A standard for Satellite Emergency Notification Devices (SENDs) has been approved. This is the first of a series of steps being taken, in significant part as a result of my urging, to ensure that devices such as SPOT are more likely to work when used for distress alerting. All the details at:

http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=331

Also included is some commentary on the current state of the COSPAS-SARSAT organization and system that created a fair bit of controversy at the NOAA Beacon Manufactures Workshop on Friday.

Doug, you are amazing.
-Blast

I think "crazy" might be a better description.....

Extremely interesting insight. I think you are right on the marketing direction that our current PLBs are likely to take, but don't take offensive if I say I hope you are wrong on that point. Thanks for all the hard work that went into this report.

Crazy amazing.

Thanks. My point in provoking the parties publicly is that I hope by doing so it won't come to pass because I am forcing them to deal with these issues. OTOH, I wouldn't take bets... <~>

If I had a spare few thousand bucks I'd love to go provoke some more at the upcoming COSPAS-SARSAT Joint Committee meeting in Hong Kong, but I wonder if one reason they hold them in places like that is they know I can't afford to come be a PITheirA. <g> (More like they love being able to go somewhere exotic on the taxpayer's dime and countries and such love to host the hundred's of expense account delegates to the JC.)

I'm planning to purchase a McMurdo FastFind 210- should I hold off? Will that satellite network be offline/obsolete should I need to use the beacon in, say, three years?

The COSPAS-SARSAT system isn't going anywhere (I guess that is something of a double entendre <g>). In fact they are spending millions renewing it and advancing it with the new MEOSAR constellation as next gen GPS satellites are launched. Your new PLB will work for just fine for as long as you are likely to be carrying it.

PS: Unless you are in a hurry, I recommend waiting until the ACR ResQLink is available. Unfortunately, at least in large part because of the COSPAS-SARSAT bureaucracy, that may be another couple months. :-(

OTOH, if you need one now, the Fastfind 210 is fine, it's what I currently carry.

I'm not in a huge rush but I'm drawn to the FF210 for its mix of ability and low price. I can't really afford $400 or more for a beacon. The '210 is only about $225.