[Bob Maher]

I paddle on Stave , Pitt and Alouette lakes regularly and there is no Cellular or VHF service for emergencies on any of these lakes.

Does anyone have suggestions what is available for emergency communications for these areas, that is reasonable in price?

 

Bob Maher

Topic

[Bob Maher]

Brent Boulet

Thu, Sep 19, 7:23 PM (15 hours ago)

to me

Hi Bob,

For Personal Locator Beacons, I personally like InReach. Works well as a communication tool with friends and family. Also has a SOS function. But like any tool, people need to educate themselves on them to ensure proper use. We have had accidental SOS calls, and also family members reporting people overdue because they missed a check-in from not properly sending a message on the device.

These devices can be purchased at most outdoor stores like MEC and Atmosphere.

Hope that helps.

Brent, SAR Maple Ridge

[Bob Maher]

Brent Boulet

Thu, Sep 19, 7:23 PM (15 hours ago)

to me

Hi Bob,

For Personal Locator Beacons, I personally like InReach. Works well as a communication tool with friends and family. Also has a SOS function. But like any tool, people need to educate themselves on them to ensure proper use. We have had accidental SOS calls, and also family members reporting people overdue because they missed a check-in from not properly sending a message on the device.

These devices can be purchased at most outdoor stores like MEC and Atmosphere.

Hope that helps.

Brent, SAR Maple Ridge

[Bob Maher]

SAR Maple Ridge Reply

Brent Boulet <bboulet86@gmail.com>

Thu, Sep 19, 11:06 AM (22 hours ago)

Hi Bob,

Thanks for reaching out. Both Zoleo and InReach devices have worked well for people in our area. There is in fact SOME cell service on Pitt lake and Alouette Lake in certain areas.

For Pitt Lake, the community of people that stay up there use Channel 66 on Marine VHF radio to communicate. You could also use the emergency Channel 16. This could be a more immediate form of help until Search and Rescue can arrive.

For Stave Lake, Reach out to Mission SAR for advice in that area as it is their area of response.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any other questions!

Brent Boulet
Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue

[Bob Maher]

Bob Maher <bob_maher@telus.net>

6:59 PM (1 hour ago)

to SKABC

Hi Bob,

Thanks for reaching out. Both Zoleo and InReach devices have worked well for people in our area. There is in fact SOME cell service on Pitt lake and Alouette Lake in certain areas.

For Pitt Lake, the community of people that stay up there use Channel 66 on Marine VHF radio to communicate. You could also use the emergency Channel 16. This could be a more immediate form of help until Search and Rescue can arrive.

For Stave Lake, Reach out to Mission SAR for advice in that area as it is their area of response.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any other questions!

Brent Boulet
Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue

[Yekaterina Yushmanova]

Another vote for InReach mini. Have had ours for about four years.

[Kevin Amos]

You might want to contact Ridge Meadows Search & Rescue. They probably have some real world suggestions for the area.

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[Kapila Jayaweera]

Another alternate would be to use a ham radio. There are repeaters all over mainland including Mapleridge should be able to hit using handheld radio (although I have not tested myself), as well as pretty much anywhere in the country have ham radio repeaters.

One thing is that you have get a ham radio (Amateur Radio) license which is not hard. If anyone interested getting an Amateur Radio license, please contact me and I am help.
Usually marine radios does not cover frequency range that Amateur Radio operates, needs another radio. You can get inexpensive radios since they are widely available even under hundred dollars.

[Brian Pegg]

Bob :

 

Newer iphones (14 or later) have built in satellite sos capability

I have one and have use the test function but have not used it for real.

 

The next option is the satellite communicators.  These include garmin inreach, spot messenger, zoleo, bivystick, and probably some others. I have extensively used garmin inreach and appreciate the two way non emergency communication.  Cheap safety only plans are available. I have used this in a for real emergency and the results were not great.

 

The other option is a radio frequency epirb. These used to be for marine vessels but have gotten smaller so are worth thinking about.  They cost $ upfront but no subscription and are only for emergencies.

