Is there a GPS on the market with emergency locator signaling function?
This would be a handy feature for people in the outback who run into trouble. Answer: An interesting and timely question. Until now, there were only two good options for emergency signaling with GPS: Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and the SPOT Personal Tracker. Both of these devices enable you to transmit a distress signal, encoded with your GPS coordinates, via satellite to a search and rescue service. PLBs are more expensive and only have one function–emergency signaling. SPOT is more affordable upfront and allows you to send 3 types of messages: “OK”, “Help” (for minor injuries), and “911” (for immediate rescuing). However, there is a $99.95 annual fee for the service. For an additional fee, SPOT allows you to track your movements on Google Maps. Your friends and family can see where you are in real time. How cool is that? I own a SPOT Personal Tracker. I like it a lot. It works well and gives both my wife and I some peace of mind when I head off into the backcountry on my own. Un
