Going Alone - Single Vehicle Wheeling & Safety

Thanks for the clarification, your PLB is a great choice.

The ACR Resqlink is a proven device as well which requires very little effort from the user. The ACR rescue stories bear this out. Set the Resqlink with a clear view of the sky, flip the antenna and push a button. For an injured or disabled person it might make a difference?

Either PLB is going to be better than nothing, that is the point I was making.

 

Most certainly.

I spend a lot of time in the Alaska backcountry - it amazes me how many people you find without a satellite messenger or PLB. They'll be in a $40,000 boat or a $20,000 side by side, but won't buy a $300 device that are absolute life savers in emergencies.

 

Couple things-

Inreach and PLB SOS signals don’t go to the same place. Inreach uses a private rescue coordination center (GEOS) whereas the PLB goes to the US Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the same as EPIRBs on boats/ships and ELTs on airplanes. I don’t know if one is better than the other.

In the case where the PLB coordinates were off by a mile, they were most likely using an old PLB that did not have GPS capability. Those beacons are located using Doppler (triangulation) and are not super accurate. New PLBs encode GPS coordinates into the SOS signal and offer the same accuracy as satellite trackers while also still being able to be tracked by Doppler and also transmitting on the old 121.5mhz freq that planes still monitor.

Another thing to consider with PLBs is that they are going to be more reliable getting a signal out, there’s no denying that. They transmit on 406mhz which is going to be much better at getting through trees and rough terrain than satellite trackers that use the much higher 1.6ghz frequent. They also transmit at 5 watts vs satellite trackers that are going to transmit at only 1 watt.

In a true life or death situation I would take the PLB.

 

Carry both if you can afford it and have the room.

 

Yeah, those old 121.5 ones are a PITA to track down sometimes. Actually harder in urban areas than in the bush. Less stuff to bounce off of.

 

I learned the hard way, know the capability of your truck. 82 Toyo p/u, at the time and..."THINK" before you try to make it. I learned a atv trail is not made for trucks in the snow in winter. It looked wide at top but narrowed quickly[Alaska], no turn around, defiantly wasn't going forward,steeper hill, could not back up the snowy hill. fault...mine!! [ I got stuck in deep snow twice up there, digging out when it is 5-10degs out isn't fun] ......Carry the stuff talked about here,have fun... but THINK!! Can I really make it?, will I damage the truck/get stuck. How far out am I,do I want to hike out that far? There is no shame in backing out or turning around. The truck was very capable... going up power line roads [dry] 4L,gas mashed.. 4th,3rd,2nd,1st,gas mashed...bump...front wheels off ground..steering wheel spins full lock left [I learned NOT to have your thumbs inside the steering wheel,it hurts!!]..foot mashed........Made it!!.....It's fun but then you get the bill to fix things no so much......The 82 truck hit 2 trees left front,3 right front, a concrete pole, headlong into ditch,backed into 2 trees and 2 rollovers [1st in snow other dry conditions] the 2nd one was terminal. fault...mine.......Get out and have fun but THINK!..... I miss those days of really testing the truck,going where I want........... Got my new truck and my family said " your not going to do what you did to your other truck are you?....No..

 

Good to have items in your truck:

Pocket chainsaw:

$20 Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw 36" Long Chain With Fire Starter Best Compact Folding Hand Saw Tool for Survival Gear, Camping, Hunting, Tree Cutting or Emergency Kit. Replaces Your Pruning & Pole Saw

https://www.amazon.com/Sportsman-Pocket-Chainsaw-Survival-Emergency/dp/B00GMR0MZS

Stanley cupset with backpack stove & fuel canister stashed inside:

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Camp-24oz-Cook-Set/dp/B00H3377W6

$13 REEHUT Ultralight Portable Camping Stoves Backpacking Stove with Piezo Ignition Adjustable Valve Stainless Steel Material for Backpacking, Hiking, Riding, Mountaineering, Camping - Orange, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/REEHUT-Ultra...MHFAV257CJ6&psc=1&refRID=Q5HT387RDMHFAV257CJ6

 

Never been a fan of those except in a "walk home bag". Even then I prefer a small folding saw or light camp axe/hatchet. In the truck and Jeep I carry bow saws because they can do a lot more work with a lot less effort. They take up more space but are flat so aren't hard to stow away somewhere.

 

I have a 21" bow saw too. I also have a compact Wyoming saw.

The pocket chain saw is quick and easy for taking out brush that might be in the way next to the road if you get stuck. Wrap it around the base of the brush, pull back and forth. Less chance of breaking a blade.

Never carried or mounted a dedicated axe in my 1st Gen, just a small hatchet. I'm going to dedicate an axe for my 3rd Gen since much more room. This forum has been helpful.

 

Sounds like an episode of Top Gear. Would like to see a picture.

 

That's a total of what the truck went thru over the years,forgot to mention the broken leaf springs and bent steering stabilizer. I do have a pic's after the last rollover,I'll try to dig them up...............Back in my partying ,drink en day's. It was a good truck in Alaska for getting around ,9+ years.............. The first days I had it and the last day..... There was a canopy on it,three guy's in cab.....My buddy's think we went end for end,I think we did a peroet thing on the nose....... Logging road,power shift from 3rd to 4th...without lifting off gas, rear-end breaking lose, hearing the right front tire getting slammed into wheel well [a big rock and stump had a mark on it]..dust, twigs...gravel....ended up on the other side of road facing the other direction, luckily stayed on the road. [clear cut area]...............BART!!!...............Think!!..........It still ran,the fan was banging on something but it started right up.........................Found the pic of the first one [snow]. Beaver Creek, Yukon. Alaska Hwy

 

I had a Toyota truck and couldn't kill it. I tried too.

Years ago Top Gear did a show about trying to kill a Hilux. https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=top+gear+destroy+hilux.

 

I remember that, I miss that show,the original one............

 

Yep, awesome thread OP.

 

Since I own them for work, have a grip of batteries and a charger that works with the inverter in our trucks, I carry a Milwaukee 18V sawzall, cordless impact, flashlight, 3-4 batteries, charger and an assortment of bits, blades and misc hardware. A pruning blade will go through a 10-12" branch with no drama.

Have used them to clear fallen branches, gather/cut firewood and even built target stands when someone forgot to bring some.

I also do carry an axe (Forrest Tool Company Max Axe) , hand chainsaw and a machete.

Something I for sure need to bulk up on is first aid (both kit and knowledge). I have very limited first aid skills.

 

Posted earlier, I picked one of these Stanley cooksets off Amazon just for the rig , this set is real compact and great for pairing up with one of the backpacking canister fuel stoves. I've carried a Snowpeak Ti cup with fuel and BP stove for many years but recently picked up another Titanium mug/pot for my son. Throw in some freeze dried BP meals and one can stay an unexpected overnighter if needed. Great for coffee too.

 

This is a very helpful post, thank you!

 

A third GPS device is always on my wrist. I don't leave the truck without marking its location.



Great post, and thread.

How did you mount the tablet?

 

I took the wilderness first responder course through NOLS last year and it was awesome. They go in depth into most issues you will come across in the backcountry and it is a lot of practical hands on training. They also do a shorter wilderness first aid class that I’ve heard is good too.

I think it’s one of the things most people miss. You can have the most badass rig with a stocked first aid kit but if you don’t have the training it’s worthless.