To answer the original question - my PLB transmits an emergency signal as
soon as you turn it on. You DO NOT deploy the antenna and turn it on uless
you really mean it. Otherwise it hangs placidly in a zipper case on the
right shoulder of my parachute harness.


"GC" wrote in message
eb.com...
On 3/04/2014 13:39, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 9:28:28 PM UTC-4, GC wrote:

Spot/Inreach is an interesting toy. A PLB is the real thing.

It's silly to turn this into a PC vs. MAC type argument.

The tracking and 'I'm OK' capabilities of SPOT/INREACH have real
value and that base is not covered by a PLB.


Sorry. I'm not one of the IT passionistas and that's not what I intended.
The point I wanted to make is that a PLB and its capabilities are defined
by international agreements and specifications and if you buy something
called a PLB you know exactly what you're getting and you know it will
meet it's specs with near 100% reliability.

A Spot or Inreach box will (possibly) attempt to do what you think the the
maker has claimed if you have interpreted his advertsing accurately
(rather than the way he hopes you will - this is the nub of the "Aegean"
case). If it can't/doesn't do it, that is your problem unless you have a
deep pocket.

I repeat, a PLB is the real thing, Spot/Inreach is (so far) an interesting
toy.

GC