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#224131 - 05/23/11 10:04 AM PLB Rescue off West End Bahamas
celler Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/25/03
Posts: 410
Loc: Jupiter, FL
These folks are from my area. Nice to see a happy ending. I saw a news story last night which featured the PLB involved, an ACR AquaFix. Although the story in the link below got it right, I was surprised how many media types still do not know what a PLB is. I heard the AquaFix called a "GPS locator", an "EPIRB", and just a plain old "GPS." How is the general public going to find out about what these devices can do if the local media can't figure it out. Pretty disappointing.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/coast-guard-rescues-three-boaters-from-boynton-beach-1491071.html

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#224138 - 05/23/11 01:22 PM Re: PLB Rescue off West End Bahamas [Re: celler]
Glock-A-Roo Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 04/16/03
Posts: 1076
Glad to see the good news.

Originally Posted By: celler
I was surprised how many media types still do not know what a PLB is. I heard the AquaFix called a "GPS locator", an "EPIRB", and just a plain old "GPS."...


Yeah, these are the same people who call every rifle an AK47 and every pistol a Glock. Meanwhile a 10-second Google search would set them straight, but they see themselves as the gatekeepers to informing the masses.

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#224140 - 05/23/11 01:59 PM Re: PLB Rescue off West End Bahamas [Re: Glock-A-Roo]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
Even after the CG calls it a PLB in the article, the writer describes it as the "vessel's personal locator beacon". Read the comments to the story; the readers call it an EPIRB and GPS device.

Really though, it's just semantics; different acronyms for virtually the same result. Maybe instead of buying the boat an EPIRB the owner bought a PLB which he left on the boat . . . So does that make it an imPersonal Locator Beacon or is it an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (lower case)? Who cares -- they had one, used it and the Coasties were able to come up with a relatively cheap save.

Like the FF 210 in my flight bag . . I really expect the aircraft's ELT (analog) to sink if we are ever forced to ditch. The beacon I take with me is my personally owned PLB, but it will function as an 406 MHz ELT (emergency locator transmitter) if I ever use it following a ditch.
_________________________
Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.
Okay, what’s your point??

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#224186 - 05/24/11 01:40 AM Re: PLB Rescue off West End Bahamas [Re: Russ]
Hikin_Jim Offline
Sheriff
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 10/12/07
Posts: 1804
Loc: Southern California
The article didn't get it all wrong:
Quote:
"These boaters survived a potentially fatal accident because they were prepared," said Capt. Chris Scraba, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami.

"They immediately donned life jackets, which allowed them to stay afloat until they were rescued, and they activated their PLB, which provided the Coast Guard precise location information," Scraba said.

More than 75 percent of boating fatalities are due to drowning. Of the drowning cases, more than 90 percent of the victims were not wearing life jackets, the Coast Guard said.
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