[pct-l] SPOT messenger vs McMurdo PLB

[Ben Crowell]

Gerry Zamora wrote:
>Can u call for help with the PLB like the spot or does it just brodcast your
>location?

When you buy it, you go online and register it with NOAA, so they know your name
and address and contact info for you and your family. Every two years, they expect
you to go online and update this info, even if you haven't moved. When you turn
on the PLB, it figures out your location (if possible) using GPS. This position
goes to the local search and rescue. Even if it can't get a GPS fix, it will
also send out an omnidirectional radio signal on a certain emergency frequency.
So assuming you are able to trigger it and you have a line of sight to the sky,
search and rescue should be able to head for your location as soon they're able
to mobilize and conditions allow.

You can't use it to make a voice call or send a text message. It's just an on/off
device.