Steve Pope 104 Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 Just to throw another thing into the mixer, why isn't NZ adopting the DSC emergency system for VHF's ?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 327 Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Just to throw another thing into the mixer, why isn't NZ adopting the DSC emergency system for VHF's ?? some threads on it here somewhere apparently too many false calls were made overseas + the costs to upgrade all our shore stations was considered excessive....too many black spots in our vhf coverage cell phones working really well, most people carrying them etc etc etc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ex Elly 51 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 In the new safety rules, flares have been downgraded, and you only need orange smoke for daytime, and red pinpoint for night time. So this may have reduced the need for LED flares. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 104 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 I know that in many cases my cell ph only picks up a signal around 5 to 7 miles from shore, not a patch on VHF reception. Also with a DSC capable VHF you can contact AIS equipped ships with the press of a button to ask their intentions etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tamure 360 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Barrier has poor VHF and cell for example, if you had an incident on the E side then a flare would be very useful (if someone saw it and acted on it), but an EPIRB may be better? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 327 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 gps epirbs do seem the way to go and require no extra outlay by the authorities the response time is getting pretty good and with the modern units sending the lat/long a copter or boat can know here to go very easily Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ed 104 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Have we got full time satellite coverage over NZ now for epirbs/plbs or is it still patchy? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ed 104 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 gps epirbs do seem the way to go and require no extra outlay by the authorities the response time is getting pretty good and with the modern units sending the lat/long a copter or boat can know here to go very easily Some friends of mine were off hiking in the middle of the south island, someone slipped and broke an ankle. NO worries they through, we'll just activate our small compact lightweight plb and wait for the chopper. After 6 or 7 hours, no chopper appears. Then they decide to activate the bigger grunty marine epirb (don't ask why the wait, that is an entirely different story) and the chopper appeared within minutes. Turns out the little PLB didn't get and transmit a gps fix, which was indicated by a small red flashing light and explained by the tiny font size instructions on the side of the unit. The chopper had been searching about 10kms away 3 or 4 valleys over. Moral of the story is make sure you understand the operation of your safety gear, and don't just rely on one piece of equipment Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 Have we got full time satellite coverage over NZ now for epirbs/plbs or is it still patchy? Since 03 there's been geostationary birts augmenting the low/medium COSPAS earth orbit birds, Since the 406mhz switch over I don't believe there's been any patchy coverage bar the poles which have no geo coverage. Ed's story about the PLB is something i've heard alot, the small PLB's have touchy GPS units so in a valley they need really clear sight to the sky. I wish these smaller PLB's had 121.5mhz homing signals like alot of the EPIRB's, The chopper crew would have been able to know sooner they were in the wrong spot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AJ Oliver 106 Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 I know this does not directly apply to NZ, but . . Here is what the US Coast Guard regs are now for coastal waters and Great Lakes (they changed in 2016) . . led's can now substitute for flares ELECTRIC S-O-S DISTRESS LIGHTAPPROVAL CATEGORY: 161.013 APPROVAL GUIDANCE & INFORMATION: This is an alternative to flares for recreational boats. It is required to automatically flash S-O-S. Light intensity and duration requirements apply. Electric S-O-S distress lights are self-certified by the manufacturer. The Coast Guard does not issue approvals or keep an authenticated list of manufacturers. Approval standards for these lights are found in Title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 161.013. For me, this is a good change - I hate the very idea of holding a lit flare on a moving boat while trying to care for an injured person. The price for the LED'S is now starting to come down. Last year they were $ 100 USD's Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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