Thread: PLB - Recomendations

Hi All after a new PLB, small, lite weight and water proof. Will be used for Hunting, kayak fishing, trout fishing adventures.

Any recommendations or are they all much of the same these days?

Humping and fisting have them for around the $450 to $550 mark. Happy to order online if anyone can recommend a store.

cheers FBD

i went with this https://skippersmate.co.nz/acr-resql...or-beacon-plb/

its the one piece of kit i hope i never need to use

Whatever one you choose, check out Smart Marine's website, they are sometimes cheaper than others.

One with an infrared strobe is a worthy feature.

@Fat belly Dog

+ 1 for skippers mate.

We have two in our family, I have one and my pa has one too. Haven't (thankfully) had to use either of them but its a nice compact unit and easy to set up


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Pretty sure hes a forum member too.... @CooeeBay

I bought one from seller cooebay on Trademe, he is based in Australia. Good price, my tiny unit seems OK. NB the link below is to a different unit than the one I bought off him.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...7?bof=pyymx61U

Next one I buy I'd at least consider the one with the TXT / weather report facility, sounds VERY practical, particularly the weather bit (should help you avoid having to activate the PLB?)

You want to buy cheap... nah I want something that works when I need it to work.

https://radiocoms.nz/shop/personal-l...BoC3ysQAvD_BwE

Mine has been used twice [not one me]. I know it works

I bit concerning that the unit has been used. All beacons should have a minimum of 24 hours transmission time available throughout the battery rated life.
Beacon prices are not an issue as there is no such thing as a "cheap" (by design or specification) quality. All brands of beacons have to meet some very strict AU/NZ standards as well as gain international approvals from CosPas-SarSat

Originally Posted by sore head stoat

You want to buy cheap... nah I want something that works when I need it to work.

https://radiocoms.nz/shop/personal-l...BoC3ysQAvD_BwE

Mine has been used twice [not one me]. I know it works

PM me if I can help: https://skippersmate.co.nz/distress-beacons/

QUOTE=Fat belly Dog;1269380]Hi All after a new PLB, small, lite weight and water proof. Will be used for Hunting, kayak fishing, trout fishing adventures.

Any recommendations or are they all much of the same these days?

Humping and fisting have them for around the $450 to $550 mark. Happy to order online if anyone can recommend a store.

cheers FBD[/QUOTE]

Good point CooeeBay about the 20 yr life for the beacon and 10 yrs for the battery but your missing the aim here on what my point was. . You managed to produce a 10 year battery life quite a while back but competitors failed to match your guarantee? So as a consumer, appears the shorter battery life on other beacons with todays technology - someone is lagging behind or bullshitting the public to gain a quicker turnover of replacement PLB/battery replacement? Very unfortunate that your company closed down. I had many mates buy from you for the just that - longer battery life of the beacon. Just saying..

@Hunteast ... It wasn't my business. I'm just one of the many retailers who cannot sell the KTi PLB anymore. And I do hear what you are getting at about the battery life of many of the brands.

Hopefully the new owner Jotron in Europe will continue with that battery duration when they do release a newer model...

Originally Posted by Hunteast

Good point CooeeBay about the 20 yr life for the beacon and 10 yrs for the battery but your missing the aim here on what my point was. . You managed to produce a 10 year battery life quite a while back but competitors failed to match your guarantee? So as a consumer, appears the shorter battery life on other beacons with todays technology - someone is lagging behind or bullshitting the public to gain a quicker turnover of replacement PLB/battery replacement? Very unfortunate that your company closed down. I had many mates buy from you for the just that - longer battery life of the beacon. Just saying..

@CooeeBay Good to see you still around & hope all is going OK over there had our Garmin inReach Explorer save us from a bad few days last year ,when we are hunting in the Alps down here ,l get the missus to update weather reports etc from various sources & keep us updated & l notify of any position changes from our end ,we had a isolated gale front coming at us, she updated us on & got in touch with the Heli mob who had not picked it up yet ,they actually headed in & got another campo out first as they were not as well prepared & we got out at the last minute with a hairy trip out .

Are there any advances /new & improved models in the Inreach/spot etc type units or any you recommend over others ?

Also did you see the interview on YT with the Bloke who got stuck in the camper van in the Simpson Desert ,l will chase it up for you if you want , it would interest you in particular. Still take the PLB from the group- buy out on every trip

Originally Posted by bunji

watching it now... 31 minutes of it.

@CooeeBay Good to see you still around & hope all is going OK over there had our Garmin inReach Explorer save us from a bad few days last year ,when we are hunting in the Alps down here ,l get the missus to update weather reports etc from various sources & keep us updated & l notify of any position changes from our end ,we had a isolated gale front coming at us, she updated us on & got in touch with the Heli mob who had not picked it up yet ,they actually headed in & got another campo out first as they were not as well prepared & we got out at the last minute with a hairy trip out .

Are there any advances /new & improved models in the Inreach/spot etc type units or any you recommend over others ?

Also did you see the interview on YT with the Bloke who got stuck in the camper van in the Simpson Desert ,l will chase it up for you if you want , it would interest you in particular. Still take the PLB from the group- buy out on every trip

@CooeeBay Yep that's it bloody interesting ,me & the missus did the same trip in our Mitzi 4x4 Camper in 2006 & me & 6 mates rode across it in 09 ,we had my Sat phone & boat Epirb back then &cops at either end were notified of expected arrival times ,the Outback Cops were terrific blokes on both trips & appreciated being given the heads up .