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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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It seems you have gotten the info you requested here. SPOT, InReach, etc.

Those devices should not be bulky/heavy enough to deter you If you are indeed going out as far and as long as you intimate, you will be carrying a pack anyway, just toss it in there. You just need to decide if you are willing to spend the $ for it.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Sausagetail] [ In reply to ]
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Sausagetail wrote:
$16,000 and it's single-use though...

Plus you have to be conscious and physically capable of activating the signal. It does not leave a virtual bread crumb trail that somebody can use to find you if you are suddenly incapacitated.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [chriselam] [ In reply to ]
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chriselam wrote:
SpaceX is launching a bunch of satellites over the next few years to provide satellite-based Internet access. Once that's done in 5 years or so we'll be all set. Global WiFi.

Maybe I will wait for that. Unfortunately, I do use being out of reach as an excuse sometimes at work, and that could eliminate that.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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happyscientist wrote:
Does anyone know of a GPS running watch that will let someone track your location without it being paired to a cell phone? It seems like it should exist because the watch is being tracked by GPS anyway. My issue is that I frequently do long trail runs in areas without cell service, so a watch having to be paired with a cell phone is useless. However, if I don't come home when I am supposed to (let's say I take a nasty fall) it would be good for him to be able to track my location so I am not out on the trail exposed to the elements for a couple of days.


mountain climbers use something called a personal locator beacon for the cases of avalanches or being lost. it's a beacon that rescuers can hone in on, so it works without cell service. but the people trying to find you have to know you have one on you, you need to activate it, and they need to have equipment capable of picking up the signal. could work for you

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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happyscientist wrote:
Peterszew wrote:
happyscientist wrote:
Sausagetail wrote:
"At first, the range in air was only 5 meters, but today the RECCO® System manages more than 200 meters."

Would help find the body if it's buried.


Yeah. Let's hope that is never an issue.

It looks like what I want doesn't exist yet. I already have an InReach that I use for bike touring, but that is heavy/bulky and the subscription isn't worth the cost for where I run. I simply want to replace a watch, not carry extra crap.


Maybe you map out the run with your husband with the expected time that you will complete the run. IF you are not back, say, 45 minutes after your ETA, or, you do not reach out to him after the run (say he's off doing other things), then he would embark on your exact trail to find you....if you make it an out-and-back run, then it would also help with any confusion / communication issues (vs. a loop where he'd be effectively following you).


If he's away / out of town, then maybe you don't do this particular run, if it is a real concern to you both.


Wow. Do you really live such a tightly controlled life that 45 minutes have to be accounted for? I live near the intersection of three states, all with good trail systems. I tell my husband which state or national forest I will be in, then I just wander all day. I grew up roaming mountains, so I have an excellent sense of direction for them (and I carry a map). Sometimes I will do trail/camping weekends where I run on Saturday, camp, then bike on Sunday, so I am out of touch for two days.

Well the problem is you are asking for something that just doesn't exist. Even a SAT device might not work depending on the tree cover. Why not add the requirement that it be able to beam you back to the house whenever you push a button?
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [jazzymusicman] [ In reply to ]
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jazzymusicman wrote:

mountain climbers use something called a personal locator beacon for the cases of avalanches or being lost. it's a beacon that rescuers can hone in on, so it works without cell service. but the people trying to find you have to know you have one on you, you need to activate it, and they need to have equipment capable of picking up the signal. could work for you

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html[/url]

A note on PLB/EPIRBs... as noted in the referenced REI link.... Modern PLB/EPIRB units transmit a digitally coded signal in the 406MHz spectrum to the satellite network...in accordance with the COSPAS/SARSAT protocols. This coded signal includes unique identification data that is tied to the serial number of the transmitter. Any activated PLB/EPIRB will be detected and automatically transmitted to the appropriate local Search and Rescue (SAR) authority worldwide. You (as the owner) do not need to notify anyone about your unit. If you are in trouble, you activate it, and SAR efforts will commence. Units with an embedded GPS locator, will also encode your lat/long coordinates into the message (with varying degrees of accuracy)...which will be transmitted to the SAR satellites, and ultimately the to SAR rescue team. There is very little (if any) reason to buy a PLB without a GPS---you are only making it harder for the SAR team to locate you. Besides, I'm not even sure you still can.

Additionally, SAR teams will have homing devices (handheld for ground based teams, and fuselage mounted for airborne assets) which can detect both the 121.5 MHz continuous tone, as well as receive the 406.xxxMHz COSPAS/SARSAT messages and decode the ID and location information data directly without the need for further satellite interface. PLBs generally turn on the GPS and update their position once every 5 minutes....to conserve battery.

