Maritime_Ev Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Anyone here up to speed on the latest advances in Personal Locator Beacon technology? A quick google search shows up the GME MT410G which does all that's required, and quite cheap too. Primairy use would be in the air (flying different rental ACs and don't want to get cought short when the club's PLB is unavailable), but I figure it would be a good thing to take when we go for a walk or do a bit of fourbying in the local NP. So in order of importance: -has to have 406 + 121.5 and GPS. -long battery life. -Not too expensive (<$500) -Light(ish) weight. Any advice (positive or negative) on brands/types and where to buy (online or near the sunny coast)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The MT410 series is a good enough unit there are smaller ones but they probably dont float. You have to be mindful that when 7 years battery is up the official response is $280 There are reports of them setting off if moisture gets inside but thats only if used for tramping etc if this happens they need disassembling and batteries disconnect to shut up - and another $280... Mines stayed in its carry bag for 7 yrs and no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maritime_Ev Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 The MT410 series is a good enough unit there are smaller ones but they probably dont float.You have to be mindful that when 7 years battery is up the official response is $280 There are reports of them setting off if moisture gets inside but thats only if used for tramping etc if this happens they need disassembling and batteries disconnect to shut up - and another $280... Mines stayed in its carry bag for 7 yrs and no problems. Thanks for the info. Not much point in replacing the batteries then, it's on offer online for only $299 for the whole unit. Did a bit more research online and it looks like they've all become a whole lot cheaper in the last few years. For $50 more you get a rescueME one that is watertight to 15m and half the weight (and has a seven year battery life too). BTW, I have a former Tasmanian paramedic on my crew, and he's quite vocal about the need for a PLB even for a shortish bushwalk or flight (having flown hours over dense canopy looking for someone 'somewhere between camp 3 and 4' ). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Stay tuned, just received 4 kennard plb's at a discounted price. Will advise once they are processed into stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank marriott Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The great ELB rip off. Mine cost $630 but have just discovered the $300 battery replacement or new item same price. I would be interested to see what batteries are fitted. As mine has 8 months to go, I don't want to pull it apart but someone must know of other options? Mark have you had any experience with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I am in Melb for this week, Corrine has to go to NZ for a week for her brother's funeral so i will look after the shop. I just looked at what stock has arrived and the Kennard Fast Find GPS PLB will be put into the shop at only $275 but there is only 4 of them at that price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I carry the MT430g and am quite happy with it...easy to test, and even over seven years still incredibly cheep protection at the original $285 purchase price, per year. Certainly doesn't fall into the 'ripoff' catogory as Frank would suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 How does $249.95 sound for the new Kannads. Got the cost price mixed up with the flightcom 403 LSA intercoms that were in the same order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 The PLB's are now in the Clear Prop Shop at: http://www.clearprop.com.au/for-pilots/safety-equipment/fast-find-220-gps-plb-by-kannad-mcmurdo/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalph Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Related but not strictly on topic. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/July/07/NASA-tests-ELTs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 The PLB's are now in the Clear Prop Shop at:http://www.clearprop.com.au/for-pilots/safety-equipment/fast-find-220-gps-plb-by-kannad-mcmurdo/ There is only 2 left now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andys@coffs Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Battery life is from date of manufacture(DOM) .... Of course date of purchase may be close to DOM or it may be a long time later.....personally I would be requesting DOM as part of the purchase process. I've seen 2nd hand PLBs on eBay with 1/7th of life left yet people are asking 50% of the cost... My view is that if the battery life is seven years and 1 year has past at time of purchase then the cost shouldn't be more than 6/7ths of RRP as a minimum and that doesn't account for earlier hassle etc... Caveat Emptor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Buying 2nd hand, be sure it is compliant with Aussie regs, ie 406meg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 There is only 2 left now Only 1 left now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDQDI Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 In regards to the battery life thingy, our boat epirb ran out of date in March this year so I did the chasing around to see if anyone (including the manufacturer) would replace the battery. To cut a long story short no one would, the manufacturer offered a buy back and swap which was going to work out 20$ more expensive (before postage even!) than buying the exact same one from BCF without "selling" them the oldie. So needless to say which way we went! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Only 1 left now All gone at this special price 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 All gone at this special price Keep selling them at a special price Ian....your supporting safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearo Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I have a GME MT400 that has a battery that is about to expire. I bought it when the old GPS system was turned off, so paid a premium for it (needed it for offshore boating). After reading this thread, I decided to log into AMSA (ausbeacon) website to check the battery expirey on my EPIRB and PLB. This is what I found. EPIRB - still registered (it is illegal to have an unregistered EPIRB on a boat in QLD). Primary contact: Still Valid. Secondary Contact Invalid (my mother, who has since passed), Tertiary contact - my mother inlaw who is pretty much incapable of anything. Residential Address - incorrect. Battery expirey date, not listed (although I know its early 2016). PLB - no longer registerd - all details as above. So it pays to check in from time to time. Also, if you are going to dispose of an EPIRB/PLB/ELT, make sure you do it properly. Take it to a place that will remove the battery so the beacon is totally ineffective. I have worked in Search and Rescue and the most annoying thing is expired beacons being triggered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maritime_Ev Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 All gone at this special price Doh! Too late Bloody satellite internet ground to a halt halfway through the order process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maritime_Ev Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Battery life is from date of manufacture(DOM) .... Of course date of purchase may be close to DOM or it may be a long time later.....personally I would be requesting DOM as part of the purchase process.I've seen 2nd hand PLBs on eBay with 1/7th of life left yet people are asking 50% of the cost... My view is that if the battery life is seven years and 1 year has past at time of purchase then the cost shouldn't be more than 6/7ths of RRP as a minimum and that doesn't account for earlier hassle etc... Caveat Emptor Yeah, for the prices they are offered for new I wouldn't bother with a second hand one either. It's a bit like buying a second hand liferaft, you don't know how it's been treated and the only time you're going to find out is when you really need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I will contact the distributor and see if i can get any more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ok, I can't get any more at a heavily discounted price but I will do something that is not normally done...tell you what I buy them for as at today: Fast Find 220 cost to me is $423.50 and I sell them for $439.95 (site margin is $16.45) ResQLink cost to me is $308 and I sell them for $324.95 (site margin is $16.95) To prove it, anyone that does buy one of the above PLBs can request a copy of my invoice to prove the above Remember, Clear Prop isn't meant to be a business to make loads of money off aviators, it is there purely to pay the costs of running this site for you so you can see above how much margin really is made by Clear Prop from PLBs 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Due to a mix up I have 1 left of the special priced PLB's available at the special price of $249.95...let me know if you want it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff13 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Ian do you have any headsets ready to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Somewhere ??? i have the details to obtain replacement batteries ( 410 models ) and the directions to easily do it yourself. Batteries were..from memory...less than $100, the lot. stay tuned........... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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