I want to start a discussion on this subject, which I have only just strated to research.

There seem to be three main types of PLB.
1. Personal EPIRB devices. Here the signal from the PLB is sent to the COPASS SARSAT satellite system and then relayed to an MRCC, like any EPIRB signal. The disadvantage is that the any remaining crew aboard the boat are not alerted about the MOB and it could take many hours before a ship is diverted to perform a rescue, by which time the casualty may have drowned or be hypothermic.

2. AIS type systems. These give out an AIS transmission from the MOB and may be picked up by the yacht on their AIS receiver. For those of us who have their AIS displayed on a chart plotter, and have the plotter turned off on ocean passages to save on power, it will take some time to fire up the plotter and get a bearing and distance to the MOB.

3. Proximity types. These work when a crew wearing a personal fob, goes out of range (20 ft) of the transmitter unit.They give an audible alarm and the unit can display boat position at the time of MOB.

Does anyone have personal experience of any of these PLBs?? Are there any other types available?

We used the proximity fob type alarm and as already mentioned they are not very good. False alarms were regular especially if the person went to the bow of the boat. One night while Mark was on watch he had to go up forward to sort something out and the alarm went off, I got up looked in the cockpit no Mark so went into panic mode. All I can say is it can cause a lot of unnecessary stress.