I think the solution for me is to stick with group hikes in well marked areas. It would be unwise to rely on a beacon at this point, it would be a false sense of security and a disservice to whoever has to come rescue my dumbass, lol. It would be better for me to build skill and confidence in a safe/controlled way. I would be irresponsible to get myself into trouble on a whim to face my fear. Better to prove to myself that I'm committed by learning how not to get lost, then decide to look into beacons before testing myself. I'd feel ridiculous setting the thing off 100 yards from the road.