Garmin Inreach Satellite Communicator Mini $400 (Reduced from $500) Plus 2 Months Free (Worth up to $300) @ No Frills eBay

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DealMeIn on 19/10/2018 - 09:57 ebaystores.com.au (647 clicks)
Last edited 19/10/2018 - 10:37 by 1 other user

PODCAST

SE+ $479 reduced from $599 Explorer+ $559 reduced from $699

Must activate by Monday 29th October for 2 months free. You may need to add express shipping for it to arrive in time ($10) especially in WA. The free months do not include the annual fee (see below).
https://inreach.garmin.com/promotions

There are a variety of subscription offers from $25 to $150 per month.
https://explore.garmin.com/en-AU/inreach/

The purchase price is much lower than buying overseas or anywhere else I could find in Australia even used!

Garmin allow you to buy a month at a time (with a $37 annual fee) which is different to the SPOT products.

Mini:
*Australian stock and warranty
*Weighs 100g
*50 hour battery (with 10 minute updates turned on)
*USB rechargeable
*Basic navigation feature on the device
*Send and receive custom text messages anywhere in the world and get weather updates
*Bluetooth connection to phone (which supports full navigation and satellite texting from the phone)

SE+
*Adds basic maps onscreen for navigation
*213g

Explorer+
*Adds full maps and onscreen navigation
*213g

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• 

  poohduck on 19/10/2018 - 10:12

  +3

  From memory, the problem with most of these things was (still is?) that they were managed from the US. Yes, still the same. Your SOS goes to GEOS monitoring team located in the US. They then contact Australian police or search and rescue. Still not ideal. S&R communicate with you via GEOS and vice versa. There is no real time or direct communication between the person who needs help and the rescuer. Lots of room for error considering two different nations with two different systems, even our language isn't quite the same (cookies, biscuits, fanny, rooting - all those words that have totally different meanings. US is imperial, we're metric. I believe we also use different gps data format (I think we're wgs84, US might be NAD?)which means converting gps coordinates from one system to another. If you can ignore the whole GEOS thing and rely on SOS locally, it looks awesome. The unit to unit comms via satellite is a great feature too, if it works well enough.

  • 

    Maverick-au on 19/10/2018 - 10:53

    +1

    There is no real time or direct communication between the person who needs help and the rescuer if you call 000 so what really is the issue? You're coming up with all sorts of nonsensical arguments to support your claim that this is an issue.

    • 

      poohduck on 19/10/2018 - 13:43

      +1

      You're right; it's actually an extra layer of communication again - 3 layers via geos (you to geos to Aust co ordinator to emergency service).

• 

  eDust on 19/10/2018 - 10:54

  After the 2 free months you need to pay US$12+ per month for a subscription (cheapest plan doesn't include much). Prices and details here

  • 

    Maverick-au on 19/10/2018 - 11:16

    +1

    After the 2 free months you need to pay US$12+ per month for a subscription (cheapest plan doesn't include much). Prices and details here(explore.garmin.com)

    Don't forget that by paying an annual fee (OP mentions this above) that you can just buy a month at a time when you require it so if you only need this for a month a year all you pay is the small annual fee plus whatever plan you want.

• 

  incipient on 19/10/2018 - 11:38

  This or an epirb? I mean an emergency is an emergency. Chances are you're only going to use one if you actually need a rescue?

  • 

    eDust on 19/10/2018 - 11:52

    The above is not an EPIRB.

    For safety always choose the PLB/EPIRB (EPIRBs are for boats, PLBs are smaller and for hiking, and ELTs are for planes. All use the same technology)

    Advantages of a PLB:
    - no fees after you buy it. But you do have to pay a lot to get the battery replaced every 5 years or so
    - Pretty much fool proof. I would trust my life to a PLB/EPIRB over any other gadget
    - Everything is handled by Australian agencies with mandates to keep it operational 24/7. The Garmin InReach system is operated by an overseas private company that you have to pay.
    - The police (who coordinate search and rescue) are used to them (and encourage them and even lend them out).

    • 

      Maverick-au on 19/10/2018 - 12:48

      +2

      • Pretty much fool proof. I would trust my life to a PLB/EPIRB over any other gadget

      However with the satellite communication you can get an immediate response, know when help is coming, send the exact co-ordinates, obtain medical advice and communicate critical information.

      With a PLB/EPIRB There are plenty of drawbacks including rescuers only have an approximate location and you have no idea if the PLB/EPIRB is working or if any help is coming.

      Here is an example of a PLB failure.

      https://www.surfski.info/latest-news/story/1588/safety-notes…

      "“Using advanced technology, the FastFind 220 transmits a unique ID and your current GPS co-ordinates via the Cospas-Sarsat global search and rescue satellite network, alerting the rescue services within minutes.”

