Had a PLB Mission...

[Al Sayre]

We (MS Wing) had a PLB Mission over the weekend.  Even with it transmitting GPS Coordinates, it took most of the night and half the next day to actually locate the darn thing.  It wound up in a box of returns for Bass Pro shops in a warehouse near Memphis. 

Anyway, this got me to thinking (and worrying):  If these PLB's and ELT's report their last known good GPS position, what are the chances that in a case like this where it was a return item, that it got it's last position somewhere in say, New Jersey, and then got set off when it was tossed in a bin in a warehouse in North MS where it was unable to acquire a new satellite fix?  Would NJ wing be looking for it based on GPS while we are hunting it based on a local PIREP?

Does anyone have any feel for this?

[sardak]

From Cospas/Sarsat T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 Beacons.

Section 4.5.5.2
Until valid data is available, the content of the encoded position data field of the message shall be the default values specified in Annex A.

If, after providing valid data, the navigation input fails or is not available, the beacon message shall retain the last valid position for 4 hours (± 5 min) after the last valid position data input. After 4 hours the encoded position shall be set to the default values specified in Annex A.

The default values in Annex A decode to NO position data, so after 4 hours, the stored position is wiped out and no GPS location is sent.

Mike

[Al Sayre]

Thanks, that's good to know.

[sardak]

...and then got set off when it was tossed in a bin...

PLBs don't have G-switches and require, by spec, at least two separate manual operations to be activated. In theory, tossing it in a bin shouldn't activate it.

However, some PLBs, and many EPIRBs, have magnetic reed switches in them. If one of these EPIRBs is separated from its magnetic mount, it activates. Beacons which can be activated by a nearby magnet are supposed to have warnings on them and their packaging.

A classic case from the early days of PLBs, which brought the mag switch issue to light, occurred in California. A guy was four-wheeling in the desert. In his survival kit he had a PLB and a flashlight with a magnet in it. Bumps and turns would cause the PLB and flashlight to get close, activate, separate, deactivate, etc. If I recall correctly, both CAWG and NVWG were activated, as well as the CHP and National Park Service. NPS rangers figured out which campsite was his and left a note to contact them when he returned.

Mike

[RiverAux]

I'm curious -- were you activated by AFRCC or did it come as a request from the state?  I had thought AFRCC weren't going to be calling CAP directly for PLB missions like they do in many places for ELT missions. 

[Al Sayre]

My understanding was that it was initially picked up/reported to MEM tower.  I don't know if they had it on 121.5 or 406 and reported to the state as a "VIP beacon."  The state and locals got the GPS coordinates and drove to them and flew on it with a chopper. The chopper could hear the 121.5 signal but they do not have equipment to DF on it.  Since they couldn't see anything at the coordinates, they called the local MEMA rep (a CAP member) who requested CAP assistance from AFRCC.  Procedures worked the way they are set up.  Once the request came from MEMA, I got a call from AFRCC about 10 min later.

One thing I'd like to point out here is that the system works well when you follow it.  I don't know how many times I have recieved direct phone calls from local police and sheriff's who are hesitant to call MEMA for assistance.  Once they make the call, AFRCC gets us a mission number and we're ready to roll in short order.  If they hem and haw and don't follow the procedure, it can take several hours since we can't move without a mission number.

[RiverAux]

It will be interesting to see how the PLB stuff plays out over the long run. 

I think while the technology is still not terribly widespread the locals won't mind chasing these down, but when it gets to be everywhere I wonder if they'll decide to stick CAP on it first in order to save their helicopter fuel budget. 

[openmind]

It will be interesting to see how the PLB stuff plays out over the long run. 

I think while the technology is still not terribly widespread the locals won't mind chasing these down, but when it gets to be everywhere I wonder if they'll decide to stick CAP on it first in order to save their helicopter fuel budget. 

To add to this, I expect to see the numbers of PLBs begin expanding dramatically, now that the new FastFind 210s are out.  If you haven't seen, these are the McMurdo offering that is now truly cellphone sized, and half the previous price.  $299 buys you a PLB with GPS built in, and the same size as your average new Nokia phone.  I expect their competitors to match that price/size point soon.

At $299 you are now well in the range that most experienced outdoors folks might actually consider buying one, as opposed to last year when they were $400 - $600.

