New InReach GPS Tracker

[CT4ME]

DeLorme has announced a new GPS/Satellite tracker that may be of interest to aviators out there, and could steal some SPOT or PLB customers...

The InReach SE (Screen Edition)... $299, uses GPS and the Iridium Satellite network, to track you and allows you to send text messages and post to social sites. Of course, like the SPOT or PLBs, the unit can summon help in case of an emergency. Like SPOT, InReach uses the GEOS Search and Rescue organization. The biggest differences between it and the SPOT: a screen, more reliable Iridium coverage, TXT messages or emails sent/received, interactive 911, rechargeable battery (100 hrs) and the ability to track all the way down to 1 minute intervals.
There is a monthly charge, starting at $9.95 (tracking is extra)... but tracking packages start at $11.95 a month. Special Aviator packages have adjustable tracking intervals, otherwise the unit tracks in 10-minute increments (just like SPOT). Oh, it will also (optionally) connect with your phone or tablet.
I'm a SPOT guy now, but this looks good...

 

[CT4ME]

Sorry... edited... rechargeable battery life is 100 hours (big difference from 10)

 

[airdale]

My McMurdo Fast Find cost me less than this gadget. There is no subscription fee. It is manufactured to independently administered international standards for quality and performance. Its internal battery is good for 5 years, no recharging required. AND it is directly connected to the COSPAS/SARSAT system, not some commercial enterprise of dubious qualifications and unknown ability to perform.

Spot and its competitors are great fun to fly with. But for emergencies? No thanks.

 

[CT4ME]

Different missions with a tiny bit of overlap. The SPOT/InReach can be used, and therefore tested, everyday, for a variety of different things (by different people). The PLBs generally have one purpose, hopefully done well, and you hope to never use it.
I think your description of GEOS is really off-base. They take ownership of the rescue and make sure it happens. In most cases, the people that are notified are the exact same people COSPAS contact. In one little area in Canada, they reported almost 1/3 of their Rescues were triggered by SPOTs.
I liken the GEOS people to be the "mercenaries" of search and rescue. Paid Pros. If you're down in the middle of the Baja, COSPAS may notify some "authority" in the "area", but God only knows what resources or abilities, if any, that they have. There have been instances where nothing happened after the notification. Or things can move very slowly.
GEOS has resources and personnel positioned and ready, and are willing to pay for contracted resources if they can't handle it.
And from a safety standpoint, what's going to happen if you are flying along and a Goose comes through the window, rendering you at least temporarily blind and out of control. Or if you have a stroke or heart attack? Or faint? Or just have a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. The continuous tracking and messaging of a SPOT/InReach would be worth every penny.
Ideally, I'd carry a PLB, SPOT/InReach, Sat phone, cell phone, handheld radio, flares, strobes, and a signal mirror!
Here's a review comparing PLB vs SPOT - Much of the info would translate directly to the InReach, but the InReach has more features and reliability.

 

[Silvaire]

Yes you get to play with this device but I don't consider it (or the SPOT) to be as reliable or a viable replacement for a PLB. Furthermore where a McMurdo FastFind or ACR ResQlink will cost you approximately $280 over a five year period this device, if you really want the tracking feature, would cost you about $1300.

It's apparent that some people like sending "I'm Okay" messages and leaving breadcrumb trails wherever they go, there's clearly a market for these things but I personally prefer the PLB's.