News article: Personal Satellite Beacons

I guess my question is what the difference is between epirbs and this new locator.
 
I've been wearing a Breitling Emergency wristwatch for several years, for just this sort of application.
 
To Fred A: I believe the difference is that the EPIRB is not tied into a satellite network. The EPIRB just transmits blindly and if a search aircraft picks up the signal, the aircraft can home in on the transmitter.

The thing in the article has enough range that it can transmit to satellites, so there is always someone listening.
 
Originally posted by Lurker
To Fred A: I believe the difference is that the EPIRB is not tied into a satellite network. The EPIRB just transmits blindly and if a search aircraft picks up the signal, the aircraft can home in on the transmitter.
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EPIRBS *are* picked up by <a href="http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/">the satellites</a>, even the old 121.5 Mhz ones.

If you buy a new EPIRB, get one of the 406Mhz ones. The 121.5/243Mhz ones are being phased out.
 
aviation industry for years and I can tell you that here in the Gulf Coast area at least if one of these epirbs goes off everybody and their brother responds.
 
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