Police recommends you take a distress beacon* with you when you are in the outdoors in areas where you know mobile phone coverage will be unreliable or if you are unsure. While New Zealand’s mobile phone coverage network is good in urban areas, it’s unlikely you’ll have reliable coverage in the backcountry or in marine areas.

Distress beacons can be hired from many outdoor tramping or hunting stores. If boating, take a marine VHF radio.

Ensure you know how to use it before you leave and register your beacon to help store your information for rescue services.

More information on communication devices for the outdoors is available from the NZ Mountain Safety Council, Coastguard and AdventureSmart.

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*A distress beacon (personal locator beacon) is a small electronic device that, on activation, broadcasts a signal to a satellite. This signal alerts the New Zealand Rescue Co-Ordination Centre that you are in distress.

Get information about buying or hiring, registering and using distress beacons from the Rescue Coordination Centre website | Maritime New Zealand.