Article by Pat Schrawder
NEW FOR 2012
You know the old saying, ”Good things come in small packages”. That’s how I feel about one of the great new products for this year from ACR. It is their ResQLink 2880 and 2881 PLB (Personal Locator Beacon).
I have covered EPIRB unit technology previously but, for those of you who may have missed it, the field of emergency locator beacons is one that has saved many lives of boaters over the years since its invention. These beacons now come in a variety of sizes and features, but they all work on the same principle. Once activated, either manually or automatically, your locator beacon sends a signal to COSPAS satellites with a unique identifier number for your unit. That emergency signal, along with the personal information provided when you register your unit and your current location is sent to local “Search And Rescue” teams.
What is exciting this year is that these locator beacons are now available in much smaller sizes and lower prices, making them available to almost any boater. The ACR ResQLink 2881 unit weighs 5.4 oz and measures 1.6” x 1.9” x 4.5”. According to ACR, it is the smallest buoyant PLB on the market. It contains its own GPS receiver for exact positioning within 100 meters or less and the 406 mHz and 121.5 mHz signals should have contact with “Search and Rescue” within 5 minutes. It is simple to operate. You just swing open the antenna and press the “on” button. The 2881 model floats, has an LED strobe, will transmit for 30 hours and has a battery life of 5 years unless deployed in an emergency. It comes with a strap to attach the unit to your arm or other area. Remember, that “Search And Rescue” is looking for the signal where the PLB is located. If you want it to find YOU, then make sure you have the PLB attached to your body.
Another great feature of this unit and others is their website (www.406Link.com). For $39.95 per year, you can register your unit with ACR and send “I’m OK” messaging. With this optional service, you perform the normal self test on the PLB but, when you do, the signal is received by the 406Link antennas and processed through the Internet to send an email or SMS text message to a cell phone confirming that the unit is operating properly. A total of 420 such messages can be sent over the 5-year life span of the unit. For an additional $20, you can sign up for the Plus service that will send that message to up to 5 contacts, along with a GPS location and a link to GPS mapping showing the satellite image of your location.
The list price for the original model is $325 and $360 for the enhanced model that floats. This is well worth its price especially when you consider its small size and the fact that you can also use it when you are hiking, skiing or just traveling in your car.
Pat and her husband, Larry are owners of L&L Marine Electronics on Golf Course Road in West Ocean City, MD.
