I'm soooo jealous after loosing mine this week. But I wish you lots and lots of wet and wonderful fun in it.The Bateau not the 4x4. Hand built by a wood wizard, not new but ace condition. The 'ol boys goin' paddlin'...
What did you buy today?
- Thread starter Nova & Pinky
- Start date
Thank you. I'm a total novice. I've plenty of experience with boats, I've crossed Oceans, but not in such a skinny vessel...!!
Not very 'Bushcrafty' but at the price I couldn't say NO.
A Global Distress 'Personal Location beacon'.
In the event of an accident it sends a GPS location signal up to satellites, which then forwards the location to your nearest SAR centre, who then come to find you.
You register it with Falmouth Coastguard and they retain details of next of kin, and your details etc. etc. so they can inform people if you are 'missing'.
Works anywhere on the planet where you can get GPS and no phone signal needed.
Works on Land, Sea and Air.
This one is about the size of a 'small mobile phone'
They cost about £200-£300. Batteries cost £80-£100
http://www.cactusnav.com/mcmurdo-fa...hd5_I83GmfSz8h7x31TUmFde0tPYvEM4aAvVKEALw_wcB
This one was on Gumtree at £40 with a 'battery replace date' of October 2023.
Price £40
The Fast Find 220 Personal Locator Beacon (PL B) gives you the reassurance of
a last resort safeguard against any life threatening incidents that may occur anywhere
in the world. If you find yourself in a remote area without any other form of
emergency communication, on land or at sea, your Fast Find 220 can call for help.
When triggered, the Fast Find 220
transmits a unique serialised ID to the
Cospas-Sarsat satellite system which
can pinpoint your location anywhere
on the earth’s surface. This is typically
within 5 minutes, but can be up to 45
minutes depending on satellite coverage.
The Rescue Coordination Centre
(RCC) then forwards the details of the
emergency to the appropriate local
Search And Rescue (SAR) services.
Waterproof and fully submersible to 10 metres, the Fast Find 220 features an inbuilt
GPS receiver that can pinpoint your location to within a few metres. Dense tree cover
or a steep-sided canyon can sometimes make it difficult for the GPS to obtain a position
fix. If this is the case, the satellites will still be able to pinpoint your approximate
location and the unit’s secondary homing transmitter enables SAR teams to home in
on your exact location once they are in the vicinity. The unit also features a flashing
SOS light which can be used to attract attention.
A Global Distress 'Personal Location beacon'.
In the event of an accident it sends a GPS location signal up to satellites, which then forwards the location to your nearest SAR centre, who then come to find you.
You register it with Falmouth Coastguard and they retain details of next of kin, and your details etc. etc. so they can inform people if you are 'missing'.
Works anywhere on the planet where you can get GPS and no phone signal needed.
Works on Land, Sea and Air.
This one is about the size of a 'small mobile phone'
They cost about £200-£300. Batteries cost £80-£100
http://www.cactusnav.com/mcmurdo-fa...hd5_I83GmfSz8h7x31TUmFde0tPYvEM4aAvVKEALw_wcB
This one was on Gumtree at £40 with a 'battery replace date' of October 2023.
Price £40
The Fast Find 220 Personal Locator Beacon (PL B) gives you the reassurance of
a last resort safeguard against any life threatening incidents that may occur anywhere
in the world. If you find yourself in a remote area without any other form of
emergency communication, on land or at sea, your Fast Find 220 can call for help.
When triggered, the Fast Find 220
transmits a unique serialised ID to the
Cospas-Sarsat satellite system which
can pinpoint your location anywhere
on the earth’s surface. This is typically
within 5 minutes, but can be up to 45
minutes depending on satellite coverage.
The Rescue Coordination Centre
(RCC) then forwards the details of the
emergency to the appropriate local
Search And Rescue (SAR) services.
Waterproof and fully submersible to 10 metres, the Fast Find 220 features an inbuilt
GPS receiver that can pinpoint your location to within a few metres. Dense tree cover
or a steep-sided canyon can sometimes make it difficult for the GPS to obtain a position
fix. If this is the case, the satellites will still be able to pinpoint your approximate
location and the unit’s secondary homing transmitter enables SAR teams to home in
on your exact location once they are in the vicinity. The unit also features a flashing
SOS light which can be used to attract attention.
You may already be aware, but the beacon you have transmits on both 406 and 121.5 MHz which is the best option. Some of the 'personal beacons' only transmit on 121.5 MHz. To be fair 121.5 MHz is adequate for the great majority of locations on the land surface of the globe, so unless you are mid ocean somewhere and not under commercial or military flight paths the 121.5 MHz will be adequate.
I triggered my 406/121.5 MHz Epirb when I got caught in the Caribbean in the effects of a Sub Tropical Storm called Andrea. Leaving out the gory details, exhausted, I stuffed my Gaff Cutter onto a Bahama's reef and abandoned her after triggering the Epirb.
US Coast Guard came out from San Juan, Puerto Rico and snatched me off the reef and took me to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Coast Guard told me it was 40 minutes from the time I triggered the Epirb to the time they located me on the reef and the Rescue Swimmer Crewman came down on a wire with the stretcher.
Just a thought...and I'm sure you will anyway, If you are going to wild and lonely places where the Beacon may be used, let Falmouth Coast Guard know a rough itinerary, ie: locations and timings.
I wrote to them from Gibraltar letting them know I was going Trans Atlantic single handed, and that I would be sculling about in the Caribbean from The Leeward Islands to Puerto Rico on particular (approximate) dates.
When I got back to UK eventually, I went to see HM Coast Guard at Falmouth to say thanks. They said as soon as my signal went off, they simply looked the details and itinerary up on their screen and telephoned US Coast Guard in Puerto Rico because they knew it was...not one of many thousands of false alarms they get every year.
