MCMURDO FASTFIND PLUS PLB
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It’s a Personal Locator Beacon with a built-in GPS receiver combined with a 406MHz transmitter and a 121.5MHz homing signal.
Extensive tests were carried out on the beacon in 11 scenarios from expansive skyviews to small forest clearings to a liferaft. In all tests the beacon performed brilliantly getting a location fix in an average time of 1 minute 28 seconds and transmitting a position signal in an average of 3 minutes 8 seconds. It claims an accuracy within 60 metres.
It’s a smart looking bit of kit which fits easily onto your belt. The top lifts up easily exposing the ‘ring-pull’ and this is where I wanted to make sure that you couldn’t inadvertently set it off . I’m happy to report that you’d have to be clumsier than Frank Spencer to cause a false alarm.
Firstly you have to pull up the ‘ring-pull’ with a firm tug and then hold down the ‘start’ button for 1 second before it is activated.
You have to register your PLB with the EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon) Registry at Falmouth. If you then have to use it the Emergency Services will know who you are! Whilst this isn’t particularly helpful when you’re freezing your proverbials off in the North Sea it does help cut down on the number of ‘false alerts’.
We showed it around at Old Buckenham flying club and all who saw it were suitably impressed with the size and weight. This isn’t a bit of kit that will eat into your fuel/ baggage weighing in at a featherweight 300g. The price from Harry Mendelssohn is £395 (plus Vat).
W: www.gps.co.uk
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