Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Coral Harbour/Arviat (Nov 23/05) - A new device manufactured on advice from hunters and search-and-rescue (SAR) members in Coral Harbour and Arviat could help save lives across Nunavut.

Tom Tessier displays the Sedna Satellite Tracker that could help save lives in Nunavut by providing the location of people travelling on the land. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The device is manufactured by Inuit Nunaani Wireless Inc., based out of Winnipeg.

Heading the company are president Leonard Netser of Coral Harbour and vice-president Tom Tessier of Winnipeg.

Tessier said the Sedna Satellite Tracker 1150 delivers text messages via satellite, rather than relying on phone or radio communication.

He said the device is capable of showing where a person has been and their current location.

"The vast majority of the suggestions for this device came from hunters and SAR members in Coral Harbour and Arviat," said Tessier.

"The idea came from a talk Leonard (Netser) and I had about SAR members getting in trouble when they're looking for someone.

"That's the nature of SAR, sometimes people head out on the land to save the lives of others and end up in trouble themselves.

"We figured with all the technology available today, there must be a better way to keep searchers better organized by showing what areas have been searched and the present position of those on the land."

Tessier said when they began the project they knew high frequency or land-based radio is not reliable.

That left satellite and 18 months of development ahead of them.

Their first attempt was a little unit in a plastic box with batteries that weren't waterproof.

It only took a group of Coral hunters one time out on the land to realize they were too worried about getting the unit wet for it to be effective.

With that failure, Netser and Tessier turned their attention to OrbComm's text-messaging service.

"Any message sent is out through the satellite in less than an hour.

"A new satellite is going to be launched this coming February which will greatly reduce that time."

The unit comes in a pelican case which is almost indestructible. Its battery is rated to -55C. If a battery isn't needed, it's good to just about any temperature.

The unit is comprised of a control computer, GPS, transmitter and receiver.

It has a military connector to deliver power from a vehicle directly to the unit.

"Anyone with a computer can track where you've been and where you are on the Internet, whether you're involved in a SAR or simply out hunting.

"The reviews coming in have been positive and we see this device as being a great addition to SAR personnel and hunters across the territory."