PLB/Satellite phone/SPOT new technologies?

The 3rd gen SPOT is nice, but I'm waiting on upgrading till I see some volume unit reviews.

InReach is getting good reviews.

ResQLink is the cheapest. SPOT is 2nd most expensive. InReach is the spendiest. The features follow the $.

Is there any new technology, technology tweaks, or improved products that may roll out in the near horizon on the PLB, SPOT, satellite phone market that anyone’s heard rumor about?

No new satellite systems on the horizon — they need billions of dollars and years of lead time. If Thuraya ever puts a satellite over the Americas, we could see much more competition, and a little more innovation, around sat phones. For example, they just announced their Sat Sleeve for Android phones, which is innovative, but poorly executed — “I can add sat phone capabilities to my smart phone – for the same price and weight as a separate sat phone. Woo Hoo!” But I haven’t seen any rumors about Thuraya over the Americas.

We probably won’t see big improvements (or any improvements) in devices, until manufacturers decide they’ve gotten as much as they can from their existing devices. Both SPOT and DeLorme released new messaging devices in 2013, so we won’t see anything new for a few years. Iridium & Globalstar still sell their first-generation phones alongside “newer” phones that are mostly just smaller and lighter. Standalone PLBs can’t do much more than shrink weight or price, slowly, until they make some radical UI improvements that nobody seems willing to make.

Innovation is slow in the satellite device market. I think this market could use a lot more innovation, particularly around ease-of-use, instead of piling on more features. No one has created the equivalent of a satellite-iPhone yet, in an industry content to sell the equivalent of old-school cell phones that make calls and send texts — period.

Short list of “best SOS/messaging devices”:

• ACR ResQLink
• DeLorme inReach SE
• SPOT Gen3
• Yellowbrick 3

… except I wouldn’t consider any SPOT device at this time, because of reliability.

Short list of “best sat phones covering USA”:

• Globalstar GSP-1700 (same as SPOT Global Phone)
• Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro
• Iridium 9575 Extreme

If the ACR ResQLink meets your needs, go for it, and don’t look back.

— Rex

PS – For more than you ever wanted to know about most of this: BPL Two-way Satellite Communications for Backpacking, Parts One, Two, and Three.

To me the rescueME PLB1 from oceanview seems to be a better choice then the ACR ResQLink.

Looking at the specs it looks like its a bit lighter (116gr instead of 130gr) and overall smaller. Also has a 7 year lifetime and warranty instead of 5.

Here a youtube video. At 25sec you can see how its size compares to the ACR ResQLink.

Do I oversee something ?

I am asking cause I am about to buy an “emergency” device as well and for me a PLB will be enough for now.

Thanks

Well I done dooded it and bought a Gen 3 SPOT. Same reliable SPOT service in a very small package. I managed to snag a 100% rebate at a Sportsman's warehouse grand opening, so it seemed like the right time to upgrade. I really like the mechanical design of the Gen 3. My wife and family love SPOT since I wander around solo a lot.

To me the rescueME PLB1 from oceanview seems to be a better choice then the ACR ResQLink.

Lighter, smaller, longer warranty/battery life, similar in usability, meets all PLB specs – looks better to me.

Oh wait, the ACR ResQLink can use their 406link test service. Worthless to me, source of endless entertainment for many others.

— Rex

I'm surprised this is the first time I've heard of the RescueMe PLB1. I did a search on the internet and there isn't a whole lot of critical discussion about this unit. Equipped to Survive had a good thread discussing it and comparing to the ACR.

I'd be hard pressed to buy this unit when the ACR has more of a track record. The cost isn't much more. I can get the ACR for ~$46/year while the RescueMe ~$43/year.

Any other thoughts about this unit?