Personal Personal Location Beacon (PLB) - Get Found with FAST FIND

- Currently the smallest PLB on the market
- Internationally approved
- Waterproof to 10 metres and buoyant whilst in flotation pouch
- 5 year battery life
- 50 channel GPS transmitter with internal antenna

Perth adventurer Tom Smitheringale saved after he activated an emergency beacon read more..... Click Here

The Fast Find 211 is a waterproof 406 MHz Personal Location Beacon (PLB) that should be carried by individuals, who are embarking on trips into areas around the world where there is little or no other form of communication or where other forms of communication are unlikely to work. The Fast Find acts as your Personal Emergency Location Beacon, it is your last resort communication to the national and international search and rescue bodies and it should not be mis-used. If you go boating, flying, bushwalking, skiing or using a 4WD then a PLB is your best last resort communication tool.

The Fast Find is designed as a direct communication, to the 406 MHz Search and Rescue satellite system, its signal indicates that you are in need of urgent response and assistance. Its small size belies its rugged construction and powerful output. There is no compromise. Once activated, the distress beacon will send out a signal for help, and continues to transmit for at least 24 hours, at a powerful 5 watt output, ensuring that your call for help gets through whatever the conditions. The pocket sized, waterproof beacon transmits at the press of a button, to alert search and rescue services to your plight. Budget conscious users will find the standard model powerful and reliable with its 121.5MHz homing capabilities. This GPS model which will pinpoint your exact location for extra speedy rescue.

To meet AMSA Regulations AS/NZS 4280.2 the fastfind as pictured will also include a buoyancy pack and neck lanyard. You can only buy your Fast Find 211 from retailers in Australia and New Zealand (FastFind 210 which is sold in countries like the US do not meet our standard).

All you have to do next is register it with the search and rescue authorities. There are no extra charges or subscriptions to pay. If you get into life threatening danger, and there is no other way of summoning help, the Fast Find is your route to safety

The Fast Find weighs just 5.3 oz (150g) and measures D 1.34"(34mm) x W 1.85" (47mm) x L 4.17"(106mm). It is extremely sturdy and designed to cope with temperatures as low as -20°.

The Fast Find's battery has a storage life of 5 years after which it can be easily replaced.

FASTFIND RESCUES

PLB signal guides aircraft to safe landing 15/01/2010

A Fast Find Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) was used to enable Air Traffic Control to track and safely guide a light aircraft to a safe landing, which had suffered a complete electrical failure.

The Fast Find was activated when the aircraft, operated by Oasis Flight, was returning to Oxford from a commercial flight to Pontoise in France on December 19th 2009. As the aircraft approached the French Coast at 19.45 the Pilot lost all electrical services and thus had no lighting, navigational equipment or means of radio communication. The mobile phone had a very poor signal.

The signal from the Fast Find, which is transmitted via the international government-run Search and Rescue Satellite system, was immediately picked up by the French emergency services, Swanwick ATS and Kinloss SAR. Kinloss contacted Robert Foster, the operator at Oasis Flight, straight away who was able to advise that the Captain’s intention was to seek a suitable en route alternative landing place in Northern France. However, he was unable to do this and managed a short phone call to explain that he was heading for Oxford.

The Fast Find continued transmitting and allowed the Air Traffic Services, in conjunction with Kinloss, to continually establish the aircraft’s exact position and monitor the progress of it back to its home base. Swanwick was able to relay fixes to Oasis which Foster managed to pass on to the Captain to confirm his exact position. The aircraft landed some 90 minutes later without further incident.

Robert Foster said “The McMurdo Fast Find PLB operated perfectly throughout the incident and was a superb piece of equipment to have onboard. Without the continual transmission supplied by the PLB we would have not been able to monitor the position and progress of the aeroplane as we did.” He added “This helped to reduce the Captain’s workload in a difficult situation and made sure that we were in control of the situation. We always carry McMurdo PLBs on our aircraft and, needless to say, we will continue to make sure that all of our aircraft are fitted with them.”

McMurdo Fast Find PLB leads Coast Guard to elderly sailor 22/12/2009

An 80 year old man activated his McMurdo Fast Find Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) after getting into difficulty during a solo voyage to Belize from Houston, Texas.

The incident gave yet another opportunity to the US Coast Guard to remind mariners to have a registered EPIRB or PLB on board their vessel and to file a float plan with family members and friends. In the case of the elderly owner of the 34ft yacht Enchantress correct registration of the Fast Find with search and rescue authorities and informing his family of his planned route meant the yachtsman could be located quickly.

The man was 10 days into the trip when he reported that he could not cope with the stormy conditions on 15th December. He activated his Fast Find as well as putting out an emergency radio distress signal The weather had been bad for a number of days.

A Coast Guard rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston and an HU-25 Falcon rescue plane and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi were launched and the Enchantress was located approximately 115 miles south of Sabine, Texas.

Conditions were stormy with nearby lightening strikes which made for a tricky rescue but the man was hoisted and transported to Coast Guard Air Station Houston where he met by ambulance and taken to hospital.

The Fast Find was supplied by Triad Marine, whose spokesman commented “Thank you both to the Coast Guard and to the makers of the Fastfind 210 for a job well done. We are so happy to see our customer is safe and that a product we believe in proved itself once more.”

The Fast Find is the most compact, waterproof and versatile 406 MHz emergency location beacon available on the market. It weighs just 150g and is only 106mm long. A seafarer in trouble can activate the Fast Find and be confident of alerting the world’s professional search and rescue services swiftly, anywhere in the world. Fast Find operates on the global COSPAS SARSAT 406MHz satellite system, which is supported by international government search and rescue authorities.

178 lives have been saved in the US so far in 2009 by 406 MHz distress beacons like the Fast Find.

McMurdo Fast Find PLB saves bushwalker 22/11/2009

A FAST FIND 211 Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) was activated on 21st November when a bushwalker was injured in remote mountains west of Jervis Bay, NSW.

The bushwalker, who hasn’t been named, was amongst a party of three people. In this remote area, away from any mobile phone signal they were able to activate the FAST FIND, whose signal was transmitted via the international search and rescue satellite system to be relayed to the local Emergency Response Division of the AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority). The rescue was undertaken by the Southcare Helicopter, a voluntary helicopter rescue service in the region.

The FAST FIND 211 is the most compact personal location beacon available in the world. It is fully waterproof to 10 metres, is just 111mm in length and weighs just 155g so it will slip into the smallest pocket or back pack compartment. Users can be confident of being able to alert professional search and rescue services if they are unlucky enough to encounter life threatening situations, even in the most remote parts of the world. FAST FIND is supplied with a neck lanyard and buoyancy pouch.

FAST FIND complies with tough international standards. The 211model is manufactured specifically for the Australian market to meet with national legislation for safety beacons. It operates on 406 MHz on the global COSPAS SARSAT 406MHz search and rescue satellite communication system, which is supported by international government search and rescue authorities around the world, so a call for help will be acted upon and fast. FAST FIND is subscription free and does not rely on commercial call centres.

FAST FIND has integral 50-channel GPS for additional pinpoint location, further speeding up time of location. Once activated, FAST FIND’s signals will continue to transmit for at least 24 hours. At a powerful 5 watt output, the 406 MHz transmission ensures that a call for help gets through whatever the conditions.

FAST FIND also includes a unique SOS LED flash light facility to speed up recovery during night time rescues. FAST FIND will operate in temperatures down to -2?c and its integral battery has a user storage life of 5years. A non- GPS version of FAST FIND, model 201, is available to order if required.