Personal Locator Beacon for Kayaking (Why I didn't go with Garmin Inreach)

[@jshepard152]

Good choice. Sat messengers like Inreach are low power devices (1.6 watts for InReach - Spot is way less), which means they have shortcomings relative to PLBs. Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) can transmit at 5 watts power, allowing them to punch thru poor conditions much better than sat messengers. PLBs have enough power to transmit directly to geostationary satellites, which orbit at 22,000 miles in space. Sat messengers can't do that. In the continental US, there are two geostationary NOAA satellites overhead at all times, capable of picking up PLB distress signals very quickly - usually less than 5 minutes. Then they can backup on a large network of other satellites in LEO. So it's likely that your PLB distress signal will be picked up more quickly than a Spot/Garmin distress signal. Sat messengers access a private network with a satellite passing over every 90-100 minutes. Plus, your PLB distress message won't get hung up over some payment issue that you're unaware of. In a real life and death emergency in unknown conditions, when time counts, anywhere on Earth, PLBs are by far the best choice. Semper paratus.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Hopefully I won't need the people whose motto is Semper Paratus.....

[@jshepard152]

@@AdventureOtaku I certainly hope not. I feel much more secure in the wilds with the PLB on hand though.

[@AdventureOtaku]

@jshepard152 me too!

[@GDuncan8002]

This is great info. I plan to pick up a PLB before my next fishing trip.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Thanks for watching!

[@curtsmith7452]

I like the Inreach because I am more concerned about being informed with things at home. 5 years ago I was on a 10 trip on lake superior and 4 days in was informed that my sister and her fiance were killed in a tragic accident. I had to be emergency evacuated out. But without 2 way communication I wouldn't have known. Consequently, now when I go kayaking I am very paranoid that something is going to happen at home. There is no way I could comfortably go kayaking without being able to contact my wife. BTW your channel is very informative.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah absolutely a valid point.

[@Richard-bs8xe]

I have had my PLB-375 for the past 5 years. Peace of mind for my wife when I am out and about in the bay or ocean in the Virgina Beach area.

[@AdventureOtaku]

They make great stuff.

[@kayak_homie]

Thanks for the info, I'm super new to kayaking and your videos are all very informative, bought your book as well. I started looking into PLBs and didn't know where to begin, this is definitely a good starting point for me.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Glad you found it useful. If there are questions I can help with please reach out.

[@tehbieber]

Well now I feel silly for not realizing that PLBs transmit via satellite. I was under the impression that they just used terrestrial radio, so I've been carrying a SPOT as a backup that I probably don't actually need

[@AdventureOtaku]

In 2022 I went to prince william sound with NOLS and we carried an inreach, a plb and a sat phone. There is nothing wrong with a backup

[@jshepard152]

Spot is far inferior to a PLB. Spot transmits with only .4 watts of power, where as PLBs have 5 watts of transmit power. PLBs also have a far superior satellite network versus Spot, including the ability to transmit to geostationary sats that are always overhead, versus coming around every 100 minutes. The USDA tested Spot extensively for use with fire crews and found that it was pretty reliable with a clear view of the sky, but under tree canopy it failed - a lot.

[@wisenber]

I didn't choose one. I chose both. However, I don't carry both all of the time. My GPSMAP 86SCI (which does float) takes the place of my 64ST which does not float. Both Garmins work, but flotation and InReach were features that I wanted. It also replaced my SPOT Gen2. When I do carry both, the ACR is tethered to my PFD and the Garmin to my vessel. I also have an ACR 375. The batteries are user replaceable with two screws. The gasket just needs to be lubricated prior to reassembly. Previously, one could be sent off to have a new battery installed and recertified, but the cost was about 80% of a new unit. Now it's 30 bucks for another five years done at home. Certified or not, it's important to do a battery witness test periodically and avail yourself of a full test annually. (Many units are software limited to a total of 12 GPS tests for the lifetime of the unit). A useful feature for the ACR is that you can refer to it on your Coast Guard app on your phone. That lets you file float plan with the Coast Guard along with a check-in time. Your digital marine radio also fits this. The float plan is a nice backup for all of your technology in the event that you are physically or otherwise medically impaired from using your equipment. For me, the value of the InReach is the ability to send a "don't send help" message as much as a "send help" message. I have a rotating list of people I use for a call-in when I get back to my vehicle. Several times those contacts have gotten a bit overzealous by calling the ranger station on the dot instead of waiting a couple of extra hours. I'd either end of meeting a ranger at a trailhead or half a dozen voicemails from SAR when I got back into cell coverage. The InReach lets me stretch those check-in boundaries. It's come in handy when I had to sit out two days in the middle of a kayak trip due to weather or the times when snow or even a sore knee meant I couldn't keep my backpacking schedule and needed an extra day. The majority of the time, I keep the lowest month to month plan that gives me the option to move up a plan for a month when I have more engaged outings. FWIW, Garmin's network isn't really inferior. While ACR does currently dominate the shipping industry, Garmin does commercial and military aviation. If I had one and only one opportunity to get an SOS out, I'd choose ACR. However, the InReach can do many. If you're using it for a group, you can communicate the nature of the emergency to help SAR tailor their response, and you may even be able to receive medical instructions while you're waiting. To me, it's about layers of redundancy and leveraging risk. As risks and remoteness increase, I add layers. Since I log most of my trips with my 86SCI (even if I'm just fitness paddling), the Garmin tends to be my base layer. If I'm taking my handheld, the ACR will be there too. If it's multi-day coastal, my Garmin without InReach will be in a hatch (with the same routes loaded).

