A Satellite Emergency Notification Device or SEND is a portable emergency notification and locating device which uses commercial satellite systems rather than the
COSPAS-SARSAT
The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme is a satellite-aided search and rescue (SAR) initiative. It is organized as a treaty-based, nonprofit, intergovernmental, humanitarian cooperative of 45 nations and agencies (see infobox). It is dedi ...
satellite system. An example of this device is
SPOT
Spot or SPOT may refer to:
Places
* Spot, North Carolina, a community in the United States
* The Spot, New South Wales, a locality in Sydney, Australia
* South Pole Traverse, sometimes called the South Pole Overland Traverse
People
* Spot (prod ...
.
The devices use an internal
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
chip to gather location information. When the SEND is triggered, this information is sent via commercial satellite to a commercial monitoring agency whose role is to pass the information to an appropriate responding agency. The responding agency contacted depends, in part, on the location. Examples of responding agencies would be military Search and Rescue, Coast Guard, local police, voluntary Search and Rescue.
Typical users/purchasers of these devices are participants in activities such as hiking, mountain biking, climbing, boating and flying. They are also useful for those who work in remote areas (loggers, foresters, geologists, fisheries and wildlife staff).
Additional features are increasingly being offered: sending preprogrammed messages, breadcrumb tracking via
Google Earth
Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and geog ...
. Some newer devices offer two-way communication via satellite, for example
DeLorme
DeLorme is the producer of personal satellite tracking, messaging, and navigation technology. The company’s main product, ''inReach'', integrates GPS and satellite technologies. ''inReach'' provides the ability to send and receive text messages ...
's inReach Communicator, the Yellowbrick 3 Messenger/Tracker, and th
Somewear Global Hotspot
The considerations when buying them, is ensuring that the International Emergency Response Coordination Centre (IERCC) which receives a distress call maintains an accurate and up-to-date database of response agencies to contact and can quickly determine which is appropriate to the situation/location. The commercial, IERCC is GEOS, used by both SPOT and DeLorme SENDs.
The
US Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...
's National Search and Rescue Committee (NSARC) set up a working group which includes representation from other US agencies, international organizations and device manufacturers to discuss how these "technologies can be properly reviewed and integrated with the SAR response system in the United States" and to aid the
Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) in "development of a minimum operating and performance specification for such devices". The RTCM working group SC has completed and approved a standard for Emergency Satellite Notification Systems, which was published in August 2011.
inReach
inReach, like
SPOT
Spot or SPOT may refer to:
Places
* Spot, North Carolina, a community in the United States
* The Spot, New South Wales, a locality in Sydney, Australia
* South Pole Traverse, sometimes called the South Pole Overland Traverse
People
* Spot (prod ...
, does not use the 406 MHz signal nor the system of satellites. Instead, it depends on the
Iridium satellite constellation
The Iridium satellite constellation provides L band voice and data information Pass (spaceflight), coverage to satellite phones, pagers and integrated transceivers over the entire surface of Earth. Iridium Communications owns and operates the Sa ...
. Unlike SPOT, inReach is a two way system capable of receiving confirmation that the message was received. Like SPOT, the message is transmitted to the private
who then notifies the appropriate SAR authorities.
inReach also provides tracking capability and two way SMS text messages.
Somewear Global Hotspot
The Somewear Global Hotspot, like inReach, also depends on the Iridium satellite system. It enables two-way messaging, live tracking, and 24-hour weather forecasting. In the event that an SOS distress signal is triggered, the information is transmitted to the GEOS who coordinates the rescue with the appropriate local authorities.
SPOT
SPOT does not use the 406 MHz signal nor the system of satellites. Instead, it depends on the
GlobalStar
Globalstar, Inc. is an American satellite communications company that operates a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications. The Globalstar second-generation constellation consists of 24 l ...
satellite system. It has richer features (for instance, can send many non-emergency signals) – but it does not work in as many places as 406 MHz PLBs – for instance under dense forest canopy or steep canyons. When a user presses the "911" button on a SPOT device an emergency message containing the unit's identification and GPS location is transmitted to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center who then notifies the appropriate emergency agency for the region after first calling the user to ensure the transmission is not accidental.
SPOT additionally has the ability to provide non-emergency web based tracking information. This allows family or friends at home to track the holder's progress. The tracking operates by sending a tracking signal to the
GlobalStar
Globalstar, Inc. is an American satellite communications company that operates a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications. The Globalstar second-generation constellation consists of 24 l ...
network every 10 minutes. This feature can additionally be useful to provide location of an individual even if the individual is unable to activate the emergency '911' button.
Yellowbrick
Yellowbrick, like SPOT, does not use the 406 MHz signal nor the system of satellites. Instead, it depends on the Iridium satellite system. Unlike SPOT, Yellowbrick is a two way system capable of receiving confirmation that the message was received and exchange two-way messages via short emails and SMS. Alert messages are transmitted to destinations specified by the owner.
Yellowbrick Website
See also
* Emergency locator beacon
An emergency locator beacon is a radio beacon, a portable battery powered radio transmitter, used to locate airplanes, vessels, and persons in distress and in need of immediate rescue. Various types of emergency locator beacons are carried by airc ...
* Emergency position-indicating radiobeacon station
An Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is a type of emergency locator beacon for commercial and recreational boats, a portable, battery-powered radio transmitter used in emergencies to locate boaters in distress and in need of i ...
, which covers PLB, ELT, EPIRB
References
External links
BriarTek claims patent on SENDs
Announcement By DeLorme of the inReach Communicator
Announcement by Yellowbrick of their tracking and communication device
SEND standard approved by RTCM
{{Telecommunications
Emergency communication
Beacons
International telecommunications
Rescue equipment
Survival equipment