PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Use this forum to post links to news stories from other websites - ones that other hikers might find interesting. This is not intended for original material or anecdotal information. You can reply to any news stories posted, but do not start a new thread without a link to a specific news story.
User avatar
arundodonax
Posts: 1043
Joined: August 12th, 2010, 8:02 pm

PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by arundodonax » July 19th, 2014, 5:20 pm

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/inde ... rt_m-rpt-1
A personal locator beacon allowed rescuers to find and pluck an injured man off of Mount Jefferson by helicopter early Saturday morning.

Michael Smilenski -- 56, of Detroit, Ore. -- had been hiking Friday when he fell about 100 feet and was unable to hike out. He activated his personal locator beacon, which sent an emergency signal to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in Panama City, Florida. The center contacted Oregon authorities, who relayed the information to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies learned that the beacon was registered to Smilenski. Friends told deputies that Smilenski left for a hike on Mount Jefferson Friday, but they didn’t know which trail he took.

Search and rescue teams from Marion and Linn counties began looking for Smilenski. Smilenski flashed a light at an Oregon National Guard helicopter, and rescuers on board spotted him at about 10 p.m. That helicopter wasn’t equipped to retrieve Smilenski, but a second helicopter arrived at about 2:30 a.m. It hoisted Smilenski off of the mountain.

He was taken by ambulance to Salem Hospital. Smilenski is an experienced hiker and had various outdoor gear with him, according to the sheriff’s office.

User avatar
drm
Posts: 6133
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: The Dalles, OR
Contact:

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by drm » August 15th, 2014, 12:44 pm

Not sure why they had issues finding him. Don't PLBs send GPS coordinates? Otherwise, how would the original recipient in Florida have known to contact Oregon authorities?

User avatar
Grannyhiker
Posts: 4598
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Gateway to the Columbia Gorge

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by Grannyhiker » August 15th, 2014, 1:00 pm

The PLB is certainly supposed to send GPS coordinates! That's a bit scary! I'd like to know what kind of PLB he had! My McMurdo FastFind has only one year left on its battery warranty, so I will be in the market for something new next year.

Steve20050
Posts: 395
Joined: November 12th, 2009, 8:06 pm

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by Steve20050 » August 15th, 2014, 1:32 pm

I don't use these as of yet, but have checked them out some. Just guessing here...I think this depends on your location to some degree. If your in a river valley with little open sky it would be harder for a satellite to pick up correct coordinates. They are often off a bit from what I've read. If your out in the open or on a ridge, your probably going to have more than one satellite pickup and the coordinates would be more accurate. Being up on Jefferson, not sure why they would have much trouble. I suppose it also is an issue with how much elevation gain/loss in your area. The GPS coordinates are horizontal so it might be tough for them to pin point your position with a lot of vertical change.

raven
Posts: 1531
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by raven » August 15th, 2014, 5:48 pm

I don't see anything in the report that indicated that the GPS coordinates were not known by the crew. The GPS in the aircraft provides a heading indicator and a distance, but eyeballs are needed to avoid flying into the hill, so mostly they look for a visual contact. The light at night was the most readily seen object. They probably had infrared, but once a light is spotted, it will be checked out first. Few bears or goats flash lights.

Lumpy
Posts: 809
Joined: October 8th, 2012, 9:26 am

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by Lumpy » August 15th, 2014, 10:39 pm

It depends on the device. Some are only beacons that send out a unique identifier to DoD satellites, some do this and have another signal rescuers can track down using radio direction finding equipment, and some attempt to get a gps location fix when sending the emergency notification. SPOT units have gps capability, and will send location when possible, but the main features of all rescue beacons is that regardless of design or location gathering abilities, with or without a gps based location, they will send the emergency message. Gps capable units should send location info if it becomes available soon after activating the SOS feature if it doesn't already know your location at that moment.

Just because it says "beacon" on it doesn't mean it can use gps signals and/or send them. Buyer beware.
"Why are you always chasing women?"
"I'll tell you as soon as I catch one!"

raven
Posts: 1531
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by raven » August 17th, 2014, 8:13 pm

I'm not sure the GPS adds much to the basic signal as a practical matter these days. If three or probably even two emergency locator satellites receive a signal, they can probably triangulate adequately to start a search close to the source of the radio signal. And then tracking the signal back to its source with a search pattern is fast. A visual sighting is always needed at the end.

Lumpy
Posts: 809
Joined: October 8th, 2012, 9:26 am

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by Lumpy » August 17th, 2014, 11:33 pm

As far as I know, satellites for PLBs don't triangulate, they simply store and forward information they hear.
"Why are you always chasing women?"
"I'll tell you as soon as I catch one!"

raven
Posts: 1531
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by raven » August 18th, 2014, 12:36 am

Yes, the satellites do not triangulate, but the time of receiving a pulse (digital signal) and the position of the satellite is one datum that when combined with the same information about the same pulse on other satellites allows the calculation of the position on the ground. Wikipedia indicates such triangulation is done:
The signals are monitored worldwide and the location of the distress is detected by non-geostationary satellites, and can be located by some combination of GPS trilateration and doppler triangulation.

Lumpy
Posts: 809
Joined: October 8th, 2012, 9:26 am

Re: PLB used to rescue injured Mt. Jeffy hiker

Post by Lumpy » August 18th, 2014, 10:10 am

I know it seems I'm picking nits, but "location" should probably be replaced with something like "area". Also, we can never be sure if more than one receiver has hear a signal or the complete transmission when we activate a beacon

I know what my location is right now, but I can't give it to you in any meaningful coordinate system. I can also pick up a piece of my amateur radio gear, turn it on, tune it to a frequency and mode, and transmit, but there is no guarantee that even though there may be thousands of receivers in range to hear it, anyone will be listening, much less able to coordinate with others to try to reduce down my approximate location.

I guess what I'm saying is that unless there is a GPS component to a beacon and the emergency signal it can send, rescue might take longer than anticipated. Heck, any rescue probably takes longer than anticipated by one party or another.
"Why are you always chasing women?"
"I'll tell you as soon as I catch one!"

Post Reply