Safety in the Wild

Hiking is a favorite pastime for millions of people. There’s something special about getting out and communing with nature either alone or with a group of friends. But for serious hikers who tackle dangerous areas or who plan to stay overnight in the woods, some extra safety precautions, such as a personal locator beacon equipped with GPS tracking, can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.

How Personal Locator Beacons Work

A personal locator beacon sends out a powerful signal to rescue workers via an international distress radio frequency. In the United States, the frequency is monitored both by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC). These organizations use a network of satellites to identify your location once you have activated the distress beacon. If your personal locator beacon is equipped with GPS capabilities, it can send your location directly to rescuers, enabling them to find you faster.

Types of Personal Locator Beacons

There are several types of personal locator beacons available for people who anticipate spending time in remote areas:

• GPS-Enabled PLB—A GPS-enabled PLB will send a distress signal over the radio distress frequency, but it will also transmit your GPS coordinates to rescue workers. Using the GPS data, search and rescue teams can narrow your location down to within 100 meters.


• Non GPS-Enabled PLB—A non-GPS-enabled PLB sends the same distress signal, but rescuers must use a tracking device from their end to pinpoint the location of the transmission. With this technology, rescuers can narrow your location down to within 2 miles.


• Satellite Messengers—Satellite messengers are GPS-enabled and allow you to send brief messages to family and friends, even if you’re not in trouble. You can let them know you’re okay and even send GPS coordinates to keep them up to date on your trip. The drawback is that satellite messengers require a monthly subscription fee and may not be as powerful as a PLB.

Experts in the field recommend purchasing a GPS-enabled PLB since a non-GPS-enabled device will require much longer for rescuers to determine your location. If you are hurt or lost in the woods on a cold night, that extra hour or two could be essential.

Registering Your Personal Locator Beacon

When you purchase a PLB, you will be required to register it with the NOAA. At that time, you will be given a unique identifying number. When activated, your PLB will transmit that number to satellites, giving rescue teams access to your name, address, phone number, emergency contacts, and medical conditions you may have.

Although registering your PLB is a legal requirement, some owners fail to take that step. When a non-registered PLB gets activated, even by accident, rescuers have a much more difficult time following up on a distress call. In the worst case scenario, a non-registered PLB that has been activated by accident will pull responders away from an actual emergency to investigate the accidental alert. By contrast, when the PLB is registered, responders can call the emergency contact to find out whether the alert was accidental or not.

GPS Tracking On the Trail

In addition to personal locator beacons, there are several other GPS tracking devices that have been specifically developed to make activities like hiking, biking, and jogging safer. These devices include:

GPS Running Watch	GPS Running Watches not only serve as a tracking device, but also keep track of heart rate, distance, and rate of speed.
Personal Safety Devices	These tracking devices enable you to send an alert to a friend or family member if you need help.
GPS Bike Monitors	Map your trail, view live tracking data, monitor the weather, and utilize social sharing options all from one device.
Hand-held GPS devices	Used for hiking, these devices not only serve as navigational tools, but also act as GPS tracking devices. They can pinpoint your location for friends and family if you get lost and they can also be used for fun activities like geocaching.

The key point to remember is that while getting out into nature by yourself can be wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable, it can also be dangerous. All it takes is a fall that results in a broken or sprained ankle, a wrong turn that causes you to lose your bearings, or an attack by a wild animal, and you could be stranded with no way to get a message to anyone, especially if you’re out of your cell phone’s coverage area. A GPS tracking device gives you and your family peace of mind while you’re out walking, jogging, biking, or hiking. For daytime excursions, a watch or handheld GPS tracking device can be a good choice, but for overnight trips or areas where you may be in danger, a personal locator beacon gives an added measure of safety in the event that things go wrong.

Safety in the Wild