Locator Beacons are good kit, I hope you never have to use it..
I triggered my 406/121.5 MHz Epirb when I got caught in the Caribbean in the effects of a Sub Tropical Storm called Andrea. Leaving out the gory details, exhausted, I stuffed my Gaff Cutter onto a Bahama's reef and abandoned her after triggering the Epirb.
US Coast Guard came out from San Juan, Puerto Rico and snatched me off the reef and took me to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Coast Guard told me it was 40 minutes from the time I triggered the Epirb to the time they located me on the reef and the Rescue Swimmer Crewman came down on a wire with the stretcher.
Just a thought...and I'm sure you will anyway, If you are going to wild and lonely places where the Beacon may be used, let Falmouth Coast Guard know a rough itinerary, ie: locations and timings.
I wrote to them from Gibraltar letting them know I was going Trans Atlantic single handed, and that I would be sculling about in the Caribbean from The Leeward Islands to Puerto Rico on particular (approximate) dates.
When I got back to UK eventually, I went to see HM Coast Guard at Falmouth to say thanks. They said as soon as my signal went off, they simply looked the details and itinerary up on their screen and telephoned US Coast Guard in Puerto Rico because they knew it was...not one of many thousands of false alarms they get every year.
Locator Beacons are good kit, I hope you never have to use it..
You may already be aware, but the beacon you have transmits on both 406 and 121.5 MHz which is the best option. Some of the 'personal beacons' only transmit on 121.5 MHz. To be fair 121.5 MHz is adequate for the great majority of locations on the land surface of the globe, so unless you are mid ocean somewhere and not under commercial or military flight paths the 121.5 MHz will be adequate.
I triggered my 406/121.5 MHz Epirb when I got caught in the Caribbean in the effects of a Sub Tropical Storm called Andrea. Leaving out the gory details, exhausted, I stuffed my Gaff Cutter onto a Bahama's reef and abandoned her after triggering the Epirb.
US Coast Guard came out from San Juan, Puerto Rico and snatched me off the reef and took me to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Coast Guard told me it was 40 minutes from the time I triggered the Epirb to the time they located me on the reef and the Rescue Swimmer Crewman came down on a wire with the stretcher.
Just a thought...and I'm sure you will anyway, If you are going to wild and lonely places where the Beacon may be used, let Falmouth Coast Guard know a rough itinerary, ie: locations and timings.
I wrote to them from Gibraltar letting them know I was going Trans Atlantic single handed, and that I would be sculling about in the Caribbean from The Leeward Islands to Puerto Rico on particular (approximate) dates.
When I got back to UK eventually, I went to see HM Coast Guard at Falmouth to say thanks. They said as soon as my signal went off, they simply looked the details and itinerary up on their screen and telephoned US Coast Guard in Puerto Rico because they knew it was...not one of many thousands of false alarms they get every year.
Locator Beacons are good kit, I hope you never have to use it..
Yes - thanks.
I have an EPIRB on my boat (Blue Water Catamaran) but wanted the PLB for hillwalking etc (mainly in the UK).
I don't know if you are aware but 121.5 ceased being monitored by satellite 10 years ago (1st Feb 2009) - it is now only 'listened' to for RDF once a SAR 406 beacon has been activated.
I have a 121.5 PLB (from many years ago) but it is now useless.
Although no longer mandatory to monitor, some trans-Atlantic 'old time' pilots keep a listening watch on 121.5 on their 'second set' just in case.
Press release / Article from the time :
https://www.aea.net/AvionicsNews/ANArchives/Dec08TheEndIsNearFor1215MHz.pdf
Search-and-rescue operations will continue to employ 121.5 MHz homers to search for downed aircraft, according to a variety of agencies from the U.S. Coast Guard to the Civil Air Patrol. Flight Service Stations will continue to monitor 121.5 MHz, and aircraft pilots are technically still required to monitor this frequency at all times if it’s possible with installed equipment. After all, 121.5 MHz still remains the GARD frequency for airborne emergencies. The only change coming on Feb. 1, 2009, is the end of satellite monitoring. This change alone is significant when you understand the limitations of 121.5 MHz ELTs and some basic facts about the 406 MHz replacement.
I knew 121.5 MHz was going to lose satellite coverage, but was unsure of the official date. Knowing that the 406 MHz was universal coverage and not knowing exactly where my voyaging would take me, I bought a dual frequency Epirb from Ocean Safety when I bought my Life Raft and flares back in the 1990's. I remember hearing even then that 121.5 coverage would probably be down graded at some time in the future.
Low alpine walkabout 25litre with air cooled back system. £4 charity shop (again)
jimbo75
Settler
I bought my eldest daughter on of those Kanken bags for her birthday. I couldn't talk her into getting a Finnish army respirator bag instead! 
Maybe i'll get it once she's bored of it?
Fashion victim Bushcraft bag...
I cannot believe how much they are on the woodlore shop!!
Maybe i'll get it once she's bored of it?
Fashion victim Bushcraft bag...
I cannot believe how much they are on the woodlore shop!!
Good luck, I had some Karrimoor boots once, after the top layer (bottom layer???) of the soles had worn a bit it was like walking on ice everywhere I went, I think they must have used the wrong grade of rubber
Well for £25 I can't realy complain too much. I think they were end of line anyway as there were only a couple of pairs on the shelf. I wanted lighter boots for the summer so if I get a couple of summers out of them I'll be well happy. My leather boots are 10 yrs old and still in good nick but heavy. Fine in the winter but not on hot summer days.
The best lightweight boots I ever had were Karrimor KSBs. Unfortunately, since the company changed hands the quality is very shoddy and overpriced.
