building electronics beacon for survival

Nonsense. Have you seen a recent vintage cell phone?

Go to Verizon and ask ;-)

...Jim Thompson

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|  James E.Thompson, P.E.                           |    mens     |
|  Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
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Reply to
Jim Thompson
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Thinking of the boonies, with all the new research going on in computer networks (IPv6 and beyond), I suspect that we are less than 10 years away from being able to drop "dumb" inexpensive solar-powered (<

20.00US each) network modules over a wide area to form a supermesh that would be active 24x7. I imagine one could hang these on the giant cacti you have in the Arizona desert.

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Reply to
Le Chaud Lapin

No reason to launch new satellites for thsi EPIRB replacement. ISTR EPIRB is a kind of reverse 1st gen satnav, where satellites flying over would make doppler measurements.

The new system can use GPS to determine a position, and use something like Iridium or Thuraya to relay the position. Could be one-way probably.

Thomas

Reply to
Zak

That would have to work on the whole band, at least for GSM. Receivers are turned off when there is no signal (also get turned off between pages) to get a reasonable battery life. Which means that finding the signal may take a long time.

If it does exist, instructions should be made public like : turn off phone, if you hear helicopter or plane, switch it on. Probably a good idea to use it as well though it would of course transmit thus could be located.

Thomas

Reply to
Zak

If it is cheap, everyone can have one, even people who just get lost or get caught.

The trick is to find something that works in remote areas with resolution in a 'rescue' scale. No need when you are in the middle of a city, but the occasional abuse in the city should not interfere with someone a few kilometers out.

Thomas

Reply to
Zak

Well, you could try not being dumb fucks in the first place.

Put things in perspective.

How many rescuers have sacrificed their lives saving dumb fucks?

........

DNA

Reply to
Genome

"2006Young" wrote in news:4588319c$0$20211$ snipped-for-privacy@fe2.nntpserver.com:

Use a lithium battery for long life (10 yrs) and usability in weather extremes.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
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Reply to
Jim Yanik

That's why AZ has a Dumb Drivers Law... try to cross a flooded wash and you pay for your own rescue ;-)

...Jim Thompson

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|  James E.Thompson, P.E.                           |    mens     |
|  Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

Right. This isn't an electronics problem. Keep a sleeping bag and emergency blanket in the back whenever you're remote & in snow country. I do, plus minor first aid and minimal provisions.

The Mt. Hood guys went for a rapid ascent: a death-defying bet, a race wherein you travel light in the belief you'll be up and down before any trouble can strike. Sadly, weather struck, and they lost that bet.

No need to compound that sadness by sending would-be rescuers into the fray exactly at the time of maximum peril, the time of life and death that all climbers must anticipate and provide for.

There are situations where none can save you; enter them at your own peril. It's presumptuous to expect others to risk death just because you screwed up and happened to bring a cellphone.

James Arthur

Reply to
dagmargoodboat

There is an international alarm frequency at 121.5MHz, with satelites having a look at. It usually is mounted in airplanes. and it is doubted.

Doubted, because of the numerous false alarms and the associated costs. Imagine a satelite picking up a signal somewhere in the nowhere and a rescue team on its way to find a piper or similar in a hangar, the beacon switched on. "Oh, I must have incidentally released it."

Rene

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Ing.Buero R.Tschaggelar - http://www.ibrtses.com
& commercial newsgroups - http://www.talkto.net
Reply to
Rene Tschaggelar

I wonder who foots the bill for trying to protect those idiots from their own negligence?

They should get this year's Darwin award, and the rescuers who put themselves at risk at taxpayer expense should be a close runner-up.

Thanks, Rich

Reply to
Richard The Dreaded Libertaria

You wouldn't ge 100 million EPIRB buyers. We probably don't have 100 million GPS owners.

I appreciate the post about Australia. I wondered why so many google searches for EPIRB end up there.

Reply to
miso

The rescuers? Mostly unpaid volunteers. It kinda has to be that way

-- you just can't ask people to go into those conditions as a matter of course, and you certainly can't expect it of them.

Best, James Arthur

Reply to
dagmargoodboat

They already exist. There's hundreds on 121.5 and a lessor number on the newer 406.0625 COSPAS/SARSAT freqs.

However. 121.5 cover will be dropped in 2008 (IIRC?) and they have fallen into disrepute because of the high percentage (I have seen figures of well over 90%) of false alarms.

They maybe monitored IF the activation coincided with a carefully filed plan of your trip. Say, if we have not returned by day 3, we will activate the beacon for 10 mins on, 10 mins off at 30 minutes past the hour. That differentiates it from some dumbo that has just bumped it on, and MIGHT get somebody's attention. And your batteries will last much longer.

However, that does require good and carefull planning, and good planning will keep you out of most disasters anyway. OTOH, without good planning, the Darwin Awards await.

You COULD easily make your own, but what freq will you use, who will monitor it, and with what equipment? One thing that does help is a strobe light and a survival mirror (An old CD is a useful substitute) They can be seen for many miles in the right conditions. I don't go too far out into the bush without these, and many more items, in a small survival pack (I can list the contents if you are interested)

Barry Lennox

Reply to
Barry Lennox

Well, don't tease!!! Of _course_ we're interested!!! :-)

Thanks, Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Aw, Gee, I'm a sucker today. But here tis' (I'd like to think it may save someone's ass one day)

Matches, waterproof, in a 35mm film cannister candle stub Butane lighter, disposable Zippo lighter several Band-Aids and a crepe bandage

2-3 safety pins a dozen or so Disprin "Airguide" whistle, also has thermometer, magnifying glass and compass built-in 100 mL bottle of alcohol. Water purifying tablets fish hooks and line nylon parachute cord Space blanket Swiss army knife. 2 x CDs (Signal mirrors) 2-3 single edged razor blades pencil and paper small roll of duct tape LED flashlight and spare batteries Plastic bags large and small A 35 mm cannister holding cotton wool balls soaked in vaseline (a great firestarter) Waxed cardboard box to hold most of the above (secondary duty as firestarter)

It seems like a lot, but it packs up small and light.

Probably most importantly, I have read several books over the years on survival, and carry that knowledge between my ears. It weighs nothing. (1s and 0s weigh the same!) And I practice some of the skills every time I can.

Barry

Reply to
Barry Lennox

More like tens of thousands. 121.5 is the aircraft ELT frequency and all aircraft (with a few minor exceptions) are required to carry them.

Jim

Reply to
RST Engineering (jw)

What?!! No roll of toilet paper! YOU SAVAGE YOU! ;)

Reply to
maxfoo

-----Spare set of gloves or socks; good close fitting hat; map (compass isn't much use without it); food for 3 days (nuts,raisins,chocolate); billy; windbreaker or parka; leggings;

Reply to
Roger_Nickel

Nah, you just grab the nearest passing squirrel. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippi

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