Never Get Lost

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New Year's day breakfast and was browsing Youtube for cool gadgets. This was a standout, particularly when considering what we all love to do, be it Gems, Rocks, Treasure, Gold or anything else.

So many comment about the necessity of a PLB when in the bush, backed up by a Sat Phone as mobile range is so limited or simply non-existent in this vast sun burnt land.

This little gadget takes the essential basics of communicating with the inhabited world to the next level and it's all done via your mobile phone, from anywhere!

Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clg5gTvV0VQ

Company website: https://www.somewearlabs.com/adventure

Cheaper than a Sat phone, has turn on, turn off subscriptions, does the job of a PLB, plus sends messages, receives data and provides tracking to your location.

What do you recon?
 
learn to use maps and compass etc tech is real good when it fails and I have gone out looking for people lost with all the mod con gadgets
 
savage bitter said:
learn to use maps and compass etc tech is real good when it fails and I have gone out looking for people lost with all the mod con gadgets

In principal I agree, I grew up learning how to use maps and a compass when doing outward bound courses in Snowdonia as a kid and love resorting to maps, if I can get them. Unfortunately they are stopping printing maps and what is available is only for high demand areas.

Then there are situations of injury and the like where one is unable to move and help has to come to you. This is where technology becomes vital, and one has to trust its reliability.

Today technology is more reliable than ever before, the only adverse impact is us... forgetting to keep things charged :(
 
Technology is great but when the aliens shut down all our satelites you will be looking for your paper maps again. Not everyone has a flux capacitor to keep their devices fully charged either. Don't wholly rely on technology.

With the Somewear device that will be 2 more devices for me to carry and keep charged. I think I'll just stay in the ice age and when my internal gps runs out of power I guess my time was up anyway.

Cheers

Doug
 
Yes, great technology but I'll stick with my PLB as it has a battery life of 10 years.

If I had one of those devices my grandkids would be wanting to use it to play games on my phone instead of enjoying the great outdoors :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Maps will still be printed... But by you, not by them... Downloads are the go now... They just need to lift the Copyright so places like Officeworks will print them for you..
I have a place here on the Goldie that will print them for me, Copyrighted or not... They don't seem to care... :Y:

I cannot see a paper mapless Society... The first thing Authorities pull out when searching or the RFS pull out are Paper maps and they will keep using them...

Until We get a reliable mobile phone and internet system up and running, paper maps will still be used and relied upon...

LW...
 
After searching portable satellite modems I've realised it might be overkill for me because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on sat subscription.

This seems a pretty good deal.

I want to be able to have communication with the kids when we are away :Y: :Y:
 
Gem in I said:
After searching portable satellite modems I've realised it might be overkill for me because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on sat subscription.
This seems a pretty good deal.

I want to be able to have communication with the kids when we are away :Y: :Y:

I think that's what these are made for and they're available from a long-established, reputable, Australian supplier:
https://www.ja-gps.com.au/SPOT/spot-x/
 
madtuna said:
Always good to have and learn to use paper maps in addition to relying on tech which can break down.

Plus if your EPIRB fails, set fire to your map so the planes can spot you :Y:
cant light a fire total fire ban :p
 
Gem in I said:
After searching portable satellite modems I've realised it might be overkill for me because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on sat subscription.

This seems a pretty good deal.

I want to be able to have communication with the kids when we are away :Y: :Y:

Glad to see at least one person has got the gist of what these gadgets are all about. :D Maps are no good it you've got a busted ankle or worse and 90% of the modern generation would barely know what a compass is let alone how to use one unless they've spent time in the Army. Spot-X needs a US phone number...PIA :(

The modern generation loves gadgets and are glued to their mobile, maybe something like this could have saved at least one life when one reads the 'Don't die in the Outback' thread.

It might not suit some of us, but it might just save a quite a few lives lives with the modern/younger hikers & fossickers, recon this little gadget is brilliant :inlove:
 
Dihusky said:
Gem in I said:
After searching portable satellite modems I've realised it might be overkill for me because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on sat subscription.

This seems a pretty good deal.