The point I wanted to make clear is that you don't need to "inform" anyone about your PLB/EPIRB at the start of a trip. You effectively informed the worldwide SAR network at the time of purchase. No further interface with authorities is required. The worldwide network is constantly monitoring the COSPAS/SARSAT signals. In the event of a detected activation, authorities will be scrambled. Since the devices are transmitting to (receiving from) satellites, get a clear view of the sky to ensure good Tx/Rx with the satellites.
Last edited by: Tom_hampton: May 9, 17 12:08
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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It's highly recommended that you register your PLB:
http://www.plbreview.com/...onal-locator-beacon/
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When NOAA receives a signal that a PLB has been set off the message sent by the PLB contains the information that l mentioned above. Which if it doesn’t contain GPS data is not a lot to initially go on, it could take the satellite system an hour or more to determine exactly where your PLB is located if it has no internal GPS data. In an emergency situation minutes can save lives, so it’s important for rescuers to determine as soon as possible exactly what is going on.
In order to accomplish this NOAA maintains a registration database of all of the emergency beacons (PLBs, ELTs, and EPIRBS) in the United States. Beacon owners can send in both their contact information and info on their emergency contacts via several different means.
While registering your 406MHz distress beacon is the smart thing to do, you are actually required to do so. You could in fact receive a penalty or fine if you don’t register it and then use it!
Instant Information for Searchers
When you set off your Personal Locator Beacon (in a distress situation) the signal I mentioned is sent to the satellite system which then sends it to NOAA ground stations (in the US). Once received the PLB’s message is then automatically paired with its registration data from the database and forwarded to the US Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC).
The AFRCC then immediately begins to try to determine if someone is actually in distress or if the alert is a false alarm (the majority are). They do this by attempting to call the beacon owner with the information on the registration. They’ll try your home, cell, work numbers (whatever you’ve given) to attempt to contact you. If they can’t reach you they’ll move on to the alternate contacts to see if they know what you are up to. These contacts should be people who will know what you are doing and where you’ll be i.e. you are out hiking and in what area.

You should list family and/or friends that can be easily contacted (e.g., carry a cell phone, or are usually available at work or at home) and would have knowledge about where you camp, hunt, fly, etc.

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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Sausagetail] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry. Yes, I was unclear. What I meant to say is that, ONCE a device is registered...pre-trip notification is not required.

You register your device with NOAA (or your respective national authority) immediately after purchase (and update that data if it changes). But, outside of that...you simply take it with you and use it if you need it (hopefully not)!
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Peterszew] [ In reply to ]
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Years ago, long before GPS or even helicopter rescue, I was hiking on a very popular trail. there was about 30 of us all travelling between huts about the same time, each day. On day 3, there was a headland that could only be traversed at low tide. Hikers would bunch up there for morning tea or whatever, and wait for the tide.

When by buddy and I got there, a girl asked if we'd seen her hiking partner. We hadn't. he backpack was evident on the trail, but no girl. After almost 2 hours of searching she was found stumbling around the bush, not far from the trail. She'd gone off the trail to pee. She'd hiked up hill a way, then pee'd. As she was peeing, she fell on the steep slope and banged her head, then began wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out what was going on. She was very luck we found her. Even knowing where she'd been just a few minutes before, and having limited search area, she was incredibly difficult to find.

On that same track at the same time, a hiker had hiked the opposite direction several weeks before. He never showed up at the end. a search was mounted and eventually his pack was found at the bottom of a ravine. Searchers looked for about a week, but never found him. 31 days after he went missing, a helicopter spied him at the bend of a creek, high up in the hills/mountains. He'd knocked his head and wandered upstream, eventually becoming dehydarated (in spite of the readily available water (he apparently thought it was poisonous) and starving to death. They found him beside a half eaten, rotting trout, half in the water, half on the bank. Even when the chopper landed and the pilot came to get him, he didn't know what was going on.

My point? even it you tell someone where you're going, if you don't show up, it can be extremely difficult to find them. Having some tracking device would be good, but other than bulky EPIRB's I'm not aware anything really exists. (other than the medicalert thing my grandmother used to wear in her house).

TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [tridork] [ In reply to ]
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If you've ever watched I Shouldn't Be Alive, most of those folks could've been saved by a PLB. Several just wandered off of a tourist path and ended up lost for days.
Last edited by: Sausagetail: May 10, 17 5:58
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Sausagetail] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah....and all the ones that didn't make that show, because well...they didn't beat the odds.

