PLB mission in CA

[sardak]

That makes no sense, PLBs transmit on similar if not the same frequencies, CAP is also tasked for locating missing persons there shouldn't be any exceptions.

Sure I can understand that PLBs would be a state thing since we know PLBs are on the person (presumably) so we can be sure that we are looking for a person and in most if not all states require the sheriff or some other state SAR organization to take responsibility in locating these PLB/persons

PLBs are 406 MHz beacons which transmit on exactly the same freqs as other 406 MHz beacons - ELTs and EPIRBs.

River is correct in that ELTs are intended for aviation so the AFRCC is involved.  EPIRBs are intended for marine use, so the Coast Guard gets involved (not always, as we know).  As you say, PLBs are intended for people on land, so the MOU between AFRCC (the fed agency tasked with inland SAR) and the state determines who handles PLB incidents.

The AFRCC's position is that since PLBs are land based, they and CAP shouldn't be the primary agencies because their roles are in aviation related incidents.  MOUs with states are written following that premise.

When PLBs were first proposed for legal use in the US (except Alaska where they were already legal), AFRCC used the non-distress ELT and EPIRB problem to oppose PLBs.

AFRCC's next attempt at getting out of having to deal with PLBs was more involved.  It proposed that PLB alerts be sent directly to the states bypassing AFRCC entirely.   Money was budgeted to provide the states with computer systems and the same exact software AFRCC uses to process alerts.

Vermont got its system and then the bottom dropped out of the program.  Seems there was a higher need for DoD money for an ongoing affair in another part of the world.  State agencies also raised some issues and concerns.  The program was canned.  As a result, AFRCC still processes the PLB alerts, but passes them off to a state agency, which in most (if not all) cases is not CAP.

As for the incident that started this thread, it was a PLB, not a Spot.  An excerpt from the Sarsat incident log:
[The son] activated their PLB.  The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received the SARSAT alert and contacted the California Office of Emergency Services which sent out a rescue team.

And here is the report from the SAR team:
Vaughn PLB Rescue

Mike

[mynetdude]

The Spot was only mentioned as an alternative. I kind of like the spot idea, it has its usefulness

I never have heard about Spot until now, Spot seems to be a more inexpensive way of having a "PLB" in your possession.  The question is, how effective is Spot? It doesn't transmit on 406MHz frequencies, but it CAN notify emergency services you need help and again... how? It has a built in GPS and relays your GPS position to google maps for saving for later review and once again how long does that take? 10 minutes to update? 30 minutes? Sheesh... if it takes 30 minutes for your positional check to update if you need to check in every 3hrs your updates will not appear for 3.5hrs and in 30 minutes if you are not stationery and continuing to walk you could be quite a bit a ways beyond your last checkpoint if you keep moving.

[wingnut]

Spot uses the Global Star System

You got it the same as our SDIS system, and the latest report from an Industry watchdog group, Global star has a 27% connection rate. Thats a 73% failure to connect rate. I would hate to depend on that for my safety.

[sardak]

Globalstar has two systems that use the same satellites.  The two-way voice and duplex data system, which CAP and Globalstar phones use, and the simplex and data and asset tracking system, which Spot uses. 

Globalstar acknowledges it has problems with the two-way system.  The company says it has better than 99% successful transmission rate with the simplex system.  Here is the link: http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/news/update.php

The Globalstar phone problems prompted a number of potential Spot users to question Globalstar, which is how it came to light that Spot uses the simplex system.

Mike

[isuhawkeye]

Sorry to get even more off topic, but

Spot is sending me a unit to demo.  feel free to PM me with questions, or limits that you would like to see tested,

[mynetdude]

Sorry to get even more off topic, but

Spot is sending me a unit to demo.  feel free to PM me with questions, or limits that you would like to see tested,

Hey you got lucky!

[isuhawkeye]

Luck has nothing to do with it.  Its not like I won the lotto

[mynetdude]

Luck has nothing to do with it.  Its not like I won the lotto

No, but not everyone can get a demo of said product either.