New ~ SPOT Satellite Phones
Seem reasonably priced. Anyone have one? Couldn't get the link to work.
Forum Discussion
Though I haven't heard of cases when a person activated PLB but nobody received a signal
....the ACR ResQLink communicates with Cospas-Sarsat (triangulated by ground station LUTs, then, in the US, NOAA and/or USAF command centers are notified and inform deployment team(s)) is a completely different animal when comparing to the SPOT/GOES (SPOT and the GOES Alliance command center, where a response (or, non response!) is set in motion) satellite system PLB (etc).
The ResQLink (requiring NO on-going subscription fees whatsoever, however requiring registration with NOAA, where a sticker with user ID is issued to you after registration) is purely a dedicated "life-threatening emergency" notification system that transmits on a much lower frequency/wavelength (406MHz, at 75 centimeters wavelength) than the SPOT's 1,600 MHz, at ~19 centimeters wavelength.
There are a few very detailed technical reviews on both devices (A/Bing them); and I encourage anyone contemplating the purchase and reliance on a PLB "life-threatening emergency" device to do your serious due diligence! After all, it's your life on the line.
