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Topic: My first InReach rescue  (Read 1316 times)

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E Kayaker

  • Sea Lion
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  • Location: Vacaville
  • Date Registered: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 4429
I've always been a strong proponent of using an InReach emergency communicator rather than a locator beacon etc. Mine proved itself today. I decided to take a trip up to Hell Hole and check out the water level and see if I could catch something. Since the water temp is about 60 and the lake is big enough to create a long swim to shore and it isn't all too easy to get out of the water along the shore, I wear my wetsuit when I fish there. After about four hours of trolling back and forth near the dam the day was warming up and I was getting too hot. I decided to call it a day even though I'd only caught and released a small Mack. I get my gear all loaded and my truck won't start. I get a jump and headed back up to the upper parking lot to get my tent. My truck is acting strangely and I notice my battery is dead. It seems my alternator went out. Now a jump start won't help since I'll need more juice to make the two plus hour drive just to get back to 80. There is no cell service and I didn't even want to ask a stranger to make a four hour round trip and take me to auburn. InReach to the rescue. I was able to text my wife and arrange for her to buy a new battery and bring it to me. I was able to get the truck home with a couple stops to charge it with the jumper cables. Try and do that with a personal locator beacon. InReach has the ability to summon emergency help and non emergency help. With the ability to text I could tell her what tools I needed and answer the question the parts store clerk asked. It also has maps and the ability to mark waypoints so it is also a backup gps. It also does weather reports. You can also set it up so friends or family can find where you're at. That could come in handy if you're injured and unable to call for help. When you're overdue on your return, someone can find you and send help. Does it get any better? The down side of course is, it cost money for a subscription. If you like to go into the back country for any kind of adventure it could be a life saver.  :smt006
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=42846.msg470404#msg470404

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.  ~John Buchan


NowhereMan

  • Manatee
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  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
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Good points. It looks like the InReach is only about $100 more than the PLB that I've got. How much does the subscription cost?
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


E Kayaker

  • Sea Lion
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  • Location: Vacaville
  • Date Registered: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 4429
Good points. It looks like the InReach is only about $100 more than the PLB that I've got. How much does the subscription cost?
It varies depending on the plan you choose. I think mine is in the 15-20 range but if I use more than a few message in a month the bill for that month goes up. You can suspend coverage if you're not planning to go out and you can change from lower price plans to one with more messages included and back again. Also you can add track points where it sends your location to your account at a regular interval, making an online "breadcrumb" trail that you can review or share online.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2017, 11:30:18 AM by traildad »
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=42846.msg470404#msg470404

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.  ~John Buchan