Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
I don't know what the $5K is for, I assume that's what it will cost for your rescue? Here it's always free. SAR is carried out by volunteers. Even if you need a helicopter extraction, they won't charge you, they have a contract with the army who uses search and rescue for flight training.
Rescue in NZ and I think here in Australia is free.
I used the figure $5K in response to the post:
Originally Posted by
ItsJustMe
As others have pointed out, without cell coverage, having GPS coordinates doesn't do you a lick of good.
If you don't have cell coverage, you're probably going to have to use a Personal Locator Beacon.
These use the satellite rescue system at 406 MHz and it tells the network "emergency at this GPS location" Typically used by hikers and boaters for emergency rescue.
They're about $300 and up.
However, before going that route, you might want to check into what your financial liability is if you trigger it. Typically if a hiker triggers it, they're in deep sh*t, like they've broken a leg 20 miles from the trail head. It wouldn't be unusual for a helicopter to be dispatched. You may get a bill for $5000 for the emergency service, depending on how EMS works in your state.