At $169 many more people can have this security.

I know nothing about PLB technology, but have wanted one for while.

Is this unit as good as the ones that cost more money.

For those of you who know about these things what are the advantages and disadvantages of this unit?

Click here for the info

Thanks.

see the blog

http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=77

but the service costs money were as the others dont!

ACR MicroFix PLB w/ internal GPS from aeromedix.com:
$649.99 - battery good for 5 years

SPOT Messenger from aeromedix.com:
$149.90 - for basic unit
$99.99 - for 1st year of service
$99.99 - for 2nd year of service
$99.99 - for 3rd year of service
$99.99 - for 4th year of service
$99.99 - for 5th year of service
TOTAL: $649.90

At least for the first five years the SPOT Messenger is clearly the lower cost option.
:-)

I haven't been able to determine the cost of replacing a battery on the ACR PLB, but I would hope its much less than $500, so the second five years for the PLB should be even cheaper.

I have an ACR AeroFix from Aeromedix.com, and I feel confident that were I to press those buttons that the device would work right and that help would be on the way.

Here is some info posted from someone in another club of mine. it may NOT be accurate.
Please correct us if it is.

* This is a start-up ... new product, very little test data available
* Relies on GlobeStar satellites ... very old equipment, mostly
obsolete, coverage maps are "optimistic" at best
* GlobeStar is near bankruptcy ... their sat phone business is falling
apart due to "poor service" issues and equipment malfunctions
* SPOT unit uses same satellite equipment ...

I would have to agree with you and Doug that I wouldn't bet my life on it, I would definitely go with the ACR. I think over time the Spot will get better providing that they change over to the newer sats, but it's a start up company and will take time to get proficient to work the bugs out, unfortunately it will take one death to ruin and bankrupt the company if their system fails to perform. I'm not a fan of paying yearly for a service either, if I have to do that, I would just rent one when needed.

The good thing about Spot is it may spin other companies off to compete making a better product and with the N95 out and more technologies getting better I can see something on a more global base and reliable rescue product. Even with the current system with over 90% false alarms, needs to be fixed but there's way too much bureaucracy to fix it. Nasa and the military have a huge logistic's at hand to support operations and with fixed budgets the civilian sector will be the last to benefit.

I fear the one day when they put a GM onstar built in your back pack and someone is tracking you 24/7 and you reach down to tie your shoes and a lady comes over a speaker sewed in your pack and says "Hello Mr. Ritter, this is Holly from Onstar and I have noticed that you have fallen and can't get up, your location is XXX and do you need me to dispatch SAR?" or "I see you are being attacked by a black bear and being eaten alive, would you like for me to arange your funeral?"

I hear you, all the manufactures are putting in more anti crash equipment, brake by wire, electronic steering, crash recorders, and help systems to "protect us". These manufactures can't seem to build good products much anymore but they love to put systems on to give us a false sense of security. My grandfather went his whole life without seat belts and it's great that we have them but it should be our option to wear them. Gene pool will take care of the rest.

I've been a Toyota fan for awhile, I own both Ford and Toy, although I had bought a corolla as a work vehicle and it hasn't been out of it's warranty and it's been in the shop several times. I had 2 Toy trucks lasted for ages and bought a Ford for more room and what a mistake that was. I love the truck when it runs but it's left me stranded at 3 am in the morning on I-26 going to Asheville when it was snowing and I didn't appreciate that to much. I always keep tons of just in case gear on board and it paid off on that trip.

Vehicles built by foreign-owned carmakers at assembly plants located in the U.S. and Canada for sale in the U.S. had 66.2% domestic content, while domestic makers (Ford, GM, and Chevy) are at 80%. Therefore, right now domestics do use more domestic parts and build more vehicles in the US than import manufacturers. Ford also has the vehicle with the most domestically produced parts in their E-series vans.

You also have to be careful, as cars like the Civic, Accord, and Altima go through final assembly stateside, but are made with majority imported parts.

Nowadays you have to look at particular models more than brands. Just sticking with Toyota or Ford isn't enough. You have to research each individual vehicle. Right now Ford's F150 is rated as more reliable and has a higher US made parts content than Toyota's Tundra or GM's Silverado. So even though the Toyota is a real hotrod when it comes to trucks and the Silverado has the nicest interior, I would probably go with the F150.

With that said though, I was the one who convinced my father to look at the Lexus RX330 instead of the Ford Explorer/Lincoln Aviator. I have my bias like everyone, but I do my research (both on paper and in person) and have no qualms about picking what I find to be the better vehicle.

Good point Paul810! It's always good to educate yourself!