Caution on “all good” check in with sat com devices
This tip was shared with me by a friend on a Search and Rescue (SAR) team.
Many people like to use satellite communication devices to check in with concerned people at home and let them know everything is okay.
This is typically done with a pre-arranged check-in time window, or by using high frequency tracking, which shares a series of waypoints showing your travel path.
It's fine to send a quick daily message or have folks at home track your progress.
But don't let a LACK of check-in, or waypoints showing the device isn’t moving, become the basis for a rescue.
If you forget to check in, your sat-com device breaks, gets lost, you missed the software update, the device runs out of batteries, and you’re fine (or maybe taking a nap next to a lake instead of hiking those last few miles to the next campsite) the last thing you want is to trigger an unnecessary “rescue” because your someone didn’t receive your daily “All good” message.
This happens often!
Make it clear to anyone receiving your messages that not checking in, or lack of movement, doesn’t mean you need a rescue.