      What they should add to that optimistic statement is the caveat, “…only under absolutely ideal circumstances.” Because the satellites aren’t always overhead. When I asked McMurdo about this, they commented:

      “The length of time it takes to detect the signal is impacted by a number of factors, but depending on when the last satellite pasted overhead and where you are in the world – it can take up to an hour on average.”

      Yep, that’s right. To be sure of optimum transmission, you need to have the PLB out of the water at the right orientation… for up to an hour – “on average”. (It might take even longer, especially in extreme latitudes)."

      https://www.surfski.info/latest-news/story/1608/personal-loc…

      • Everything is handled by Australian agencies with mandates to keep it operational 24/7. The Garmin InReach system is operated by an overseas private company that you have to pay.

      You mean like the 000 network that has had multiple large outages this year? I would put my trust with the Garmin system over those run by Australian agencies.

      • 

        eDust on 19/10/2018 - 13:46

        Good points worth a discussion.

        A PLB will transmit for 24 hours in worst case conditions.

        There's also a test mode that you need to do every few months, it confirms that the unit is functional. There's a flashing LED, that's how you know it's working when you activate it. You do need to follow the instructions on activating it, like placing it in an open area away from dense trees or cliffs.

        If you're on water then use an EPIRB, they're designed to be used on water. Where a PLB is ideal you probably won't be in water. So being in or out of the water isn't an issue, it's more about bringing the right equipment.

        Some commercial planes (and S&R aircraft) have receivers that also pick up a PLB/EPIRB signal. So during the first 24 hours it can assist in locating you.

        Most (all?) modern PLBs transmit GPS coordinates. So it shouldn't be too hard to find you. Again, under ideal conditions.

        PLBs need to be registered with a list of close contacts. If you're bushwalking you're expected to tell your close contacts about your hike plan (always a good idea). So police have the option of calling them by phone to get more information if necessary.

        I guess if you're spending time in very remote or hazardous areas it might be worthwhile having more than one emergency beacon (i.e. a PLB + Spot/InReach or sat phone).

        • 

          Maverick-au on 19/10/2018 - 14:14

          +1

          @eDust: If I were in remote areas on a regular basis I'd be taking both a PLB/EPIRB and a sat phone. The rescue times when they try to rescue someone at sea or a remote area is excessive and search and rescue in Australia is not well equipped nor coordinated compared to other countries that have a permanent coastguard on standby. Sending the exact location and getting a response back with an ETA would be comforting and probably life saving.

          • 

            eDust on 19/10/2018 - 16:00

            @Maverick-au: Yep. Not meaning to disagree with anything you said, just adding my perspective.

            Also - I wish I had a more interesting life that required a sat phone :-)

            • 

              Maverick-au on 19/10/2018 - 17:06

              @eDust:

              Also - I wish I had a more interesting life that required a sat phone :-)

              Same, I'm trying to work out how to justify having one as they're now at a price where they are affordable.

              • 

                eug on 06/11/2018 - 12:46

                @Maverick-au: A bit late to the party, but if it's just for emergency purposes, you could just buy a used one. You don't need a plan or a SIM to make emergency 112/000 calls on Iridium, which is (usually) the best network coverage-wise.

    • 

      eug on 06/11/2018 - 13:11

      • no fees after you buy it. But you do have to pay a lot to get the battery replaced every 5 years or so

      FWIW, the KTI PLB has a 10-year battery life. That's the only reason why I chose that, otherwise the Ocean Signal PLB1 is more attractive with its really tiny size. It has 30% shorter battery life at 7 years.

      • Pretty much fool proof. I would trust my life to a PLB/EPIRB over any other gadget

      For full-on emergencies, a PLB would be great. But for less-serious emergencies, e.g. if I badly injure an ankle on top of a mountain or got bitten by something (as opposed to falling off a cliff and breaking a leg or puncturing a lung) it'd be good if I could get help without them having to send the whole cavalry which would be a waste of their time and resources. With a device like the inReach or a satphone, I could let them know the nature of the injury so the response would be match the severity.

      • Everything is handled by Australian agencies with mandates to keep it operational 24/7. The Garmin InReach system is operated by an overseas private company that you have to pay.

      Personally I don't mind GEOS being the middlemen. I actually wonder if Australian emergency services prefer it as GEOS would be able to tell them the nature of the emergency, rather than simply getting an emergency signal which could be anything from a dying hiker to a car that broke down. GEOS would presumably only contact emergency services in an actual emergency.

      • The police (who coordinate search and rescue) are used to them (and encourage them and even lend them out).

      If the inReach devices were free to use, I would imagine they would lend those out instead.

• 

  eug on 06/11/2018 - 12:53

  The deal is back on BTW, with code PEARTREE. Unfortunately the 2-month free service deal wasn't extended.