us know how you find it once you have had a chance to try it out

 

[insidetheten]

Haven’t read any spot reviews, but been happy with mine. Never needed to use it in an emergency. Seems to track ok, check-ins are easy and reliable, and the girlie can track my movements on her app as needed. Seemed like a good plan if I crash the dirt bike and knock myself out or am otherwise too Injured to reach the device, she’d know right where to send help.

Ive got a spot, and it pings my location just fine. My wife can see my location on the computer map easy. Preset messages send just fine. I looked at the upgrade unit that has two way messaging, and it looks cool and everything, but the cost reflects. The In Reach is even more expensive no matter what plan you are on. I don't know if DeLorme has the insurance plan that pays for your rescue if you need it. That would cost you big time if you had to pay all the associate costs out of pocket. Spot has that. I have not seen a bunch of negative reviews on the spot. If someone has a link to them, please post, I would like to check them out. There is another service, but I cant remember the name of it. If anyone else knows, please post.

 

[Rerun7]

I forgot about this thread. The mini has worked out great. I can clip it on my belt loop and don’t even notice it. I use the preset messages primarily but can also type messages on my phone to make it easier. It costs $15 a month which isn’t bad at all.