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[pct-l] Personal locator device



PLBs have been used for a number of years outside the continental US.
They were trialed in Alaska with good results.  The PLB big brother
(the EPIRB) has been used for many years on boats with great results.
PLBs have gotten some negative press because the first two using in
the continental US was a guy would called for "rescue" twice
(seperated by three weeks), from more or less the same location.  The
first time he got a pass.  The second time they were talking about
fining him inappropriate use. I don't know what happened to him.  For
more info about PLBs check out http://www.equipped.org/plb_legal.htm

I can certainly understand looking for an excuse not to take one, it
will be 9-16oz of weight that will only be useful if you are really in
trouble. On the other hand, if carrying it gave my love ones piece of
mind I would happily carry it.  My suggestion would be to engage them
in a discussion of the real risks and see how important carrying a PLB
really is.  [Sidenote: have any PCT thru-hikers ever died on the
trail?  I don't know of any.]  If you are thru-hiking the PCT during
"normal" times, there will be enough people on the trail than in the
very unlikely case of you get into serious trouble a good whistle will
get someone noticing you in a reasonable amount of time, at which
point you can get them to go for help.

In response to Dave claims (hmm... new mail system not filtering his
mail, I will have to fix that)... most of the current PLBs are close
to impossible to set off accidentally.  Also, accidental will not
result in a fine.  The fine is for deliberate misuse or a transmitting
a hoax.  Misuse is when people purposefully use a PLB for non
emergencies  (e.g. I am tired / hungry and want a ride home in a
helicopter).  Sat Phones are nice because you can have two way
communications and if you do a very short nightly call, you would be
using negative rather than positive confirmation to trigger a SAR. 
The down side of the sat phone is that you have to figure out who to
call (PLB alerts are efficently routed to SAR), your location isn't
automatically registered, and battery life is shorter, and family
members might expect you to call :-)

--mark