 

Good luck!  make sure to have one of these options, or just go old school with a check in person.  BP

 

[George Prevost]

I agree that an inReach is a good solution.  If you’re going to buy one, I just saw an article saying that there is a new model that allows you to send voice messages and photos, if that’s something you think you might want to do.  I don’t see it on the Garmin website yet, though.  Another option is a Garmin Montana 700i GPS, which is what I have.  It’s an excellent, very waterproof GPS with a large, clear touchscreen and also includes inReach capability.

[Nick Heath]

Hi Bob,

I have long carried a Personal Locator Beacon on my PFD. This provides emergency SOS service more or less anywhere, satellite-based with no monthly fee. The downside is a fairly hefty price of about $400+ and a requirement for the manufacturer to the change battery after 5-7 years.

These are required for crew members on many, perhaps most organized ocean sailing events, after numerous tragedies in which individuals have gone overboard but were never located despite adequate buoyancy and thermal protection. I am surprised that so few paddlers use them.

PLBs don’t perform the variety of functions that the inReach has, but if what you want is a basic locator beacon that is always with you, they make sense. You can also carry them for hiking, skiing etc more or less anywhere with maybe a few satellite-dead zone exceptions.

A decent Marine VHF putting out 25 W of power through a high-gain antenna mounted on a tall mast would almost certainly reach the Rescue Coordination Centre folks (i.e. sailboat moored at N end of Stave Lk) but hand-held radios lack that punch, so unless conditions are perfect and the signal can skip out to one of the repeater towers on Salt Spring or Bowen Islands etc an emergency call from a paddler would likely go unheard unless a boater on Fraser R received the call and performed a Mayday Relay (as they are supposed to do).

I suspect (but don’t know) that a DSC call from a hand-held radio would require less power and would stand a good chance of being picked up by RCC, even from far the end of Stave Lk. It would be interesting to learn if that is so.

[Richard Magill]

I tried to edit my post, and now it isn’t showing up in the thread though it says that I’ve responded.  I’m not sure if you can see this or not.  sorry of I double posted.

I second the InReach mini II, but disagree with Laurel on the suggestion of using an older InReach or Spot as a cheaper alternative.  The 1st Gen InReach mini doesn’t have anywhere near as good a battery life as the second gen, it uses the older USB mini as opposed to the newer USB-C charging cable, and it isn’t compatible with the Garmin Explorer app for your phone (though it does use the Garmin Messages app).

As for the Spot, I’ve used it as well.  Not as reliable in getting messages through and even the ones it does transmit, it will be much slower in transmission.  I once sent my wife two check ins, 2.5 hours and 15km apart, and my Spot unit sent the second checkin as if I hadn’t moved at all.  Scared her to death because it was getting dark and she thought I was still 15km from the take out.  Also, the GPS signal receiver is MUCH weaker than the InReach.  Often something as thin as a water proof box, the hull of your kayak if you keep it under a hatch (which isn’t recommended), or thick cloud cover will block it.  One other thing.  No above mentioned unit is fully waterproof so be sure and get a waterproof bag or case for whatever unit you get, but the Spot units are worse about getting water damage than the Garmin’s.  By far!

Long story short… fork out the dough to get an InReach mini 2.  You’ll be glad you did.

I’ve never used Zoleo, and I think there are a couple of other companies out there claiming to do the same thing…. they might be a cheaper option.  I even heard a rumour that the Apple 16 would have a satellite texting option.  Haven’t heard that one confirmed, though.

[Laurel Brewster]

We use a Garmin InReach Mini2.  It allows you to send and receive text messages, both custom and standardized, as well as check weather/wind forecasts, track your route, mark waypoints etc.   You can work directly on the unit itself, or use the Garmin app on your phone for ease of typing if you prefer.  It is expensive to purchase ~$440 sale price on amazon) and there is a monthly fee (~$20 for the base plan) but it’s money well spent for your safety in my opinion!  You can suspend your monthly plan at no charge if you don’t paddle during the winter months, or you can buy a discounted annual plan.   If you want a less expensive option, consider an older version Spot or InReach.  They don’t have as many options for communication but you can at least send a message for help, or with some models a pre-scripted message such as “I am OK but will be late” or things like that.  Having used both Spot and InReach I prefer the InReach, but its strictly personal preference as I think both options are good.

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