Reliance on GPS navigation systems not recommended

Most newer units have something like a 5 year battery life, and a 10-12 year 'service' life.

Depending on manufacturer, make and model there are self tests; some will support a satellite self test. These will eat some battery, but are recommended from time to time (some units support hundreds of self tests over the 5 year battery life).

Battery replacement can require manufacturer involvement, and is recommended when you hit the battery life mark (5 years or whatever).

I'm getting close to needing a battery changeout.

Also note there is another difference: some PLBs have built in GPS units, these pinpoint your location better than ones that do not (but also cost more). They transmit your location to the satellite; the other varients depend on the satellites being able to triangulate you, plus they transmit (for a day or two) a local signal for the searchers to home in on.

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Originally Posted by CalOldBlue

Also note there is another difference: some PLBs have built in GPS units, these pinpoint your location better than ones that do not (but also cost more). They transmit your location to the satellite; the other varients depend on the satellites being able to triangulate you, plus they transmit (for a day or two) a local signal for the searchers to home in on.

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That is what I was told by the company when I hired the Epirb.

And I have been thinking, they are more relevant to roadtripping that most of us may think. The other day I was reminded of an incident I experienced in 2001. I was on the BRP in heavy fog. Hardly able to see the lines on the road, I carefully manouvered off the road at the first opportunity. Ten days later I was on the Staten Island Ferry. A passenger near me had a huge mark of fresh blood on the back of her shirt. I asked if she was aware of it.

During the conversation I learned that she and her sister were on the BRP in heavy fog, when the car left the road and fell 1600' before coming to rest against a tree. Their little terrier dog got out through a broken window, and stood barking by the side of the road, which alerted a passing motorist. He followed the dog down the hill, to find the two women badly injured, but alive.

If it had not been for that little dog..... and the motorist.....

Lifey

Would you believe it... their gps and a low tide... and they took off-road to a whole new level!

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Three Japanese tourists came unstuck on their planned Australian holiday on Thursday when they abandoned their hire car in Moreton Bay after they tried to "drive" to North Stradbroke Island.

The low tide and a GPS navigation system lured them into the bay at Oyster Point at Cleveland.

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Brisbane Times

Lifey

It would appear that every culture and nationality has its lemmings, driven to self-destruction by forces I'll never comprehend.

Glad only the car was killed in this incident.

The entire summer of 2011 came and went without discovery of the body of Al Chretien in Nevada's Copper Mountains.

Foy

I use a laptop with MS Streets & Trips and a USB GPS module - if I plan a route from anywhere to "Crater Lake NP", it drives me out into the middle of the lake.

Fans of "Wait, Wait! Don't Tell Me" on NPR every Saturday, will no doubt have heard the quiz of the three news stories, only one of which is true. Today's true story was not hard to guess. We've seen it all before, albeit not on a ship.

Lifey

This thread may be old, but certainly still relevant.

Fortunately no one was hurt, but it was disturbing to read that it is by no means the first time. At night the railway tracks look just like a road on the little screen. Poor Mr GPS does not know the difference..... and the humans trust him with their lives.

While looking for this story, I came across a similar incident in OH, some months ago.

Interesting how the ages are typically 'new tech geeks'.

As the song went..... When will they ever learn.

After my mishaps Sept last year, I have not used a GPS, not in the US, not at home.

(Two good GPS going cheap!)

Lifey