There are a number of technologies, each
with advantages and weaknesses. ELTs
seem to issue more false alarms than
real ones. In a crash, the G switch or the
antenna connection can fail or the
airframe masks the antenna.

With a PLB, you have to have the ability to
erect the antenna and push 1 or 2
buttons. Hopefully the PLB is in reach
when you need to use it.

Flarm has assisted in a number of cases
to locate missing pilots including the odd
live one.

SeeYou Mobile and XCSoar offer
tracking. Bluetooth to your phone allows
it to send texts with your position as long
as there's a cell tower in view. So far it's
worked in my car, but not yet in my glider.

At 21:08 08 June 2015, Papa3 wrote:
On Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 12:39:06
PM UTC-4, Steve Koerner wrote:
When I've looked at other pilot's Spot
tracking output, the majority are
=
quite unreliable in the sense that a
significant portion of the
transmitted=
track points are not being received by
the Globalstar satellite network.
=
I think this largely stems from a failure
to appreciate what a 'clear view
=
of the sky' really means. It is not the
overhead sky that matters. IT IS
=
THE 360 DEGREE VIEW OF THE
HORIZON THAT IS IMPORTANT. =20

I recently purchased a Delorme Inreach.
I was in a hurry to leave for a
co=
ntest, so I just signed up for one of the
mass-market plans (there are
spec=
ial, aviation plans that offer more
frequent fixes). I've been very
impres=
sed. =20

- The device itself has rechargable
battery that seems to offer many
hours=
worth of transmitting.=20
- It's easy to tell that it's working.=20
- It's worked very reliably on every flight
I've made.=20
- Not only that, it's worked quite reliably
tucked into my electronics
box=
in the back of the car on the ride home
(have forgotten to shut it off
sev=
eral times).=20

Looking at some of the log files from
Mifflin for example, I'm confident
th=
at in the worst case, folks would know
within a reasonable area where to
st=
art looking. Hopefully my old ELT would
be working or better yet I'd be
i=
n a position to activate the PLB attached
to my parachute, but the Delorme
=
seems to be much more reliable than
the Spots that my friends use. =20

As for Joe, I can't say enough how much
I enjoyed meeting him a few years
a=
go. I was the CD at Fairfield and we had
a pretty significant ridge
task.=
As is sometimes the case for people
new to the ridge country, Joe ended
u=
p on the wrong ridge late in the day and
landed out... way out. When he
go=
t back well after dark, instead of being
annoyed or frustrated, he was as
h=
appy and excited as could be. He was
a very nice man, and I'm greatly
sa=
ddened by this news.=20

P3