Both my [lanes are equipped with ELTs (121.5 for now) as required by Canadian regulation if you're going more than 25 miles from home. I will change both to the 406 type when these units respective batteries come due.
In the mean time, it is the SPOT upon which I rely. My wife and/or trusted friend can watch my progress on the computer in real time. It looks like this:
I have the basic version of the unit, which permits one of several preselected messages to be sent at the push of a button. There is a more advanced unit as well, with better messaging capability. For this trip, I carried a Satellite phone as well. What I like about the SPOT is that it's failure to work becomes the warning. If it stops showing my progress to the intended point, it (and I) can be found within 10 minutes of its last shown position. If my intended arrival point is unknown at departure, I can press an "I'm okay" button. The best feature is that my 12 year old daughter (and the older ones too!) can use it, so if something happens to me, she can summon help on her own.