ACR price increases

[davidsea]

    Anyone planning on buying ACR safety gear - EPIRB, PLB, strobe, etc. - prices are expected to go up end of Jan.  Not easy to find legitimate discounts on this brand, and buying used or from eBay, etc. NOT recommended.

[amazing grace]

Thanks David, good notification. I need to talk to Mooch about his recommendation on the subject. Some of these have a shelf life or required subscription, don't they?
Also, are these devices only offered by one Company?

Again, thank you.

[DARice]

Yes, there are other brands. ACR is probably the best known and most popular in the US. McMurdo used to be dominant in Europe and solid in the US (I consulted with them for a year, ages ago).

Dave

[davidsea]

   Strong personal opinion on this topic.
   ACR has been my go-to for a long time.  I have an EPIRB, 2 PLB's, a strobe, and an ATR aircraft beacon.   I took my original EPIRB apart when it went past the last reservice date and was really impressed with the design and quality of everything inside.   Made in USA, ACR stuff is used by US government and military, and in most pieces, the only difference is the color/labels on the exterior.   There are authorized service stations across the country to replace batteries, test and re-seal the units.
   Downsides:  Pricey battery service and approx. 10-year max service life.    Upsides: Proven, super tough construction, simple operation......and a guarantee that if you use an ACR unit to get rescued, write up a story of the rescue, send it in, and they will replace it with a new one - free.
   I'm not comfortable with the reliability/durability of any unit with rechargeable or user-replaceable batteries, or anything that doesn't use the SARSAT/COSPAS worldwide satellite network.   Anything that uses the Sat-Phone networks (like Iridium) plus a third-party rescue activation system AND has a monthly subscription fee just isn't on my list.  There's only one message I want to send =  "HELP, I'm at these GPS co-ordinates"   If you want to message/chat, get a sat device, but not as a substitute for a beacon.
   The COSPAS network downlinks alerts from the satellite network to a Government operation in Maryland, which identifies the sender, checks with your emergency phone number for a false alarm, then directly notifies whatever S&R operation is closest to your GPS location.   All of this is quick, reliable and free, including the original registration and every 2-year renewals.
   In a real emergency, you should be able to arm the unit with one hand if injured, and it should float upright in water, continuing to send a signal for a minimum of 24 hours.  Anything that requires using a keypad or touch-pad is a no-go for a real emergency.

[Hunter]

I have an ACR Globalfix V4 that has a 10 year battery life...  I've had it for 6 years now and batt shows full and all tests are good.  No subscription or carrying costs involved.  Battery is user changeable and cost $140 for the OEM.....

I also carry a Nautilus Lifeline on my person and my cellphone in a waterproof case.   The Nautilus is waterproof up to 200ft so I can dive with it.  The phone case is waterproof up to 20ft and the phone is fully functional without opening the case..

















 

[GregE]

I was looking at my ACR PLB a couple of years ago and got a call from the CG in Florida.   
They were verifying I was on land and not having an emergency.  The system works, and you need to coordinate a test beforehand.