Wyoming SAR and FRS radios

[Over2U]

No apologies needed! We are all looking for reliable emergency communications and, the more different ways to achieve that, all the better. (Note: Unlike commercial satellite communicators or phones, a PLB does not require any subscription.)

Cheers,

Bill

[MichaelLAX]

2 hours ago, Over2U said:

...a PLB does not require any subscription.

I'm new to PLBs; are there urban uses to them?

Plus, I think that my new iPhone 14PM can communicate through satellites in an emergency, too!

[blastco2]

Using a tone on an emergency channel will just make comms more difficult.  

How about this, at the trailhead/parking lot, place a 3x5 card in the window of your vehicle with the FREQUENCY that your group will be using.   First thing SAR is going to do is find your vehicle.....

As for sub channels/tones,  your best choice for simplex comms is to leave it off.

[blastco2]

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[blastco2]

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[blastco2]

On 9/18/2022 at 11:51 AM, KPDoucette said:

The Wyoming Sheriffs and search and rescue organizations have initiated a program they call "My 307", Based on Wyoming's state wide telephone area code 307. 

 

Under this program back country and wilderness users are urged to switch their FRS radios to channel 3 with PL tone 07 if they become lost or have an emergency.  While the sheriffs do not routinely guard this channel, in the event that search and rescue is looking for someone the use of the low power FRS channels will allow search crews in the air and on the ground to establish direct two-way communications which they feel will speed the search effort. 
 

https://hls.wyo.gov/programs/search-and-rescue

 

Bad idea....  Sub-audible tones just cause problems with inexperienced users in an unusual or scarey situation.   If the sar folks want to promote an emergency channel thats fine.   But promoting the use of a tone is not a good or helpful thing.  And if you are going to promote a tone then use the actual freq.  Not all sub channel tone freq combos are the same across the different brands of radios.

[MichaelLAX]

5 minutes ago, blastco2 said:

Bad idea....  Sub-audible tones just cause problems with inexperienced users in an unusual or scarey situation.   If the sar folks want to promote an emergency channel thats fine.   But promoting the use of a tone is not a good or helpful thing.  And if you are going to promote a tone then use the actual freq.  Not all sub channel tone freq combos are the same across the different brands of radios.

And now we have gone full circle on this topic!

 

[MichaelLAX]

...

[Over2U]

5 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

I'm new to PLBs; are there urban uses to them?

  Guess there could be an urban application if there is an emergency beyond a failure of the 911 Phone System itself. (The PLB is an outgrowth of the ELT system for aircraft and the EPIRB for ships and boats, both obviously intended for SAR use in remote areas)

Plus, I think that my new iPhone 14PM can communicate through satellites in an emergency, too!

  And the iPhone system will be free for the first two years! Please let us know how well it works when it comes online this Fall.

 

[MichaelLAX]

1 hour ago, Over2U said:

 And the iPhone system will be free for the first two years! Please let us know how well it works when it comes online this Fall.

Can I test it in a non-emergency situation?

[Over2U]

The iPhone 14 satellite communications system, as I understand it, can send short text messages (probably including position information) to recipients of your choosing, and so yes, that would ‘test’ the system. Any test of the dedicated emergency messaging system would have to be pre-arraigned through Apple, I assume.