Boating Safety:
Here SPOT!
Here SPOT!
The SPOT satellite messenger promises to be a fun tool that can also keep you safer offshore. We take a closer look at what it does, and why you might (or might not) want to buy one.
SPOT vs. EPIRBs & PLBs
Let’s face it – SPOT is just plain cool. Their use of GPS, telcom and mapping technology is truly original - and that may be enough reason to buy it. But how does it stack up against a PLB or EPIRB for the coastal or offshore boater?
One reason a lot of people cite for buying the SPOT is that they think it is cheaper than buying an EPIRB or PLB. The price of a SPOT + one year of the service plan is significantly less than the cost of a PLB or EPIRB. And the batteries for the SPOT, even at $3.50 or $4.00 apiece for lithium AAs, cost much less than the $300 or so it costs to service an EPIRB. So the SPOT should cost less to own. Or does it?
Here is a comparison of the cost of owning a SPOT versus a PLB or an EPIRB over a 5 year period, assuming it is used as a basic emergency signaling device. We did not include the SPOTCasting® service or rescue insurance:
| Cost Item | SPOT | EPIRB w/GPS
(ACR GlobalFix 406 ) (Footnote 3) |
EPRIB w/o GPS (ACR Satellite 2 406) (Footnote 3) |
PLB w/GPS |
| Purchase price | $149.00 |
$779.00 |
$538.00 |
$478.00 |
| Service plan (Basic) for 5 years | $499.95 Footnote (1) |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| Replacement Batteries | $ 35.00 Footnote (2) |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| Total | $683.95 |
$779.00 |
$538.00 |
$478.00 |
| (1) 5 years * $99.99/year (2) 4 years * (two batteries @ $3.50) (SPOT comes with a set of lithium AA batteries) (3) Price at Dave’s Marine Electronics (http://www.davesmarinelectronics.com) as of March 15, 2008 |
Where did the PLB/EPIRB replacement battery costs go? The answer is that EPIRB and PLB batteries only have to be changed out after 5 years. This means that over a 5 year period, the cost of the SPOT service plan eats up the difference in cost between SPOT and a PLB or EPIRB.
True, at the start of Year 6 you would have to get the EPRIB or PLB unit serviced for $250 - $350. However, after the service, the unit is good for another 5 years, during which time you would spend another $534.95 on SPOT for the service plan and batteries. Plus, keep in mind that the EPIRB service is more than just a battery replacement. It includes replacement of seals and bench testing the unit.
So, if you look out over a 5 year horizon, it is actually the PLB that turns out to be the cheapest choice, not the SPOT, and EPIRBs actually are in the same ballpark as SPOT. On the other hand, it may be easier to swing the finances for a SPOT plus a year of service over the larger fixed cost of a PLB or EPIRB.
EPIRBs and PLBs use a LEOS network run by CoSpas-Sarsat, which is an international search-and-rescue organization run jointly by Canada, France, the US and the former Soviet Union. CoSpas-Sarsat was established specifically for handling emergency messages from anywhere in the world. This network has true global coverage.
As mentioned earlier, SPOT depends on the Globalstar satellite telecom network to send messages out. Globalstar covers most, but not 100% of the world. It covers much of North America, South America, Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East, Northern Asia and Oceana (Australia/New Zealand) . Notably, it DOES NOT cover Hawaii and portions of the South Pacific. See this website for a coverage map: http://www.findmeSPOT.com/exploreSPOT/coverage.aspx.
EPIRBs and PLBs use a communications network set up and run by governmental agencies. There is no direct additional fee to use the system, and responders are government agencies, such as the Coast Guard.
SPOT’s Globalstar network is privately run, and is a “for fee” service. Unlike cell phones, Globalstar is not obligated to relay emergency messages if you have not paid your bill.
One topic that has been raised in a couple of places on the web is whether or not Globalstar will be around to continue to offer this service. Globalstar’s voice satellite system has had a lot of technical problems over the last two years, leading to a lot of service interruptions, and speculation that Globalstar was going bankrupt.
Fortunately, SPOT uses the one-way or “Simplex” Globalstar system, which has not experienced these problems, and Globalstar SEC filings indicate that overall, the company has some financial staying power. They have already launched new satellites to fix the voice network, although it is still too early to tell if they have corrected the problems.
Transmitter Orientation
EPIRBs, PLBs and SPOT are all radio transmitters. And like all radio transmitters, these devices need their antennas to be oriented correctly in order to transmit at maximum efficiency.
In SPOT’s case, the unit must be in a horizontal position with the buttons facing up. While SPOT floats, and floats in a horizontal position, it does not always float with the buttons facing up. This could be an issue if you’re in the drink, floating around in a life jacket. Also, if the unit is in the water while transmitting, it’s effectiveness is reduced.
PLBs, on the other hand, float horizontally, but must be held upright in order to work effectively. In most cases, this is easily accomplished by attaching it to a life vest in the upright position.
EPIRBS make it even simpler. They are designed to float by themselves with the antenna correctly oriented, so this is not an issue.
Activation
Both SPOT and PLBs require manual activation. That is, you have to push a button before anything happens. EPIRBs are required to activate automatically if they are immersed.
In practice, EPIRBs are mounted in a bracket which locks out the activation mechanism until the unit is removed from the bracket (to prevent false alerts if the unit is rained on, or splashed by spray), or if it is manually activated while in the bracket. Release mechanisms vary – some EPIRB brackets must be manually released, others release automatically when the bracket has sunk a certain distance below the surface. In both cases, once the EPIRB is free of the bracket, it activates on contact with the water.
Strobes
EPIRBs are required to have a strobe light. PLBs and SPOT do not have strobes. In poor light conditions, visible signals, such as a strobe light or flare, are the primary way that rescuers locate people or vessels.
Emergency Broadcast Duration
SPOT may have a lead over EPRIBs and PLBs in this area, but it is not clear from the specs. SPOT claims that it can transmit Alert 9-1-1 requests for up to 7 days on a new set of batteries, but the temperature at which this is measured is not disclosed. EPIRBs are certified for a minimum of 2 days at -40 degrees F and will last longer at warmer temperatures. PLBs are certified for 1 day under the same temperature conditions. Realistically, most coastal and offshore fishing rescues are carried off in under 24 hours, so this may not be a serious issue.
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