I've lashed out on a new toy... a SPOT II Satellite GPS Messenger. I used to have an EPIRB (they weren't called PLBs when I bought it
) but it was one of the old ones that isn't on the right frequency anymore and was past its 7 year battery life (and never been activated...)
I haven't been doing nearly as much adventurous stuff over the last few years, so I haven't been keen to lash out $400 or more for an up to date PLB, but after reading about a motorcyclist that went missing 4 years ago, I thought I might get some use out of a SPOT. This poor fellow went for a ride by himself on the Putty Rd and went missing... until he was found, 3 years later, not far off the road
. Now I don't consider the Putty Rd remote, so it just makes you aware of how easily things can go badly wrong.
I do a fair bit of touring on the bike lately, often by myself, so a SPOT will provide a bit of security. With tracking on, even if I can't set the thing off, at least there's a place to start looking.
Al.