SAFA Skysailor Magazine

39 November | December 2021 SKY SAILOR well in these, use the best long-life batteries for electronic devices instead. I found that a set of Energizer Max Plus alkaline batteries would last an entire one of our shorter Tas- manian flying seasons. On the mainland you will need to check regularly if you’re out more often and carry a spare set to replace them. Just recently, we had a case where a pilot went to send a Help message (not an SOS) and found the batteries in his Gen2 were dead. Find out more here: www.findmespot.com . Garmin inReach The Garmin inReach was preceded by the Delorme unit of the same name. The inReach and inReach Mini operate through the Iridium satellite network. Messages can be configured through a cursor control keypad on the inReach or via a mobile phone app for both units, paired using a Bluetooth connection. When you sign up you are given an email address through which messages can be sent from and received by the units. Find out more here: www.garmin.com . ACR Bivy Stick These are a relatively new product from ACR Electronics. ACR are an American company with a history of survival product manufacturing. They operate in a very similar manner to the Garmin Mini – connect to the stick using a mobile phone app via Bluetooth. Messages are transmitted and received via the Iridium constellation. Find out more here: www.acrartex.com . PLBs & EPIRBs Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and Emergen- cy Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) broadcast the beacon’s ID to the COSPAS- SARSAT constellation, and if the beacon is equipped with a GPS receiver will also broadcast the position. EPIRBs are primarily designed to operate in maritime or aviation environments and must meet Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) specifications, whereas PLBs don’t have that need. Distress signals originating from non-GPS equipped beacons may result in a delay for things to get moving. The position is derived from triangulated radio signals, and if the con- stellation configuration is not optimal, it may take up to an hour for a fix to be obtained. For the slightly larger cost a GPS-equipped beacon is preferable. You do not need to purchase a service sub- scription with a beacon, but you must register it with the national authority, here in Australia that is AMSA: amsa.gov.au . You can list the aircraft, vessels or vehicle associated with the beacon. For instance, I have mine associated with my paraglider and my motorbike. You must also inform the authority if you sell the beacon or any of your details change. Another thing to take note of is the expiry date of the battery. These are not recharge- able and must be exchanged by the manu- facturer’s service agent.