ACR ResQLink 400 - SOS Personal Locator Beacon with GPS (Model: PLB-400) ACR 2921
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C. P. Ryan
> 24 hourI received this as a gift from a family member. On my second jet ski fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico, the unit self activated notifying all me emergency contacts, the US Airforce, and the coast guard. I store the unit in my life jackets zipped pocket. Needless to say, my emergency contacts were terrified I was in trouble. A google search identified a boaters thread where many mentioned similar stories. I’m waiting to hear from ACR now. I’m hoping their customer service has improved from the posts I read. BTW, this seems to be an ACR or design issue; not an issue with this seller.
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blue cowgirl
> 24 hourI have the PLB 375 ( old model)
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Zephyr
> 24 hourI cant comment on how it works because to test that feature would cost several thousand dollars after paying rescue teams. However, I have no reason to believe that it wouldnt work. It is obviously very high quality. NOOA registration is a requirement as, once initiated, NOAA handles the actual rescue process. No registration, no rescue. I carry with me on all my hiking trips.
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JM
> 24 hourGreat for peace of mind. Anywhere in the world, any time, you’ll be found if you can see the sky. So please don’t activate it indoors, it must see the skies to see the satellites. As for the guy who strapped it to his jet ski, this made is for terrestrial endeavors. And while it will float, it’s only made for water pressures found at the water surface. They have beacons for marine use. You might as well complain about your jet ski conking out when riding on land. Pick right tool for the right job.
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Jonathan P.
> 24 hourA must have for any boater. I fish solo and keep this teathered to my lifejacket at all times. Well worth the price for piece of mind.
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Michael
> 24 hourSimple design. Easy to use and understand. Thankfully haven’t needed to press button yet but I am ready!!!
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Gerry Ullrich V
> 24 hourExpiration date was fresh five years out . I can relax now when beyond cell service
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TaraM
> 24 hourMy husband purchased this and was very pleased with the ease of setting up and registering. We have had to use it yet, but definitely gives me piece of mind knowing we have it with us.
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Dion
> 24 hourGetting it registered wasn’t easy but not the fault of Amazon or the company that made it.
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Tim Green
> 24 hourBought for hiking and was happy with the unit. Until I went to test and it failed the battery test. Had to drive two hours to the nearest authorized battery replacement dealer; informed it was not the battery, I needed to contact the company about warranty. Good luck! Customer service sucks...if you can even get hold of someone!
How An EPIRB or PLB Rescue Works
The Anatomy of a Rescue - Stage 1
When activated, EPIRBs and PLBs send a unique distress signal on the 406 MHz frequency to the Search and Rescue Satellites.
Each beacon is programmed with and sends a unique digital code called a HEX ID or Unique ID. The HEX ID identifies the type of beacon and, Search and Rescue use the HEX ID to identify the beacon registration information provided by the beacon owner.
This information can include: who the beacon owner is, the type of vessel the beacon is associated with (for EPIRBs), emergency points of contact, float plans, trip plans, and much more.
The Anatomy of a Rescue - Stage 2
After the satellite receives a beacon signal, it relays the signal to ground stations referred to as local user terminals (LUTs).
The LUT processes the data, computes the location of the distress beacon, and transmits a decoded alert message to its associated national Mission Control Center (MCC). This happens almost instantaneously after the initial beacon signal is received.
The Anatomy of a Rescue - Stage 3
The Mission Control Center then geographically sorts the data, and transmits a distress message to the closest appropriate SAR authority and another MCC if the beacon is registered to another country.
The RCC (Rescue Coordination Center) investigates the beacon alert and launches rescue assets to find the parties in distress.
Rescue Overview
- 406 MHz Distress Call Is Activated
- Search and Rescue (SAR) satellites forward distress signal down to earth Ground Stations
- Ground stations forward the distress to the Mission Control Centers (MCC)
- The MCC alerts the closest Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC)
- The RCC call emergency contacts and dispatch the closest SAR teams
- SAR teams arrive on scene and rescue survivors
- Worldwide – Over 48,000+ people rescued since 1982
- United States – 9,753 people rescued since 1982