SPOT Inc., a subsidiary of Globalstar, introduced its subscription-based “SPOT Satellite Messenger” at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City. SPOT is being promoted as a multi-purpose tool that can used as a distress beacon as well as providing options to request help without a full blown Search and Rescue response. It can [...]

I have posted my Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2007 Report on Equipped To Survive.
In years past, Outdoor Retailer hasn’t been a particularly fertile ground for me, SHOT Show is generally where the big influx of new gear comes. However, this year there were quite a few interesting new products in Salt Lake. [...]

The FCC Weighs In
For background, please see the original TracMe article, “That’s No Personal Locator Beacon! – When is a Personal Locator Beacon not a PLB?”
On Wednesday of this week, just as I was getting ready to leave for Salt Lake City to attend Outdoor Retailer, I received an email that included the latest [...]

When is a Personal Locator Beacon not a PLB?
406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are earning a well-deserved reputation for saving lives. These personal-sized distress beacons (large pocket sized) use the same technology that’s been used in marine and aviation (EPIRBs and ELTs) for many years and saved thousands of lives. If you’re headed out [...]

With yesterday’s tragic collapse of the bridge in Minneapolis, once again people are asking what they could do to escape their car if they suddenly found themselves underwater.
First, you must stay calm. Second, you cannot open the door, you must escape through the windows. If the windows are already open, you are more or less [...]