Does anyone know what it costs to replace a battery on an ACR Terrafix?

I have to replace the battery in my PLB by 2012. Somehow I got the impression that the cost of getting a new battery may be high enough to make me at least consider just buying a "next generation" unit.

Ken

Don't have that number, but seriously, I think your supposition is correct. A few more years down the road and they will be even cheaper, as well as lighter and smaller. We are reaching the point where these devices almost become disposable. Plus, bear in mind that the 5 year battery replacement interval is the conservative half life of the battery, per the standards. It's probably perfectly safe to use it after 10 years, certainly after 7-8 years. The batteries in the MicrOFix are essentially composed of modularized CR-123 cells, which we know to have a 10-year life.

Thanks Doug, if things keep going at work as they seem to be I'll be buying either the new FastFind or the ACR MicrOFix in the next few months. Track record is important so the ACR MicrOFix has an advantage there, but size is definitely on the side of the new FastFind.

Ahhh that makes sense. The extra few years could make a big difference on exactly what that "next generation" will be when it comes time for me to buy again. Thanks!!

Ken

That 10-year rating on most CR-123 cells is to 90% or perhaps 80% charged. As long as the unit isn't stored hot (over 140F) or tested too often 20 years is a reasonable expectation for at least 50% capacity (I'm assuming no parasitic load on the battery).

20 years is probably beyond the design life of the electronics anyway, especially in the RoHS era. And by then there's likely to be a replacement for the existing SARSAT signal protocol: the existing scheme doesn't really support GPS - GPS locating is a hack that only works in some parts of the world - and I expect that eventually someone will upgrade the protocol at some point, perhaps adding some situational information etc in addition to the unit serial number.

The existing location protocol does include location information from a GPS, if included in or hooked up to the beacon, it is not limited to the beacon information unless is is not a location protocol beacon, IOW one without any GPS or navigation information capability. While there are likely to be updated protocols in the future offering greater precision in the provided location, it is a subject of intense discussion and research in the SARSAT community right now, I am also not sure I understand your comments about the GPS only working in some parts of the world. It is true that the current protocol cannot transmit the precision that the GPS receiver is capable of due to encoding limitations, but there is no geographic limitation associated with it. Since it is based on a worst case of +/- 4 seconds of a degree, it is variable with the largest possible offset, the 100 meters precision typically quoted, found at the equator, but I know of no other limitations related to geographical location that you imply may exist.

Doug,
Strictly for use in a maritime environment -- eg., an aircraft ditch at sea -- which of the small PLB's would you recommend, the ACR MicroFix™ or the new McMurdo Fast Find (assuming the Fast Find gets FCC approval)? From what you know will one or the other have advantages or disadvantages in terms of performance? Fast Find's size and cost advantage is a given.

As I have not even yet handled the new McMurdo PLB, I can't at this time possibly offer an opinion in this regard.

Remember too that if you're anticipating use over/in water, that you'll want one of the floating models. Either the current ResQFix (which I think is just a MicrOFix with the float pouch) or the newly announced ResQFix12 or AquaFix.

My MicrOFix is clearly labeled on the back that it will NOT float by itself. Which is fine for my usage, but not appropriate for marine use.

Herbie,
Plan is to have the PLB tethered to the flotation gear I'll be wearing. Will the ResQFix float with the antenna oriented up?