UKH

I remember reading about an electronic device that can be taken abroad, which is not a mobile phone, and which can be activated if you get into difficulties. I read about it a couple of years ago, but cannot remember what it was called, or where it can be bought.
Once it is activated, as I remember, it alerts others, and has a degree of position information for those alerted.
I would like to get such a device for my daughter as she is shortly to go travelling in South America on her own.

In reply to veteye:

Google "personal locator beacon".

There's loads of options with differing accuracy, range, service, etc. so depending on what you want you'll want to research further.

Most of them send the alert to rescue services and are more geared towards accidents. If you are after something more like police help and that then the options may be different

In reply to veteye:
What you're thinking of is probably a PLB.

Complementary rather than a substitute for a phone (or a VHF radio on the water), as it doesn't work instantaneously and wont summon help directly from those best placed to provide it. But you do get global coverage (kinda sorta) regardless of having a phone/radio signal.

eg: http://www.mcmurdomarine.com/personal-locator-beacons

In reply to Mr Lopez:

Thank You. I was thinking that since my daughter may be going to less secure places in South America, that if she ended up in a really difficult situation, then some means of communicating to me/authorities would be available. I seem to remember seeing such a device in PC Pro magazine.
The marine type personal locator beacons would have some effect,but I do not know if that would be appropriate. I want to get the right balance to this, and not involving the wrong setup, yet I want to try to add some sort of back up for her.

In reply to veteye:

There are lots of things out there that broadcast a distress signal (watches, transponders etc) called PLBs. These are strictly limited use however if there are no local search and rescue organisations willing and able to respond.

If you're going somewhere "off grid" without local S&R support then you need more than just a beacon; you need your own personal A-Team to respond to it. I recall an article about a few years ago about a firm offering a watch for US$ 1,000,000 that came with a "former special forces" response team prepared to travel world wide and rescue you "subject to local laws" etc. I can't find the article with a quick google mind you...

As well as a PLB you can these days get a satellite phone in a mobile handset form with world wide coverage from Iriduim for under a grand - https://www.iridium.com/products/details/iridiumextreme - which also has some form of "emergency" button.

In reply to veteye:

Could be SPOT type devices you're thinking of as well. Setup to send a pre-determined text message to phone / e-mail accounts as well as rescue centers depending on how you set them up. Don't need mobile signal to do this.

http://www.findmespot.eu/en/

Like others say, it's not necessarily a great help if there's no local service to follow it up, but can at least flag a last known location, and confirm that theres a problem (rather than just stuck somewhere out of contact for a few days).

Cheers,

Stu

In reply to wintertree:

America. F*ck yeah!
Hut Hut Hut Hut Hut...

In reply to veteye:

You can buy a simple phone with a panic button on it these days that will send a txt of yr choosing with GPS coordinates back to whoever. Probably be better off with a local pay as you go (way cheaper and actually works) and an itinerary cross checked with FCO country advice and a reasonable amount of Google Fu. Presumably shes not planning on meeting up with Shining Path or FARC on these travels? Otherwise the advice about not taking night taxis alone or getting wasted on drink and or drugs with strangers holds as it does everywhere.

D

In reply to Dauphin:



Many of my most memorable nights spent in SA were due to getting wasted on drink and drugs with strangers - agree you have to be careful though.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Me also. But I'm big and I'm ugly.

D

In reply to Dauphin:


Me too, but the girl I married was petite and pretty and more 'riskier' than me. Her parents were very happy with her choice of husband.

In reply to veteye:

If it's cost no object, there's always a new watch:

http://mobile.breitling.com/en/models/professional/emergency/#

In reply to L'Eeyore:

They couldn't have been that good if you can still remember them

In reply to Gone for good:

I'm glad that I can remember them, the lamb mash and red wine (accompanied by some really hardened climbers) served up in a very remote location lives with me for ever. Sod anyone that says drinking isn't good for you.

The sex that night was pretty much perfect.

In reply to veteye:
Spot does what you want. It sends alerts via satellites so does not require phone coverage. Cost £100 and another £100 per year to use their service. If set to live tracking spot keeps a year's history on location on its site for which you'd have an account. As above the spot service can send / text emails to nominated numbers / email accounts, this doesn't require a phone signal her end. There's an sos button she can press in an emergency, but she'd need to take it seriously else you'll begin to ignore it.

In reply to veteye:

Another option

http://inreachdelorme.com/

In reply to veteye:

You could ask Justine C about spot. https://www.facebook.com/cackletv/?ref=br_rs&pnref=lhc If you scroll down you can see her use it.

In reply to veteye:

You got to really look into it before deciding in one of the options above. For example, the SPOT is not a PLB, and though it may be more suitable due to the messaging service it depends in Satellite phone coverage and has a relatively weak signal, so its usefullness when in a heavily wooded area or mountainous may be limited.

Best of both Worlds, get her 2 devices, one for medical/rescue emergencies and another one more for "other" emergencies?

Edit: found this link which is pretty handy http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Personal-Locator-Beacon-Reviews/Buying-Advice

In reply to StuDoig:

Thank you.
That looks like it may be the sort of thing to use.

In reply to Mr Lopez:

I will read that when I get chance later as it looks like a useful comparison.Thank you.