EPIRBs in the Outback
 

Bit of good news (sort of) about an elderly couple who rolled their vehicle
on a fairly remote track in South Australia. They had bought a $350 EPIRB
(Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon - I think it is) a few weeks
before leaving for their trip. About an hour after it was activated a plane
flew over and dropped a note telling them help was on its way, it took about
four hours for the nearest station manager to reach them by road.

In the interview the manager said that the track was very rarely used during
the summer months and that it was unlikely that any of his staff would have
been down there for at least a month.

Temperatures were in the low 40C s - they had enough water for about a week.

Okay - I'm gunna start selling EPIRBS - not!
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EPIRBs in the Outback
 

EPIRBs have their invaluable purpose and I'd never say "don't use them."
I'm convinced, though, that a better option is a satphone. With the latter,
you can tell a specific person WHAT the problem is, how urgent, etc. All an
EPIRB does is send out a signal saying, "trouble." And if it's set off and
it ISN'T an emergency, the fines are enormous.

For my part, I carried both in the bush.....did need the satphone for one
breakdown - by pure luck it probably wasn't life and death because there was
a little traffic but it easily could have been anywhere "not seen for a
month" as you put it.


in article , Roger Martin at
wrote on 2/19/04 4:12 AM:


Bit of good news (sort of) about an elderly couple who rolled their vehicle
on a fairly remote track in South Australia. They had bought a $350 EPIRB
(Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon - I think it is) a few weeks
before leaving for their trip. About an hour after it was activated a plane
flew over and dropped a note telling them help was on its way, it took about
four hours for the nearest station manager to reach them by road.

In the interview the manager said that the track was very rarely used during
the summer months and that it was unlikely that any of his staff would have
been down there for at least a month.

Temperatures were in the low 40C s - they had enough water for about a week.

Okay - I'm gunna start selling EPIRBS - not!

EPIRBs in the Outback
 

The older epirbs are prone to accidental activation. Most activations were
accidents, wasting the time of the rescue authorities. The newer ones have
your ID in them, and S&R can find you much faster (tech reasons here).
I recommend epirbs as a last solution. It can still take several days to
actuallyfind/ get to you. Tough luck if bitten by a snake.
Also be aware that its difficult to use a satphone on the move.And there are
some parts of Australia where the sat service is very sketchy, even in
several desert areas (tech reasons again:). If in a deep valley where the
sat is below the horizon , there is no sat service. HF radio is prone to its
own vaguries but also has its advantages.
As Raffi says one of the satphone advantages is being able to talk to one
person. It is also one of satphones disadvantages. A HF equiped party may be
just over the next dune. But if they have a satphone they arent going to
find out about your problems are they ?

"Roger Martin" wrote in message
...

Bit of good news (sort of) about an elderly couple who rolled their
vehicle
on a fairly remote track in South Australia. They had bought a $350 EPIRB
(Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon - I think it is) a few weeks
before leaving for their trip. About an hour after it was activated a
plane
flew over and dropped a note telling them help was on its way, it took
about
four hours for the nearest station manager to reach them by road.

In the interview the manager said that the track was very rarely used
during
the summer months and that it was unlikely that any of his staff would
have
been down there for at least a month.

Temperatures were in the low 40C s - they had enough water for about a
week.

Okay - I'm gunna start selling EPIRBS - not!
--
www.bribieisland4x4hire.com
VW Kombi Camper Buy Backs
Landcruiser Troopy - Toyota Hilux Crew Cab
Mitsubishi Pajero - Landrover V8 Swag Camper