Solo backcountry emergency communications

[yagoiiivomaltmoor]

I've been following this forum for a few years and have learned a lot, thanks.

My goal is to have the ability to communicate outside of cell phone range if I had an emergency while hiking, hunting or overlanding. I almost exclusively do these things by myself. So far my plan is to use a PLB but that's only a beacon if things go very bad. I've also thought about renting a sat phone for an upcoming multi-day solo hunt in the Wyoming mountains.

My communications background is limited to a certified SAR radio operator on ground & air teams (Civil Air Patrol). However, I haven't touched a radio in 17 years. I operated exclusively on our assigned freqs mostly for mobile station-to-station comms. Occasionally I participated in our daily net checks but that was infrequent for me.

I am not a HAM operator but would get the license if it would be useful? I phrase that as a question because many of the areas I go (Montana & Wyoming) seem not to be covered by HAM repeaters that I could reliably reach in the field. Even if I could reach the repeater I'm not certain anyone would be listening. Although autopatch might be an option to reach 911?

My ideal is also to send a daily "all ok" back to family when I'm out of cell range.

What do you all suggest?

 

[zelatore]

I'm on my way out the door shortly so I don't have time to look it up, but last year there was a test of various PLB-like devices by Overland Journal that was posted on this forum's home page. It might be worth checking out as it seems to be about what you have in mind.

I would look into something like the SPOT messenger. It will allow people at home to track your location and allow you to send basic messages back to them such as 'all ok' or 'send help'. I think the newest versions might allow text messaging by pairing with your smart phone as well.

 

[libarata]

You could also look into thinks like SPOT, and give a reliable friend/family the info to check up on it. As far as I remember, home HAM repeaters have an emergency channel and such, but if no repeater, no deal.

 

[yagoiiivomaltmoor]

The PLB I'm using is the ACR 2881 ResQLink. I've chased plenty of ELTs and EPIRBS around so am very careful with it.

On SPOT: my reading suggests that it's less than 100% reliable. So that knocked it out of contention for me. For instance, if my wife gets an 'all ok' message for 2 days but doesn't on the 3rd day how should she respond? It could mean I've got a problem or simply that I couldn't get a reliable signal out. That's my hang-up with SPOT but maybe I'm wrong?

 

[oscar the grouch]

spot or inreach. little more spendy because of subscription but less chance of not being able to reach someone and that someone be willing to help

 

[oscar the grouch]

The PLB I'm using is the ACR 2881 ResQLink. I've chased plenty of ELTs and EPIRBS around so am very careful with it.

On SPOT: my reading suggests that it's less than 100% reliable. So that knocked it out of contention for me. For instance, if my wife gets an 'all ok' message for 2 days but doesn't on the 3rd day how should she respond? It could mean I've got a problem or simply that I couldn't get a reliable signal out. That's my hang-up with SPOT but maybe I'm wrong?

the new ones have 2 way texting. or a message sent verification.

 

[Frdmskr]

Ham radio is more than repeaters. Quite a few folks carry low power rigs for HF into the field. The lightest of these weigh under a couple pounds (antenna and batteries included). Those stations are almost exclusively More Code based.

A bit heavier and you can do voice. Rigs are a bit bigger and need more juice but again, small and lightweight. This includes the Yaesu FT817nd which has HF/VHF/UHF. Lots of these out there used. Check out YouTube for ideas.

For this you would need the General Class License (second of 3 levels) since you'd focus on HF. There are nets you could set sleds with to have messages relayed to loved ones as needed.

It's an option. Check out videos by Wg0AT and see his trip to Eagle Peak in Oregon I think it is. (No goat support that time just a pack horse )


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'm almost always solo. I rely on a Delorme inReach Explorer and it is positively awesome. I've used it in Iceland, Ecuador, Baja, and even in my backyard with cell reception. Since it uses the Iridium satellite network, it works way better than many other sat based devices. Certainly better than a radio. I could go on and on, but the advantages to the inReach are hard to beat. The subscription plans are not cheap, but not outrageous either. Having used a SPOT, which gathers dust these days, the inReach is my go-to for every outing. Being able to have two-way communications is what makes it so awesome. Plus, you get improved emergency communications over a standard PLB. During my PLB test for Overland Journal, one of our friends, being an idiot, activated our ACR PLB. Two hours transpired before he told us. I immediately contacted the US Airforce who monitors those signals. They simply said, "Yes, we saw the signal. It's in the cue for follow up contact of the registered owner." Two hours. That's not good.

 

[yagoiiivomaltmoor]

I'm almost always solo. I rely on a Delorme inReach Explorer and it is positively awesome. I've used it in Iceland, Ecuador, Baja, and even in my backyard with cell reception. Since it uses the Iridium satellite network, it works way better than many other sat based devices. Certainly better than a radio. I could go on and on, but the advantages to the inReach are hard to beat. The subscription plans are not cheap, but not outrageous either. Having used a SPOT, which gathers dust these days, the inReach is my go-to for every outing. Being able to have two-way communications is what makes it so awesome. Plus, you get improved emergency communications over a standard PLB. During my PLB test for Overland Journal, one of our friends, being an idiot, activated our ACR PLB. Two hours transpired before he told us. I immediately contacted the US Airforce who monitors those signals. They simply said, "Yes, we saw the signal. It's in the cue for follow up contact of the registered owner." Two hours. That's not good.

I'm surprised/disappointed that AFRCC hadn't done anything with the signal in 2 hours. I wonder if they were waiting for multiple satellite passes? My experience was that we got notification more quickly but mobilization takes time. Trying to DF an ELT/EPIRB/PLB signal without GPS coords was definitely challenging but I suspect that problem is an artifact of the pre-GPS days. In the back of my head I'd expect 12 hours response in the backcountry (decent weather) after activating.

Thanks for the inReach info. Didn't realize they used the Irifium satellites that I have high confidence with. That solves my need.

 

[pugslyyy]

As others have said, inReach is hard to beat. Pole-to-pole 2 way communications for a couple hundred bucks a year - plus satellite tracking / breadcrumbs. I like that if someone is checking up on you and you don't check in (or respond to a message), they can check your location / last reported location via the DeLorme website.

I pay for the SAR / MEDIVAC coverage on mine as well, so it is pretty much a one stop solution for me.

When I'm not using the inReach it is in my garage on my motorcycle in a RAM mount (and the motorcycle is on a battery tender) so it is always charged and ready to go. If I'm going hiking I just grab it off the bike as I'm getting into the car.

 

[oscar the grouch]

anyone try the spot connect. my adventures are 99% vehicle based so having my cell to interface with it is a guaranteed.

 

[pugslyyy]

anyone try the spot connect. my adventures are 99% vehicle based so having my cell to interface with it is a guaranteed.

I don't understand why you would think Spot would be better than inReach?

 

[oscar the grouch]

never said better.

Spot Connect
Device $: 170
Service $: 100 annually

InReach
Device: $299.95
Service $:154 annually

Im not sure about you but I like to look at all options not just accept the flashiest one as the best. and price is always a concern.

 

[pugslyyy]

never said better.

Spot Connect
Device $: 170
Service $: 100 annually

InReach
Device: $299.95
Service $:154 annually

Im not sure about you but I like to look at all options not just accept the flashiest one as the best. and price is always a concern.

Yes, but since the general opinion on this thread, site and the web is that the inReach is vastly superior, is price your only bias towards the Spot?

 

[oscar the grouch]

apparently you read here more than i do. I didnt realise that the spot was out of favor across the entire forum and the whole internet...... I do wonder how they stay in buisness