As the ranks of PLBs in the wild (as it were) swell, both the true Distress activations, as well as the Inadvertent activations, will obviously increase.

It remains to be seen how much of those additional alerts are sent to CAP, but it almost can't reduce the workload.

And, it doesn't hurt that a CAP plane flies for less than half (usually much less) than the local LEO Helicopters cost, per hour.  We can point to our efficiency and economy as part of the overall SAR function in the US.  Hey, we're even more Green than using the Helis!

openmind

[isuhawkeye]

With the rapid growth of the SPOT I think think that PLB's will have a little competition for the market share.

[sarmed1]

Competion yes, but I think cost effectiveness is still going to PLB's.  Its a no brainer, a one time fee (purchase price) and I can activte my PLB and help will come.  SPOT I have to pay monthly service for, unless I am the kind of person that is out high adventuring weekly I dont need the fee for once a month.
The only way SPOT will win out on the PLB market is if they do just like the cell companies; make it so the 911 feature can be activated regardless of current contract/payment.  They do that I will by one tomorrow and throw it in my gear.

mk

[N Harmon]

With the prices on PLBs coming down, I am considering adding one to my ground team gear.  As for the cost effectiveness...check it out:

		Spot		McMurdo Fastfind 210
Initial Cost		$145.99[1]		$299.00
Subscription		$99.99/yr		N/A
3 year cost		$445.96		$299.00
5 year cost		$645.94		$299.00

(1) - After $25 mail in rebate from Spot.


I think if the Spot messenger subscription was cheaper (or could be paid for per-day instead of per-year), I would get one of those also.

[sardak]

Added cost for SPOT - SPOTcasting(SM) sends a message to your account every 10 minutes, allowing friends and family the ability to log on and track your progress in real time, or to save waypoints so you can review your entire route at a later date.
$49.95/yr

Added cost for the FastFind - battery life is 5 years, non-user serviceable, unit must be returned to an authorized dealer. Cost of battery? Not published. Other PLBs require factory battery replacement which costs about $90.

There is also a FastFind 200 without built-in GPS. Presumably it costs less, but it would be foolish to buy a beacon without a GPS.

Mike

[isuhawkeye]

Mike,

good point about the features.  With a PLB you only get the "911" option. 
with a SPOT you get the track feature, the 911 option, the OK option, and the help option. 

I think this could be very versatile for managing SAR teams

Finally (no disrespect to CAP) but if I am in an emergency situation I want my position to be reported to the local 911 center where appropriate rescue teams can be quickly deployed.

[openmind]

Mike,

good point about the features.  With a PLB you only get the "911" option. 
with a SPOT you get the track feature, the 911 option, the OK option, and the help option. 

I think this could be very versatile for managing SAR teams

Finally (no disrespect to CAP) but if I am in an emergency situation I want my position to be reported to the local 911 center where appropriate rescue teams can be quickly deployed.

A couple of thoughts on your thoughts:

1.  Yes, the extra reporting features of the SPOT would likely be useful for SAR management, and I've seen that discussed before on a CAP website of some sort.  Maybe CAPGear?  But we would need to either exempt it from regs, or implement standard regs around it.  We have too many off the cuff things now, leading to inevitable 'legal or illegal' discussions.

2.  The SPOT has a CRITICAL shortcoming that PLBs do not:  It is owned, operated, and funded by a Company.  With the stroke of a pen that company could go bankrupt, shut their doors, and turn off the service literally overnight.  This will not happen with the PLB SARSAT systems, and the AFRCC isn't going anywhere.

3.  I'd like to see the AFRCC folks get better about tasking the alerts to the 'best' group depending on type (PLB vs ELT vs EPIRB) and location, but 'best' is probably a too lofty goal.  Also consider, the recent reports of rural areas where funding has hit the 911 systems such that they are UnManned during several hours a day.  Also, in some Urban areas the system is so overloaded that 911 has effectively ceased being a viable method of emergency engagement.  (Chicago, Detroit, google for others...)  The AFRCC top-down approach with defined handoffs is definitely preferable here.  It might take a little longer to spool up the effort on average, but at least you know someone WILL be coming for you.

openmind

[Eclipse]

Also, in some Urban areas the system is so overloaded that 911 has effectively ceased being a viable method of emergency engagement.  (Chicago, Detroit, google for others...) 

