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windsong
Captain

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USA
318 Posts
Initially Posted - 10/29/2009 :  06:29:36  Show Profile
Many of you, like me, have a SPOT Personal Locator. Not everyone should be allowed to have one. Read on.

FROM CBS NEWS:
YUPPIE 9-1-1
<i>...In the span of three days, the group pushed the panic button three times, mobilizing helicopters for dangerous, lifesaving rescues inside the steep canyon walls.

What was that emergency? The water they had found to quench their thirst "tasted salty." </i>

Read more:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/25/ap/national/main5419702.shtml

Michael Hetzer
"Windsong"
2009 Catalina 250 WK HN984
Myrtle Beach, SC
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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts
Response Posted - 10/29/2009 :  07:23:51  Show Profile  Visit piseas's Homepage
Michael, easy fix- shut them down. Service is based on subscription. I am sure somewhere there is a notice about abuse as loss of use.
Steve A
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 10/29/2009 :  07:51:17  Show Profile
Sounds like the answer is to make the rescue operations associated with the devices private, and charge accordingly for the subscription--sorta like TowBoatUS (only it'll be more expensive).

On the other hand, having known some search-and-rescue volunteers in Colorado, not knowing where a lost person is, is not fun... And finding them too late is much worse.

A conundrum!
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 10/30/2009 :  00:21:57  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
It would seem like it would be easy enough to simply charge them for the rescue effort cost, but I know that's not very practical. I guess a lot of it comes down to perception, people perceive danger in different ways. I for one can't imagine summoning help because the water I found tasted "salty", but I've read about people phoning 911 because they ran out of cigarettes or because of a dog barking. Unfortunately you can't legislate behavior, nor can you dictate it successfully. There will always be people who abuse systems as well.

I think it'd be cool to have one of these, simply because you could blog about where you are & folks could follow you, but I would be very hesitant to push the button. Heck, I even have an EPIRB in storage that I've never bothered to get a battery for since I bought it off of Ebay a number of years ago. I've thought about putting it on SL, but just have never seen the point.

Paul, don't you have one of these, or something similar?
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bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts
Response Posted - 10/30/2009 :  06:06:19  Show Profile
Having participated in a few helicopter rescues in my earlier day's
If those weren't military helicopters they are going to get a bill, a big bill. Those civilian medevac helicopters and crew can bankrupt a family if your insurance doesn't cover the cost.
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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts
Response Posted - 10/30/2009 :  06:11:37  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by delliottg</i>
<br />It would seem like it would be easy enough to simply charge them for the rescue effort cost, but I know that's not very practical. I guess a lot of it comes down to perception, people perceive danger in different ways. I for one can't imagine summoning help because the water I found tasted "salty", but I've read about people phoning 911 because they ran out of cigarettes or because of a dog barking. Unfortunately you can't legislate behavior, nor can you dictate it successfully. There will always be people who abuse systems as well.

I think it'd be cool to have one of these, simply because you could blog about where you are & folks could follow you, but I would be very hesitant to push the button. Heck, I even have an EPIRB in storage that I've never bothered to get a battery for since I bought it off of Ebay a number of years ago. I've thought about putting it on SL, but just have never seen the point.

Paul, don't you have one of these, or something similar?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I just bought the SPOT, but we also have a dual band 406 and 121 EPIRB on board in addition to our VHF DSC and the SSB emergency transmission alarm. Getting ready to bite the bullet and get a sat phone. But that's for cruisers. The SPOT is a great tool for sailors who may wander out of VHF range or could experience radio failure during an emergency. Sailors will hopefully hit the VHF first, eliminating false alarms - OK, mostly...

BTW - that old EPIRB is probably a 121 mhz which has been all but eliminated, so it probably will no longer work.

sten
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 10/30/2009 :  11:52:53  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">BTW - that old EPIRB is probably a 121 mhz which has been all but eliminated, so it probably will no longer work.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It's USN surplus, so I think it's a 406, but truthfully I don't know. I should dig it out of it's box & look. You could well be correct & I've got an expensive paperweight.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.