I want to be able to have communication with the kids when we are away :Y: :Y:

Glad to see at least one person has got the gist of what these gadgets are all about. :D Maps are no good it you've got a busted ankle or worse and 90% of the modern generation would barely know what a compass is let alone how to use one unless they've spent time in the Army. Spot-X needs a US phone number...PIA :(

The modern generation loves gadgets and are glued to their mobile, maybe something like this could have saved at least one life when one reads the 'Don't die in the Outback' thread.

It might not suit some of us, but it might just save a quite a few lives lives with the modern/younger hikers & fossickers, recon this little gadget is brilliant :inlove:
well your best bet would be a plb I live in remote western qld and I can tell you that I have found a lot of lost or stranded people with all the gadgets
1 couple there so called best gadget wouldn't pick up any sats another the battery went flat trying to locate sats the plb is the best bet we can be told a position and go get them
on a nother point if you cant read a map or use compass you shouldn't be in the bush I burn about 20 hrs of fuel every year looking for lost people and half the time some sort of gadget in there hand working not working broken flat battery
 
I have a GME MT410G Accusat PLB. The battery life is 7 years which runs out in a year, Jan 2021. I looked on the GME web site for details re battery replacement.
It costs $199 incl return postage, but I have to post to Sydney, so a total of around $220. Then they only give a 12 mth warranty with the replacement which isn't great for another 7 years of battery. I can buy a brand new one for $279 online from the same dealer I originally bought it.

Or I can buy a KTI PLB SA2GN locally for $259 which has a 10 year battery life and warranty and nearly half the size. For $40 more, I know which way I'm gonna go, lol.

I usually only detect in VIC, but more often than not, by myself. Although never far from civilisation, it's still too far if help is needed, so I carry my PLB on the harness.
There are many areas where mobiles won't work and I have 2 both Telstra and Optus, so not a sure method of help.

I have military navigation and survival training, a compass, water and always a knife :)
 
Yes SB some sat devices will continually chew up battery searching for a satellite when not in use.
Just like reading maps some research is involved. I could probably guess the people you have rescued didn't have the ability to read a map or compass. (personally I find it easier than a device :lol: ).

OP was posting another option which I think is great because it's not cheap for sat subscription but it seems more companies get on board for these services the cheaper and more diverse as well reliable they become.

A device like this/or similar is cheap enough for me with subscription, essentially just to keep in touch with my kids over a 3-6 month period of no phone tower reception without having to purchase $1000 hand piece + expensive sat subscription + over the top call fees.

A more affordable just to check up they are doing okay but also has a couple of other handy uses like checking on me and mum as well.

Definitely not a guarantee I agree with everyone and not for everyone's purpose but a great option posted. thanks.
 
on my property and all travelling plb and 2 way we have had hundreds of salesmen out here trying to sell us the next best thing and I am really sick of wasting my time and money on people who are lost and when you do find them gadgets galore and telling me how good they are (hmmm that's why you are lost ) basic is best and yes I am ex army and I know how to read a map and used a compass but its not that hard phones don't work out here but everyone has a 2 way and plb
 
It seems a lot of this discussion has been about the inability or the provision to, recharge the batteries in these life saving gadgets.
Perhaps if people took care of that side of the equation we would be a lot safer out there.
A two way is imperative in the bush as I reckon there is one in every vehicle and each home of the local population whether sparse or otherwise. It is a communication standard.
I am well provisioned with a Sat phone which I have had for years and works anywhere I have been and I have enough solar panels to charge it if my vehicle has become decommissioned for any reason.. GPS units x 2 (hand held and fixed in vehicle) and the ability to transfer our position co ordinates to the receiver of the distress call should there be one. I also have a GPS tracking device in the vehicle and the vehicle can be located at anytime by people at home using the companies app.
I used to have a UHF but the sat phone works better for comms without the rhetoric but you cant get the footy relay via Darwin or wherever you are closest to he he.
I remember listening to the footy at well 36 on the CSR on the UHF.
Good things these gadgets especially as you are supposed to stay with your car and not wander off with your map and compass.
A fat lot of good they are going to do you if your car is knackered in the middle of poop creek.
We used to use maps and a compass as scouts in orienteering. This was good if what you are looking for is within striking distance by foot..
Times have changed and to be in contact is easy. Gadgets are great.
Survival skills are a completely different matter.

GT :/
 
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