Establishment of new Forum for Personal Locator Beacons

[KK6HRW]

Would the Administrators consider adding a new forum dedicated to “Personal Locator Beacons” (PLB), to include two-way communicators such as the Garmin inReach, Spot, ACR BivyStick, etc.?

 

[mikewazowski]

Can’t say I’ve seen very many posts on them that would warrant the creation of a forum.

 

[KK6HRW]

Can’t say I’ve seen very many posts on them that would warrant the creation of a forum.

I most often see recommendations for a PLB when someone asks about a radio for emergency use in the backcountr.

 

[mmckenna]

PLB's fall under FCC Part 95, just like other "personal radio services".
There is a section for personal radio services, but it specifically calls out GMRS/FRS/MURS.
Maybe an option would be to include PLB's on there?

 

[KK6HRW]

PLB's fall under FCC Part 95, just like other "personal radio services".
There is a section for personal radio services, but it specifically calls out GMRS/FRS/MURS.
Maybe an option would be to include PLB's on there?

I am confident that the 406MHz type PLBs would also nicely fit in that same catagory. Perhaps rename entire section “Personal Radio Services” with subtitle GMRS/FRS/MURS/PLB?

 

[mmckenna]

I am confident that the 406MHz type PLBs would also nicely fit in that same catagory. Perhaps rename entire section “Personal Radio Services” with subtitle GMRS/FRS/MURS/PLB?

Yeah, that's what was suggesting.

 

[Omega-TI]

Are not some PLB's on a subscription basis, like the ones with texting available, that in itself separates it from the GMRS/FRS/MURS walkie talkie type service(s) I would think. At the very least, if it'll be under the same heading, I'd add the use of the PREFIX, so people could more readily distinguish what service is being talked about.

 

[mmckenna]

Are not some PLB's on a subscription basis, like the ones with texting available, that in itself separates it from the GMRS/FRS/MURS walkie talkie type service(s) I would think. At the very least, if it'll be under the same heading, I'd add the use of the PREFIX, so people could more readily distinguish what service is being talked about.

Depends.

The -true- PLB's use 406.1MHz COSPAS/SARSAT, and fall under Part 95/Personal Radio Services.

Garmin InReach use the Iridium Satellite Network, and SPOT uses the Globestar network and both fall under Part 25.

Most end users are not going to understand the FCC rules and are going to be looking for information on their specific product. They'll likely know it's a satellite beacon of some sort, so getting them "close enough" would probably do the trick. Having different forums based on the FCC rule part would probably create more confusion than anything.

 

[vagrant]

Where does the Icom IC-SAT100 and the mobile version fit as they use the iridium satellites as well? Perhaps something like “PLB/Radio Satellite Subscription Gear/Service” where the word subscription provides some clarity…or should the Icom Sat radios be lumped into GMRS/FRS? Those Icom’s and that satellite service is a nice option that works. Those radios and service are what some should be using instead of spending, building and then realizing a repeater is not the solution for them.

Also, there will always be the people that ask if it is free, even though the word “subscription” is in there, but we cannot fix those individuals. Ha! I cannot wait for the first person to complain that the satellite service is not free. Hahahahaha

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, those Icom's are cool little radios.
Probably should loop in the Iridium phones, also.

Glad I don't have to decide what (or if) it should be called. Seems like whatever happens, someone will get their feelers hurt and threaten to not renew their subscription or something equally heinous.

 

[iMONITOR]

Would the Administrators consider adding a new forum dedicated to “Personal Locator Beacons” (PLB), to include two-way communicators such as the Garmin inReach, Spot, ACR BivyStick, etc.?

Would there really be much to discuss? They do what they do and that's it. You can't really play around with something like that.

 

[mmckenna]

Would there really be much to discuss? They do what they do and that's it. You can't really play around with something like that.

True, but I think a place for those of us that have such devices to discuss them, and those looking at them to ask questions. There's not a good place online that I've found to ask questions about these. There is very little technical info out there, and the sites that do discuss them are non-technical and usually individual opinions. I did a lot of research before buying mine, and it was difficult to find useful info. The manufacturer sites are not a good source, as they are obviously biased.

Based on the number of hams that mistakenly think they have legal access to any/all radio systems on the planet, there needs to be a place to point people for options.

I had my InReach out with me on the trails this last week and was showing a co-worker how the work, what they look like, and how much they cost. She's going to buy one, but she ran into the same issue I did, biased opinions with little in the way of technical info.

 

[iMONITOR]

I see your point. For now maybe you guys might give it a try in "Off Topic Wireless" and see what happens?

 

[KK6HRW]

Would there really be much to discuss? They do what they do and that's it. You can't really play around with something like that.

With the two-way satellite messengers I have found significant differences in software ease of use, message creation on (only some of) the devices themselves, message uplink addressing, mapping/navigation capabilities, battery capacity, and subscription pricing, to name but a few.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I am interested in devices that do PTT over Iridium.

 

[mmckenna]

I am interested in devices that do PTT over Iridium.

The Icom handsets are pretty small. Seems like an easier option than mobile HF for some users.

I'm looking forward to see what Starlink brings us when it's fully built out. Seems like a mobile satellite based radio system running over IP would be pretty easy.

 

[bc780l]

There would be clear usability by keeping separate from the current SATCOM forum, which is mostly hobbiest based. Perhaps what might be a "Commercial Satellite" forum, which could include subscription based products and services:

Products such as:
Voice or data services
PLBs and Satellite Messengers (InReach, SPOT, ACR, ACR Bivi, Weems & Plath, Zoleo, Bird's Eye, etc.)
Satellite PTT (Iridium PTT, Icom Sat100, etc.)
BGANs
VSATs

Network services such as:
Iridium
Thuraya
Inmarsat
GlobalStar
KVH
IntelSat
Maverick
StarLink
Kuiper
HughesNet
Viasat

There's a line that the un- or partially-informed users might not be able to differentiate between hobby, commercial communications as above, or Ku-, S-, or C-band services, etc., so forum description would have to be clear with examples.

Definately keep separate from FRS/GMRS/MURS and Amateur.