Breitling Emergency Mission

[Marmy]

Hi,

I am looking to buy another Breitling, preferably the Emergency Mission. I was wondering where the best savings could be as i am planning a trip to Jamaica and know there are a couple of retailers over there offering tax free deals.

Below are the prices i have been given so far:

Ernest Jones £3400
Watchfinder £2500

Has anyone seen or had any experience of these retailers? What savings could i expect? Would Watchfinder be the cheapest option?

Thanks

[zelleyford]

Sorry but your post contravenes the sites No naming and Shaming policy.

Edited by Big Al. on Sunday 14th October 21:47

[Moose.]

I assume you area aware of this:

http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPage/121.5PhaseO...

Makes these watches not quite as useful as before, as you'll have to rely on a passing airliner to be monitoring 121.5MHz. A shame as I'd love to get one one day.

[zelleyford]

Moose. said:

I assume you area aware of this:

http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPage/121.5PhaseO...

Makes these watches not quite as useful as before, as you'll have to rely on a passing airliner to be monitoring 121.5MHz. A shame as I'd love to get one one day.

That's where your rong it is going to work along side the new one. i have checked with the breitling rep

[Moose.]

zelleyford said:

That's where your wrong it is going to work along side the new one. i have checked with the breitling rep

The people who run the 121.5 satellites said:

Beginning in 2009, only 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. This affects all maritime beacons (EPIRBs), all aviation beacons (ELTs) and all personal beacons (PLBs).

[anonymous-user]

Moose is correct. The Breitling Emergency and Emergency Mission ONLY transmit on 121.5 not 406Mhz.

121.5 will not be monitored anymore by Satellites. All ELTs and ELBs are being changes to 406Mhz only.

Buy these watches if you like them, not if you think you'll need rescuing from anything other than a close by aircraft that is either looking for you, or happens to be monitoring 121.5 and is near enough to pick up the transmission.

[zelleyford]

stovey said:

Moose is correct. The Breitling Emergency and Emergency Mission ONLY transmit on 121.5 not 406Mhz.

121.5 will not be monitored anymore by Satellites. All ELTs and ELBs are being changes to 406Mhz only.

Buy these watches if you like them, not if you think you'll need rescuing from anything other than a close by aircraft that is either looking for you, or happens to be monitoring 121.5 and is near enough to pick up the transmission.

(I TAKE THIS FROM THE BREITLING BROCHORE.)
121.5MHz and 406MHz As of 2009 satellitetransmitted distress signals will be picked up exclusively on the 406MHz digital frequency offering enhanced compatibility with GPS or with aircraft Flight Management systems.
NOTHERTHELESS, localization operatiopns will continue to use the 121.5MHz frequency, witch in this speific context has meny advantages over the 406MHz frequency, particularly because it is more accurate and reliable in locating victims.

[anonymous-user]

zelleyford said:

stovey said:

Moose is correct. The Breitling Emergency and Emergency Mission ONLY transmit on 121.5 not 406Mhz.

121.5 will not be monitored anymore by Satellites. All ELTs and ELBs are being changes to 406Mhz only.

Buy these watches if you like them, not if you think you'll need rescuing from anything other than a close by aircraft that is either looking for you, or happens to be monitoring 121.5 and is near enough to pick up the transmission.

(I TAKE THIS FROM THE BREITLING BROCHORE.)
121.5MHz and 406MHz As of 2009 satellitetransmitted distress signals will be picked up exclusively on the 406MHz digital frequency offering enhanced compatibility with GPS or with aircraft Flight Management systems.
NOTHERTHELESS, localization operatiopns will continue to use the 121.5MHz frequency, witch in this speific context has meny advantages over the 406MHz frequency, particularly because it is more accurate and reliable in locating victims.

I think you're failing to understand what "localization operations" are.

As said before, 121.5 is no longer monitored by satellites just someone nearby looking for you or a passing aircraft who happens to be listening out on 121.5 and is in range.

[Don1]

Why is this? Has there been a rise in beacons going off, only for the emergency services to arrive at the 'Dog and Crown'?

[Moose.]

406MHz offers many advantages over the older 121.5MHz system all listed here:

http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPage/121.5PhaseO...

This switch is NOTHING to do with Breitling. However Breitling will struggle to fit a 406MHz transmitter into something watch sized, so I guess that's why they're sticking with 121.5.

[johnnywb]

What's the reality? I remember this being discussed previously elsewhere and many pilots and ship captain's stating that they will continue to keep a watching brief on 121.5 in the same way that sailors around the UK have continued to monitor Channel 16 despite the advent of GMDSS radio and selective calling.

Clearly the bigger issue is that the satellite's won't monitor 121.5 anymore, but if you're close to shore do you still have a good chance of it being detected?

Just curious as my brother is an offshore yachtsman. Mother gets very nervous when he's away racing, and whilst on the serious offshore / round the world stuff they all have epirbs, on the shorter offshores, i.e. France and back, the Fastnet, whilst they should carry them, they generally dont. I was thinking about getting him one of these to put her mind at rest as he'd actually wear this and find it useful.

[steil]

Could the 121.5 really be detected by a satellite anyway given it's a watch sized transmitter - i.e. is this really an issue if it never worked in the first place?

[zelleyford]

steil said:

Could the 121.5 really be detected by a satellite anyway given it's a watch sized transmitter - i.e. is this really an issue if it never worked in the first place?

It has saved 3 lives to date. fact

[anonymous-user]

zelleyford said:

steil said:

Could the 121.5 really be detected by a satellite anyway given it's a watch sized transmitter - i.e. is this really an issue if it never worked in the first place?

It has saved 3 lives to date. fact

Not from satellites. From aircraft looking for them anyway. Fact.

[zelleyford]

stovey said:

zelleyford said:

steil said:

Could the 121.5 really be detected by a satellite anyway given it's a watch sized transmitter - i.e. is this really an issue if it never worked in the first place?

It has saved 3 lives to date. fact

Not from satellites. From aircraft looking for them anyway. Fact.

so what your saying is that it did the job. thort so

[tertius]

zelleyford said:

stovey said:

zelleyford said:

steil said:

Could the 121.5 really be detected by a satellite anyway given it's a watch sized transmitter - i.e. is this really an issue if it never worked in the first place?

It has saved 3 lives to date. fact

Not from satellites. From aircraft looking for them anyway. Fact.

so what your saying is that it did the job. thort so

Actually I think he was pointing out (in order to answer steil's question) that they don't actually appear to have been any use at being detected by satellites, even when 121.5 was being monitored, however, they can and are capable detected by local search teams (aircraft, etc.).

Certainly I wouldn't personally head off into the Southern Ocean with one of these and rely on it exclusively to get me rescued ...