[@AdventureOtaku]

And that sounds like a great system, I simply can’t afford that many pieces of gear. I didn’t consider the marine version of the gpsmap 66i because it also has to work on land for me, as I do both. The marine version is a bit bulkier.

[@wisenber]

@@AdventureOtaku The 86SCI is certainly bulky, but most of the time it's on my shoulder strap with a lanyard for backpacking. Many opt for an InReach Mini relying heavily on their phone. To me that just means that you can lose two functions with one equipment failure. The Watertribe events I participate in require a marine radio, PLB, GPS, phone and a Spot/InReach along with charts to participate. I think I would have eventually acquired all of them, but the requirement expedited that. I'm hoping Musk will come down on his marine internet price before I do more bluewater sailing. SSB works, but it would be nice.... Now if we just had something for cavers. 🙂

[@kevincasey2947]

I'd really love to hear an analysis of the differences, (if there are any...?) of a particular unit's performance in the lower 48 states, (bias towards the PNW), compared to SE Alaska and the Inside Passage areas, or coastal Vancouver Island or Prince Ruppert areas of Canada. For me, I have always been leery of these units, because of the possibilities of them working great where I might buy one where I live versus not working where I go. I am a kayaker exclusively. I loved this video BTW! Thanks!

[@wisenber]

@@kevincasey2947 Cospas-SARsat utilize several satellite constellations which results in greater coverage than the Iridium constellation Garmin uses. That being said, I've never had an Iridium phone fail when I had a view decent view of the sky, but they can in canyons or canopy. 406 based systems have the same challenges but with more targets. In remote environments like that, I'd spend the extra 80 bucks for the lock signal on a 406. InReach will tell you if you've acquired signal and how many satellites it's accessing. A PLB will give you 24 hours of location broadcast with no good way to extend that in the field. An InReach will give you less, but they can be charged over USB. In those areas, a marine handheld with SSB is a good idea as well as they have GPS, distress and 2-way communication. However they won't reliably transmit more than a few miles at sea level. The thing I like about an InReach in those situations is that you can request a simple tow instead of a full blown helicopter evacuation. Your wallet may depend on which you get.

[@kevincasey2947]

@@wisenber Out of this world super useful information, thanks!

[@trailnscaleRC]

great vid. I'm starting to research these for yak adventures.. where do you mostly paddle out of? PNW?

[@AdventureOtaku]

I wish. I am east coast. So I have paddled PNW. And I have paddled Alaska extensively. I have also paddled most of the east coast barrier islands (OBX, cape lookout and the like.) now I am paddling mostly Maine and the maritimes. And trying to cover the central Atlantic barrier islands

[@DavidJohnstonkayaker]

The weather feature in the InReach are generally garbage at least it is for me using it in Canada. The 3rd party company they get weather data from doesn't classify the great lakes as a marine environment even though both NOAA and Environment Canada both provides marine forecasts and data for the region. I've often tested the land based forecasts compared to the "official" one or provided through the likes of other services like Windy and it's always proven to be sub-par or inaccurate so it never even crosses my mind to make use of it while out on a trip. It's probably the weakest feature of the entire unit.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Interesting, I know a sailor that liked that feature, but that is good info and makes me feel better about my choice. Thanks for the info!