Portable satcom communicators are a worthy addition to the survival gear when cell coverage quits. Press the SOS button and a response center will dispatch first responders to the rescue. But today’s portable locator devices, or PLDs, take the rescue process to a better level with text capability through an app. Staying in touch with responders while they find you could mean a better survival chance. In flight on an active flight plan, there’s a healthy level of third-party tracking capability, which could automatically trigger search and rescue if you’re overdue.
Serving double duty outside the aircraft for boating and adventure sports, the current-gen PLDs have matured and offer two-way communications via text and email, plus they have Bluetooth. All require a satellite subscription data plan, and while the names SPOT and inReach are familiar, and most do the same things, choosing one may not be easy. Here’s a primer to kick off the shopping.