"Yuppie 911" GPS beacon allows boneheads to summon help.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

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First people brought their cellphones along on questionable adventures.

Now they have a portable locator beacon that has allowed people to get themselves
into dangerous, or maybe just uncomfortable, environs and call upon dedicated
rescuers to get them out.

SIA

[seamusTX]

There would be less of this kind of thing if the authorities started charging for rescues, the same as air ambulances. People who get into these activities are typically well-off enough to make getting a lien on them worthwhile.

Many hazardous locations now require people to have rescue insurance when they go mountain-climbing and the like.

- Jim

[joe817]

There would be less of this kind of thing if the authorities started charging for rescues, the same as air ambulances. People who get into these activities are typically well-off enough to make getting a lien on them worthwhile.
- Jim

They don't now? That's totally dumb, to do it for free.

[seamusTX]

It depends upon the state and agency. I think it's not that common in the U.S. It is in some countries, where you are required to have insurance before going on risky adventures.

- Jim

[Zee]

Send those folks the bill!

[TxDrifter]

I seem to recall Colorado started getting runs on hunting licenses because anyone that had one wouldn't get charged for a rescue. I'm not sure if they passed that through or if it still exists. Maybe if they wouldn't have slowly tried to dismantle the Boy Scouts they would have been part of a troop and wouldn't have even needed the beacon. I'm just glad I had the chance to be one.

[chabouk]

I read in the news a few weeks ago about a photographer in Arkansas who was setting up a shot and lost his footing, and fell 20-something feet off a waterfall onto the rocks below. Lots of broken bones and internal injuries.

Fortunately for him, he had one of those GPS beacons. It took rescuers less than 30 minutes to find him, but about 4 hours to get him out.

[G.A. Heath]

I am considering one of those beacons for myself. There are a number of reasons for it too. First off many of these beacons have a feature where you can push a button and let people know that your ok. This works great for long trips where cell phone coverage is spotty. Having one of these also means you can get help where you have no cell phone coverage. If you and a few friends are out hunting and one friend falls into a crevice, sink hole, or what ever and you need help but don't have any equipment to get to him plus you don't want to aggravate any injuries he may have whats your first reaction? Grab your cell and call 911. but if you have no cell phone coverage you need to get help and fast, thats where these beacons come into their own. Or lets say that your girlfriend, wife, or daughter is driving by herself from Lampasas Texas to Lamesa Texas. There are a number of areas where you have no cell phone coverage. If she has no cell phone coverage and is in a wreck, has car trouble, ect. and there is no one around you probably want her to have one of these with her just in case. These are not rich "yuppie" toys, they are be valuable emergency tools that can save your life. The particular model I'm looking at comes from a company called "Spot" costs about $150 for the hardware and about $100/year for the service. Your cell phone isn't that cheap and it won't work where this will.

[Keith B]

I am considering one of those beacons for myself. There are a number of reasons for it too. First off many of these beacons have a feature where you can push a button and let people know that your ok. This works great for long trips where cell phone coverage is spotty. Having one of these also means you can get help where you have no cell phone coverage. If you and a few friends are out hunting and one friend falls into a crevice, sink hole, or what ever and you need help but don't have any equipment to get to him plus you don't want to aggravate any injuries he may have whats your first reaction? Grab your cell and call 911. but if you have no cell phone coverage you need to get help and fast, thats where these beacons come into their own. Or lets say that your girlfriend, wife, or daughter is driving by herself from Lampasas Texas to Lamesa Texas. There are a number of areas where you have no cell phone coverage. If she has no cell phone coverage and is in a wreck, has car trouble, ect. and there is no one around you probably want her to have one of these with her just in case. These are not rich "yuppie" toys, they are be valuable emergency tools that can save your life. The particular model I'm looking at comes from a company called "Spot" costs about $150 for the hardware and about $100/year for the service. Your cell phone isn't that cheap and it won't work where this will.

Just be cautious on which service you use. Some of the locators actually use the cellular system to communicate, so will do no better if there is no cell coverage.

[karl]

I am considering one of those beacons for myself. There are a number of reasons for it too. First off many of these beacons have a feature where you can push a button and let people know that your ok. This works great for long trips where cell phone coverage is spotty. Having one of these also means you can get help where you have no cell phone coverage. If you and a few friends are out hunting and one friend falls into a crevice, sink hole, or what ever and you need help but don't have any equipment to get to him plus you don't want to aggravate any injuries he may have whats your first reaction? Grab your cell and call 911. but if you have no cell phone coverage you need to get help and fast, thats where these beacons come into their own. Or lets say that your girlfriend, wife, or daughter is driving by herself from Lampasas Texas to Lamesa Texas. There are a number of areas where you have no cell phone coverage. If she has no cell phone coverage and is in a wreck, has car trouble, ect. and there is no one around you probably want her to have one of these with her just in case. These are not rich "yuppie" toys, they are be valuable emergency tools that can save your life. The particular model I'm looking at comes from a company called "Spot" costs about $150 for the hardware and about $100/year for the service. Your cell phone isn't that cheap and it won't work where this will.

Avoid the controversy of being called a yuppy and get a Satellite Phone.

[seamusTX]

These are not rich "yuppie" toys, they are be valuable emergency tools that can save your life.

As with firearms or any other tool, the merit or lack thereof is in their use, not the tool itself.

Getting help in a vehicle breakdown in a remote area is a legitimate use. Getting oneself into a jam through lack of skill and preparation and then expecting $100,000 worth of emergency rescue is not.

- Jim

[surprise_i'm_armed]

G. A. Heath, et al:

You mentioned that the beacon could be used to notify someone that you are OK.

What kind of device must your loved ones have in order to receive this signal?

My rough idea of how these beacons work is that they talk to a low earth satellite
which is monitored by some high tech government entity.

SIA

[MustangGlocker]

There is also a watch made by Breitling called the Emergency that has a built in beacon on 121.5 mHz. Granted it's mostly for pilots, I have heard that some land rescues have been done successfully using it. Cool watch, down side is the price tag. IIRC, around $4k-$6k for a stainless steel and $10k+ for gold.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

MustangGlocker:

John Travolta pitches for Breitling. I saw a paparazzi photo of him and he was
wearing a Breitling ball cap.

John Travolta is a licensed pilot with all the best tickets punched, IIRC.

He has 2 jets of his own:
A full size jet (707?) that he refers to as his family car.
And something like a Gulfstream 10 passenger which he refers to as his sports car.

So that's where some of those millions go that he makes from his movies.

SIA

[boomerang]

The particular model I'm looking at comes from a company called "Spot" costs about $150 for the hardware and about $100/year for the service. Your cell phone isn't that cheap and it won't work where this will.

You can buy a prepaid phone for less than $50 and a year of service for $75 to $100. And a cell phone can call 911 without service.

The Spot GPS Messenger is a niche product. It may be a useful' niche product but it's like comparing apples and heirloom tomatoes.