Um, what?  Cite please.

[isuhawkeye]

Very interesting points. They are all valid. 

1. CAP can implement new and evolving technology however it likes. 

2. Personally I am not terribly concerned about this system being shut off.  It appears that this company is making money (even though their phones suck), and that this is a technology that is growing, evolving, and changing.  It may not look the same tomorrow as it does today, but I doubt that the system will be shut off in the immediate future.  (I have no statistics to back that up)

3,  Having built my career in emergency response at the local regional, and state level I have never experienced the total disconnection of 911 like you describe. 

A colleague of mine recently popped his spot on a mountain snowmobile trip.  A sled had rolled down the mountain, and things were bad.  the 911 feature was activated  and mountain rescue teams were on scene within 30 minutes.  Knowing how 121.5 and 243 beacons are processed I doubt the rescue could have been as sucesfull as it was. 

I am only speaking from my experiences YMMV

[RiverAux]

I'd like to see the AFRCC folks get better about tasking the alerts to the 'best' group depending on type (PLB vs ELT vs EPIRB) and location, but 'best' is probably a too lofty goal.

For PLBs, it isn't the AFRCC's job to "task" anyone, but to pass the information along to the agency officially in charge of responding to such incidents, which isn't AFRCC.  If that agency decides to request assistantance in the form of CAP in prosecuting the mission, they could do so.  Very different context from ELT/EPIRB missions. 

[es_g0d]

Side note about SPOT and SAR team management:

A few folks here in Alaska are operationally testing them for "flight following."  In 99.9% of the landmass that makes up this state, you have ZERO terresrially-based options for communication.  A position report sent every 10 minutes exceeds most requirements for such operational flight following.  I've not heard of ground teams using SPOT trackers, but I'm sure that's on its way.  I can't wait for the day when I can look at a screen and see where every SAR asset is located within 10 minutes of precision.

There are other members investigating the use of radar tracks for flight following.  This technology holds very promising for most of the United States.  It will also probably mold well into the NexGen ATC system (based on ADS-B).

SPOT works very well in Alaska.  I found this VERY surprising when considering that it uses the Globalstar constellation of satellites for its communication.  Most users of Globalstar for SDIS have been sorely disappointed.  My suspicion is that because of the small packet size for SPOT it is able to be successful, whereas Globalstar cannot keep up with a high-bandwidth operation such as SDIS or telephony.

[sarmed1]

2. Personally I am not terribly concerned about this system being shut off.  It appears that this company is making money (even though their phones suck), and that this is a technology that is growing, evolving, and changing.  It may not look the same tomorrow as it does today, but I doubt that the system will be shut off in the immediate future.  (I have no statistics to back that up)

No matter how well your company does, that can always be an option with a private business.  A few years back there was a company called Access Cardio, they built these awsome cool small (like 5x7) AED's, everyone was all over them because of their compact size, they were in fact standard in the US Army/USOCOM medical kits (thats a good contract)...poof:  they had a bad lot of batteries and had to do a product recall with 100% refunds, bankrupt over night practically.

I have to say I also havent heard of the "loss" of 911 services like described. Maybe delays, but mostly that is the use of "emergency" assets to handle non emergency calls....thats why most sytems have a series of priorities making certain problems or call types handled over others....ie Medical or Fire Priority Dispatch call taking programs.  A medical alert alarm (ie I have fallen and cant get up) still ranks above toe pain, a cold or any other number of minor medical ailments, even though there is a 50/50 chance (or better) that it is a false alarm.  I am sure that a PLB acticvation handled by any 911 oriented comm center would have a high priority for rescue units.

Who exactly is CAP's mutual aid?  I have yet to see a guarunteed CAP response,  100% volunteer and I have never seen CAP pass a mission to someone else.  I would rather have the local fire Dept pass my SPOT/PLB mission to the next over department than wait while CAP tries to hopefull find a crew somewhere, the next state over, or 1 or 2 guys from differant ends of the state  in silly jumpsuits that dont get out of the car because the Oxygen tubing doesnt reach that far.....just to say they handled the call

mk