GME sent me the MT620GR to test and compare against the MT610G. I've been carrying GME PLBs for over a decade — the oldest one I own expired in February 2014 and still passes a self test — so I have some history with these devices. This is a sponsored video, but as always, I'll tell you what I actually think.
The short version: the MT620GR is a meaningful upgrade, but not for everyone. Here's what's actually different and who should care.
The Comparison
Both beacons are 160 g, IP68 waterproof, and use the same 2-step activation: pull antenna, push button. Same 7-year battery, same 6-year warranty. Both are made in Sydney by GME, who have been manufacturing emergency beacons since 1979. The physical difference is on the front face — MT610G says GPS, MT620GR says GNSS — and on the inside.
The MT610G is GPS only. The MT620GR adds Galileo, which gives it multi-GNSS. On top of that it adds Return Link Service (RLS), NFC connectivity via the AcuSat Connect app, a test log, and an audible buzzer on activation.
What Galileo Actually Does
Faster position fix — around 30 seconds versus 45–60 on the MT610G. In heavy canopy or a deep gorge where GPS satellite coverage is partially blocked, having Galileo to fall back on can help. Position accuracy also improves from around 100 m down to 45 m. Neither of those figures is dramatic in good conditions. In difficult terrain, they can matter when a helicopter is trying to find you.
The more significant reason Galileo is in there is that RLS runs exclusively through the Galileo network — so multi-GNSS is a prerequisite, not just a bonus.
RLS — What It Actually Does
When you activate the beacon, your distress signal goes out on 406 MHz. Within 10 to 20 minutes, if a rescue coordination centre has received your alert, a dedicated blue LED on the unit starts flashing. Not the wide strobe — a specific separate indicator that tells you help is coming.
With the MT610G and most other PLBs, you press the button and wait. No feedback at all on whether your signal was received.
Studies have shown that seriously injured people who know help is on the way survive longer. They stay calmer. That blue LED is not just a technical feature — if you're alone, injured, and waiting, it can affect how long you hold on.
One important caveat: if the LED doesn't flash, that doesn't mean your signal hasn't gone through. The return link needs its own line of sight to reach the beacon. In a gorge or under heavy cover, the confirmation may not get back to you even if your alert has already been received and acted on. If it hasn't flashed after 15–20 minutes, move to more open ground if you can. Your beacon is transmitting either way.
Self-Tests — Two Types, Different Rules
The AcuSat Connect app (NFC tap, free) gives you battery status and logs every self test with date and result. Worth having — stops you from losing track of when you last tested.
There are two different tests and the distinction matters:
Main self test — checks the circuitry, battery health, 406 MHz transmitter, and 121.5 MHz homing signal without contacting the satellite. Run this monthly, or before any major trip. No battery impact worth worrying about.
GNSS test — fires up the GPS receiver and acquires satellites. The most power-hungry thing the beacon can do. Run it once or twice a year at the most. If you're running a GNSS test every month, you're eating into your 7-year battery and potentially leaving yourself short of the 24 hours of continuous transmission the beacon is rated for.
Which Beacon for Whom
The price difference is $140–$190 AUD depending on where you buy. MT620GR RRP is $569, the MT610G sits around $379–$430.
If you have a working MT610G within its battery life and you often travel in groups, there's no urgent reason to replace it. It's still a capable beacon.
If you do a lot of remote solo travel, I'd consider upgrading. The RLS confirmation matters a lot more when there's no one else around. Spread the price difference over seven years and it's minimal. And as the only Australian PLB manufacturer still operating, GME is also the only company making an RLS beacon here — something worth considering if supporting local manufacturing matters to you.
My own setup: four PLBs. One in each car, permanently in the glove box — never moves. One in the main hiking pack, one in the smaller daypack. I don't swap between locations because it's too easy to forget. My kids know exactly where the car PLB is and how to activate it. That's just as important as having one.
Why the Garmin InReach Mini 2 Doesn't Replace a PLB
I carry a Garmin InReach Mini 2 and an iPhone when I'm out walking. Both are excellent devices. Neither replaces a PLB.
Transmission power. A PLB transmits at 5 W. The InReach and the iPhone satellite SOS are both running around 1.6 W or less. In open country, probably fine. In a deep gully, under heavy canopy, or in a bad storm, that difference can be significant. When your life is on the line, you want the strongest signal you can send.
121.5 MHz homing signal. GPS coordinates get rescuers into your general area. Finding a person in thick bush at night with only coordinates is still hard. A PLB transmits a secondary homing signal on 121.5 MHz that SAR helicopters and ground teams can direction-find directly to your location. The InReach and the iPhone don't have that.
The networks. PLBs run on COSPAS-SARSAT — a multi-government satellite system dedicated to search and rescue, no subscription, no account. Your alert goes directly to the Rescue Coordination Centre. The InReach runs on Iridium, a commercial network that requires an active subscription. If your card expires or there's an outage, the SOS goes nowhere.
Activation. A PLB is two steps — pull the antenna, push the button. One hand is enough. In real trauma, the difference between two steps and navigating a touchscreen menu can matter.
I use the InReach for tracking and messaging on hikes. I use the iPhone for everything else. The PLB is there for the moment when none of that is good enough.
EPIRBs on Land — Don't
Sometimes people recommend EPIRBs for land-based travel on socials. For most of us, it's the wrong tool.
EPIRBs are designed for vessels. The antenna uses the water surface as a ground plane. On dry, uneven ground, that efficiency drops. A PLB is built to work on land from the start.
Size is the other issue. An EPIRB is roughly the size of a 1-litre thermos — you're not carrying that on your person. Get separated from your vehicle and you won't have it. A PLB at 160 g sits in your pocket.
EPIRBs are also registered to a vessel through AMSA. Activate one in the outback and the Rescue Coordination Centre initially sees a vessel in distress, which can mean delays sorting out what assets to send.
The one argument for an EPIRB is battery life — 48 hours versus 24. Once a 406 MHz signal with a GNSS fix hits the system, help is typically on its way within hours. Twice the battery doesn't justify carrying something that wasn't designed for where you're using it.
Register Before You Go
If this is your first PLB — register it with AMSA before you use it. It's free, takes about 10 minutes, and it's how the Rescue Coordination Centre identifies you when an alert comes in: beacons.amsa.gov.au
One thing I'd still like to see in a future GME model: an infrared strobe alongside the visible one. At least one competitor already has it. IR is invisible to the naked eye but shows up clearly through night vision, which SAR helicopters use. GME doesn't have it yet — I hope they add it. The rest of the MT620GR is hard to argue with.
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