FAILURE RATE?

One interesting issue that is not discussed is the failure rate of each. How often do each fail to provide the communication they promise?

BACKGROUND: I bought the ACR PLB and carry it where ever I go. When the SPOT was released, I studied the data sheets with the intent to resell them in your store. I wasn't sold on what I read.

Then came the real test. We were promised a real live test from SPOT. I posted the results under "SPOT FAILS UNDER PRESSURE on 07/06/08" John Dark from SPOT said "What Problem".

Last weekend was the clincher. A kayaker dripped into our store for a beer. Wet from just running the Payette River from Smiths Ferry to Ponderosa Sports. I was surprised he was still alive. It is one bad stretch of river.

He was playing with my demo ACR PLB and had some questions. He seemed quite involved in the technology. Then he pops up with the fact he has a SPOT. He was quite impressed with it. I thought, with this data, that my interest in the SPOT would be refueled. He had used it quite a bit.

I asked him how it worked. He said it worked quite well if he got a connection! I said what? He stated that on the Payette River that flows straight North to South with NO CANYON WALLS, there was often 20 minutes that he could not get connection! We went out to the parking lot and sure enough it was still on and still searching. Lucky he was drinking a beer instead of requesting a RESCUE OR DEATH call.

Please post your FAILURE EXPERIENCES. Has anyone ever had an ACR PLB fail to request a rescue?