Not that this has anything to do with the OP, but its sort of amazing to me the nonchalance that people seem to have for going out into the wilderness---unprepared, or taking poorly conceived risks, etc. I really can't watch that show, because the number of really stupid decisions that people make and then rely on others to rescue them. That's not is every situation, but the few times I watched the show, it happened often enough that I just found myself wanting to scream at the TV. And the rescuers were putting themselves at risk because of their stupidity.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [japarker24] [ In reply to ]
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japarker24 wrote:
Does anyone know why Garmin discontinued the GTU 10? And, what about if you had one, does it still work, even though they are discontinued?

Garmin used AT&T's GPRS network to transmit information and AT&T is decommissioning their GPRS networks to repurpose the towers and frequencies for other uses.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Big Endian] [ In reply to ]
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The Spot Trace weights 88g, I think anyone can carry that! (However you cant communicate with it, only let others ser where you are).

The Spot Gen 3 sat messenger weighs 114g, not much either.

Both have the size of a regular Smart phone (but a bit thicker).
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [rikala] [ In reply to ]
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Spot is the way to go. They are not massive and if you are doing a long climbing trip or whatever, it's probably the best solution short of a full-on satellite phone.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Yeah....and all the ones that didn't make that show, because well...they didn't beat the odds.

Not that this has anything to do with the OP, but its sort of amazing to me the nonchalance that people seem to have for going out into the wilderness---unprepared, or taking poorly conceived risks, etc. I really can't watch that show, because the number of really stupid decisions that people make and then rely on others to rescue them. That's not is every situation, but the few times I watched the show, it happened often enough that I just found myself wanting to scream at the TV. And the rescuers were putting themselves at risk because of their stupidity.


I can't believe the human race has advanced so far, or survived so long, with so many of our peers being complete muppets. What some people do can only be called attempted suicide!

But on the other side, here in New Zealand a few years ago, there was a guy that went solo hiking over the weekend. He fell behind schedule so set off his EPIRB. The helicopter dutifully showed up. He walked to the chopper and got in. The crew said, What's up, you look fine. He replied that he was running late and had an important meeting in the morning. Insane!

There are idiots at both ends of the spectrum, and they all tar us with a bad brush.

TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [tridork] [ In reply to ]
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Always nice to have the RNZAF on speed dial. I guess its a good thing that they didn't send a P-3, or a C-130....might have been less useful for making his appointment.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Always nice to have the RNZAF on speed dial. I guess its a good thing that they didn't send a P-3, or a C-130....might have been less useful for making his appointment.

I think it was one of the Westpac rescue choppers that went in that case.

I do remember years ago working at Mt Cook and several times seeing Army Iroquois choppers heading up the valley to hoist bodies out of crevasses tho. It's less fun viewing a mangled body in a litter on the side of a chopper, than you'd think.

TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
It's not a watch but if you're really concerned about this you could put a SPOT tracker on your pack.

https://www.findmespot.com/en/

I would recommend the spot as well.

Or a small EPIRB unit. EPIRB requires no monthly fee. Drawbacks I can think of are that you have to be conscious to activate an EPIRB, and it's an all or nothing device. But then they send in the entire calvary... helicopters and all, and they will find you.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [RZ] [ In reply to ]
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PLB.

EPIRBs are larger, vehicle-mounted and can deploy automatically if submerged or upon impact.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [tridork] [ In reply to ]
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I haven't seen the movie nor read the book, but...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/127_Hours
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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You could look into Tile - not sure if it works for people but it works for things like car keys and I've put them in my suitcases when traveling in case they got lost. They make different sizes, one size would easily fit on your shoe laces.

thetileapp.com
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [ksb] [ In reply to ]
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ksb wrote:
You could look into Tile - not sure if it works for people but it works for things like car keys and I've put them in my suitcases when traveling in case they got lost. They make different sizes, one size would easily fit on your shoe laces.

thetileapp.com

Pretty sure Tile requires cell service, which is a non-starter for the application the OP has in mind.

___________________________________________________
Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.
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Re: A watch so my husband can find the body [spot] [ In reply to ]
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Tile works over Bluetooth with a 100' range, which is even worse than needing cell service (and then of course the device that picks up its signal needs some sort of internet connection).

Lots of misconceptions in this thread about how various locators and trackers work. Long story short, if you're in a place w/o cell service, you need lotsa power to transmit to something that can hear you, and lotsa power = lotsa battery, which puts it outside the realm of "next year's watch" and inside the realm of "what are you willing to carry in your pack."

If a PLB doesn't do it for you, perhaps a flare gun :)

Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
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