[at-l] I've fallen and I can't get up!

[dajones at isp.com (David A Jones)]

Backpacker magazine (March issue p.101) carries an ad for a handy little 
electonic device for backpackers who have not yet mastered the cell 
phone.  The "TerraFix 406 GPS Personal Locator Beacon" will according to 
the ad "take the 'search' out of search and rescue.  Simply push 
activation buttons and your I.D. and location will be transmitted 
through global satellites to the closest SAR professionals.  Your 
LAT/LON is added via the onboard GPS or when interfaced with an external 
GPS, narrowing the search and dramatically decreasing the response 
time."  The ad does not indicate if the device can communicate the 
user's GPS location to the user.

I suppose a product of this sort might provide a margin of safety to 
some wilderness adventures.  But the idea of it is just a bit bizzare.  
It looks like a panic button, with a couple of leds that I guess let you 
know the battery is not dead.   At least you know if a cell phone is not 
working....this thing does not look to be designed to communicate 
anything to the user.