Nautilus Lifeline Marine Rescue GPS

THE DESIGNThe Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS has been designed to send its GPS position, accurate to 1.5m, and a “Man Overboard” distress message to all ships equipped with an AIS (Automatic Identification System) VHF marine radio within a 34-mile radius. The Individual Distress Alert message is transmitted on an AIS frequency between 161.975 and 162.025 MHz.
The unit can also be used for Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This requires a DSC-compliant marine radio (generally identified by a distinctive red button marked “Distress”). 
DSC technology facilitates direct vessel-to-vessel communication as part of the Global Marine Distress Safety System (GMDSS) and allows digital messaging directly to your chosen (and pre-programmed) VHF marine radio via channel 70 on a frequency of 156.525 Mhz, negating the use of the universal emergency channel 16.
The Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS is housed in a plastic watertight case with a flip-open dive-cap giving access to a three-button interface and sprung stainless-steel antenna. Silicon O-ring seals provide a depth-rating of 130m.
Two user-changeable CR123 lithium-ion batteries power the unit, which measures 75 x 97 x 39mm, weighs 131g including batteries and is positively buoyant. 
The GPS unit is supplied with an antenna rewind tool, and optional neoprene or silicon storage pouches are available, as is a small double-ended coiled lanyard.
IN USEI took the Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS for some real-world testing while diving from Petit St Vincent in the Caribbean waters of the Grenadines. 

“Real-world” meant that I had to contend with the dive-centre’s customised dive-boat being sent away to dry dock for an engine re-fit the day before I arrived. The fishing-boat hired as a temporary replacement had no DSC-enabled radio fitted.
This meant that I was unable to test the effectiveness of the system without transmitting a general distress signal that would be received by nearby merchant vessels, and no doubt having to appease furious skippers and other dive-boat users responding to what they assumed to be a genuine cry for help. 
Instead, I took the opportunity to capture a few images of the unit, deployed and ready to go.
Undaunted and back on home turf, I sought the help of ex-colleagues from the Fire Service’s Swift Water Rescue team. 
These specialists use AIS- and DSC-enabled marine VHF radios on their rescue craft while plying their trade on the country’s inland waterways. 
With their help I would be able to conduct a reasonably meaningful test of the Nautilus well away from the coast, and without involving thousands of marine boat-users.
We met at a huge reservoir on the outskirts of London where the firefighters conduct their training. The first thing I wanted to try was the DSC functionality. 
I needed to configure the Marine Rescue GPS unit with the boat’s VHF radio by programming the boat’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) nine-digit code into the Nautilus.
This was a straightforward task using the Nautilus Lifeline programming app, downloaded onto my iPhone and delivered via a series of flashes from the phone’s built-in camera strobe light to the Marine Rescue GPS device.
Next thing to do was to put the Nautilus through its test sequence to show that it had actually acquired its GPS position and the batteries were charged. 
These simple set-up procedures completed, the boys dropped me off on the bank of the reservoir and sped off to the far side on the boat.
A five-second press of the yellow button and they reported almost immediately via handheld radio that a signal had been received on their marine radio displayed as text, giving the unit’s pre-programmed MID number and its GPS co-ordinates and enabling them to locate me quickly.
The next thing to do was release the sprung-steel antenna and go for a full-on “Distress” transmission. A five-second press of the red “Help” button was all that was needed. 
The Nautilus went through a sequence of flashing red lights until it had acquired a GPS lock, then the light went solid as it transmitted the AIS signal. This was followed by a steadily blinking white strobe light to help in locating the signal source visually.
The fire-crew acknowledged receipt of the distress call, and again sped to my location. A five-second push of the red Help button deactivated the transmission.
At this stage I have to tell you that the Swift Water Rescue technicians had sent a number of voice messages to alert other AIS users in the vicinity to inform them that we were conducting tests, and to ignore the short-lived distress call.
I’ll sum up with a little disclaimer. The tests, although conclusive, were carried out in benign conditions. I can’t report on the unit’s performance in rough seas over vast distances because I didn’t have the opportunity nor logistics to try it without risking a battering from irate boat-users.

CONCLUSIONThis robust little box of tricks is simplicity personified to operate – un-latch the lid, flip it open and switch it on, release the antenna and press the red button for five seconds and that’s it. Your distress signal will be instantly transmitted to all shipping in the vicinity equipped with AIS Marine VHF radios.
The Nautilus GPS needs no maintenance other than a post-dive rinse and a periodic O-ring and battery check. The batteries have a shelf-life of up to five years, so you could conceivably attach it to a BC waist-belt and forget all about it until – well, you know.
There are a couple of niggles to tell you about. Firstly, to deploy the antenna and give access to the red Help button, a clear plastic cover needs to be slid off the unit’s head and, you guessed it, it’s easy to lose. I spent 20 minutes scratching about in the muddy waters at the reservoir looking for it after the tests.
The second thing is the rewinding of the antenna. A winding tool is supplied but it’s not intuitive to use and, with no instructions, I struggled.
All said, however, if you actually needed to use this device in an emergency, the last thing on your mind would be the loss of the cover or winding the antenna back in.
The DSC function is a nice touch, but not essential to a successful outcome. However, by making the effort to pair the Nautilus to your dive-boat’s DSC-enabled radio you’ll be able to alert it to your position long before the situation spirals out of control. Should that happen and your circumstances become critical, you can always fall back on the red button.
Cleverly, the Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS uses existing radio technology found on all but a few seagoing vessels to notify them of an emergency without the need for registration or certification, making this unit truly universal and suitable for the masses.
All the diver needs, to be confident that any future separation drama is unlikely to escalate into a crisis, is to invest in the standalone GPS unit, a pair of batteries and a protective case.
“You don’t think you need one – until you do,” says Mike Lever, CEO of Nautilus:  I’m sure that resonates with Jacob Childs, Jeff and Julie Byrne and all the other divers who have had the misfortune to be lost at sea. I’ve been there too, and it does with me. 
The Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS is exactly what I’ve been waiting for, and may well have set a new benchmark for diver safety.
A word of caution, however: as good as I think this product is, it should be used in conjunction with, and never as a substitute for, a large, brightly coloured DSMB. 
Nor should it be relied on in really remote destinations where there are unlikely to be other marine craft to hear your cry for help – that is the domain of hi-tec PLBs with satellite links.
SPECIFICATIONSPRICES – Lifeline GPS unit, £195. Silicon pouch, £20. Neoprene pouch, £34. Coiled lanyard, £7 APP – Nautilus Lifeline App free from Apple iTunes store or Google Play for Android devicesAIS TRANSMIT POWER – 1WAIS FREQUWNCY – 161.975 & 162.025 MHzAIS RANGE – Up to 34 miles (dependent on sea state)DSC TRANSMIT POWER – 0.5WDSC FREQUENCY – 156.525 MHzPOWERED BY – 2 x CR123 li-ion cellsSIZE & WEIGHT – 75 x 97 x 39mm. 131g with batteriesDEPTH RATING – 130mCONTACT – www.nautiluslifeline.comDIVER GUIDE – 10 Stars (out of 10)