G'day Jamie,

AMSA state that all vessels travelling more than 2 nautical miles are required to carry a EPIRB, however, certain leisure craft vessels may be excluded from this at state or territory level.
You'd need to check in with your local authority on this one.  The key difference is EPIRBs are fully waterproof & float indefinitely, and transmit for a minimum of 48hrs. The also have a large transmission area for the homing signal which is generally preferred for open water.

G'day Anton,

This PLB is ideal for watersports aswell as land use, aslong as you remain within 3km of the coast its a great option.
As long as its not remaining submerged, there shouldnt be any effect to functionality.
We recommend the PLB is attached to you at all times, and not attached to your kayak.  This is as much about your own safety as anything - if you happen to get seperated from your kayak, you'll have no option to call for help.

G'day Mark,

RescueME PLB1 works with the only officially recognised worldwide dedicated search and rescue satellite network (operated by Cospas Sarsat). As this is funded by governments there are NO CHARGES to use this service. 

The rescueME PLB1 has a built in GPS receiver which is used to encode the position in the transmission.  When the GPS has a reliable fix, usually within a few minutes, the accuracy is typically within 100 metres of your actual position can be achieved. 

When activated the rescueME PLB1 transmits your position and your ID to a Rescue Coordination Center via satellite link. Rescue services nearest to you are promptly notified of your emergency and regularly advised of your current location to assist in prompt rescue. So this goes to the global satellite system then the rescue services nearest you.

There is no hard case option for the Ocean Signal, Craig. It would fit inside the GME case but I reckon it will only fill abot 60% of the case so will rattle around a bit. ~ Ben

G'day Mark,

Yep, this is a standard PLB which is a land-based emergency beacon.
EPIRBs are water-based - OceanSignal make both PLBs & EPIRBs.  
Whilst this is a land-based PLB it also has some design features making it a great option for people engaging in close shore or inland recreational water sports, so covers both areas.

The other option worth looking at is the GME Accusat which has the advantage of being an Aussie owned and made beacon.  Either way both devices have the same function and provide the same assurity in an emergency situation.

Hope that helps.

G'day Ian,

The Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB is manufactured in the UK.
Hope that helps.

G'day Shane,

The antenna pulls out straight from the front of the PLB, perpendicular to the device itself, which allows it to remain vertical when actively transmitting without being held upright by someone.
If you are injured, you'll likely be laying or sitting down, with your bag removed, in which case your PLB will also be laying flat, with the antenna straight to the sky.
This is also important for close shore marine-based rescue, which is what this PLB has been primarily designed for.
See the 8th image on our product page for more info.

G'day Andrea,

The owner details for the PLB are registered with the Australian Marine Safety Authority (AMSA).
As far as I am aware you cannot change the registration, however, you can advise of travel plans or temporary users, etc.
You may need to follow this one up with AMSA directly for more information, sorry!

G'day James,

I've found the following on the RescueMe website:
The Cospas Sarsat system uses two methods of locating a beacon. The satellite system is designed to locate your beacon using the transmission alone.  The accuracy of this fix is approximately a 5 nautical mile radius, but is typically much better. The rescueME PLB1 has a built in GPS receiver which is used to encode the position in the transmission.  When the GPS has a reliable fix, usually within a few minutes, the accuracy is typically within 100 metres of your actual position.

G'day Ang,

Yes, it can.  You'll need to register your beacon with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and advise of intended overseas trips I believe.  Your RescueMe PLB1 will come with all the instructions required for use though, so have a read through that for more information. 

G'day Todd,

Yes, you can attach the RescueMe PLB1 to a backpack. Jake outlines how the loop attachment works in the video, he refers to a life jacket, but they'll attach to a backpack shoulder strap in the same way.

G'day Brad,

All of the PLB units we sell can only be shipped within Australia, and are coded for registration in Australia. They can be used in NZ, by an Australian who has the unit registered in Australia, however, you aren't able to register an Australian coded beacon in NZ and vice versa. RescueMe does code beacons for NZ as far as we know, so best bet will be to reach out to a local retailer for an NZ coded beacon.

G'day B,

All Sat Communications offers battery replacements for the RescueMe PLB. You can reach them on 1300 747 587, they're based in Victoria.

G'day Glenda,

Yes, the Ocean Signal Rescue Me PLB1 meets Australian standards and is coded for registration in Australia with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

G'day Shane,

You've hit the nail on the head there, the Rescue Me is mainly designed for use in watersports, with the waterproofing allowing for submersion to 15m for 1 hour. The KTI also has a water resistance rating but is really designed for accidental submersion. If you're looking to do a combination of kayaking/fishing, as well as hiking/camping then either unit will be more than capable of the task, however, if you do more watersports I'd suggest steering toward the Ocean Signal. The antenna on the Ocean signal is fairly robust, but a little lighter weight than the KTI. Ocean Signal don't make any claims around UV stabilisation of the plastic, so it's hard to know exactly what they mean by "rugged plastic". The KTI can be operated one-handed as well.