| Author | Message | ||
     Ted Lavino Senior Member Username: tlavino Post Number: 454 Registered: 01-2004 |
Greetings folks, a reminder from the FCC regarding older 121.5mhz EPRIRB's: Emergency Beacons Prohibited The Coast Guard is reminding all boaters that beginning January 1, 2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft. Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model. Satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5/243 MHz beacons will terminate February 1, 2009. Following this termination date, only the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search and rescue operations around the world. The regulation does not affect 121.5/243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite system. | ||
| Ted Lavino Senior Member Username: Tlavino Post Number: 166 Registered: 01-2004 |
Greetings All, a followup article from the same author: Ocean Navigator Email Newsletter Topic: Communications/ Marine Electronics Issue No.: 39 Date: 03/31/04 Title: EPIRBs II -- How to Choose This newsletter is a free bi-weekly resource published by Ocean Navigator. You have received this newsletter as a registered newsletter subscriber. If you wish to unsubscribe or feel you have received this in error, please see the information at the end of the newsletter. **************************** ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Legendary Yachts, Inc. fills a critical void in yachting by offering a unique, high quality, high tech product that is simply not available anywhere else. Visit our web site today and discover how we are building classic designs, incorporating modern technology and old world craftsmanship. For more information, call Larry Bonenberger at 813-340-0959 or visit: http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=312 **************************** ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Title: EPIRBs II -- How to Choose By: Chris Parker In the last communications and marine electronics newsletter, we learned some details on how EPIRBs work and how your calls for help are handled by various authorities. In this newsletter, we’ll look at how to choose the best EPIRB(s) for your situation, how to use them properly and when to use other technologies. EPIRBs are classified in a seemingly complicated way. Class A and B EPIRBs are also known as 121 EPIRBs. Both Class A and B transmit on 121.5 MHz (monitored by commercial airplanes and some satellites) and 243.0 MHz (monitored by U.S. military aircraft). Class A are automatically activated, while Class B are manually activated. Category I and Category II are also known as 406 EPIRBs or GPS EPIRBs. Both Category I and II transmit on 121.5, 243.0 and 406.025/406.028 MHz. Category I are automatically activated. Category II are manually activated. We covered key differences between emergency response to 121 and 406 signals in the previous newsletter. What’s the difference between automatic and manual activation? Automatically activated (hydrostatic) units (whether 121 or 406) are mounted and stored in a location where they will sense rising water and activate at the appropriate time when the vessel is sinking. EPIRB transmissions travel through air and most cabin structures, but they do not travel through water, so these units are generally designed to float free from their mounting location as the water rises. If you become separated from the EPIRB, rescuers will look for and find the EPIRB, not you, so when the water is rising, keep tabs on your EPIRB and don’t let it get away. But if you become incapacitated or are tending to other matters, the automatic activation feature can be a benefit. Automatic units can also be manually activated by the user in the event the automatic feature fails to work or if the emergency is not the result of rising water. Automatic (Category I) EPIRBs cost about $200 more than similar manual (Category II) ones. Some 406 (Category I and II) units have an internal GPS. When activated, these units (often called GPIRBs, which is a trademark of Northern Airborne Technology) begin transmitting location of the beacon as soon as they acquire a GPS fix, which can take several minutes. This feature adds up to $400 to the cost of a non-GPS EPIRB. Other 406 units use an external GPS sensor connected to your ship’s GPS. This generally adds only $100 or so to the cost of a non-GPS EPIRB. When properly interfaced, this model remembers the last position information it received from the ship’s GPS and transmits that data as part of the EPIRB distress call. The only drawbacks are the required interface to the ship’s GPS and the fact that if the EPIRB loses the ship’s GPS signal, it cannot transmit its current location. The above choices apply to conventional units designed to be mounted permanently or stored in the "go bag." They all float, are fairly large (almost the size of a football, with the hydrostatically activated ones a bit taller than a football), and weigh 3 to 6 pounds. Recent advancements in both electronics (to reduce the size and power consumption) and battery technology (to cram more amp-hours into a smaller package) make wearable EPIRBs (called personal locator beacons, or PLBs) a reality, and the major manufacturers now offer some really cool devices. PLBs are available in all the same variants as their larger EPIRB cousins, but they are about the size of a Tom Clancy novel and weigh about a pound. Not all of them float, but they are designed to be attached to the person who hopefully is floating, so the signal should get out if the device is installed reasonably high on the PFD that the person is theoretically wearing. The main drawbacks to these new units versus their larger cousins are: shorter operating time (24 hours versus 48 hours), lack of strobe light, lack of floatation (in some models) and possibly less-robust construction (lower level of waterproofness, etc., in some models). The benefits of these wearable units include: take up less storage space on a smaller vessel, cost about $200 less than a larger unit with the same features, and can be attached to a person, so if the person falls overboard or must abandon ship quickly, the PLB goes with him/her. In a man-overboard (MOB) situation, the main aid from the PLB is the ability to home in on the beacon with a radio direction finder (RDF). Away from civilization, and without confirmation of your distress, it is possible the MOB will not be rescued within the 24-hour battery life of the PLB. Assuming you have an RDF, an experienced RDF operator onboard can home in on the beacon, locate the MOB and possibly recover the MOB quickly and without outside assistance. If you’re really looking for a purpose-built system to help find an MOB, there are several on the market. One uses a wearable 121-MHz PLB and a specially designed hand-held RDF. In the other system, the potential MOB wears a digital watch that transmits a low-wattage 121-MHz signal to a monitor aboard the vessel. In an MOB event, the signal from the watch causes the monitor to sound an alarm. Signal strength decreases as the boat moves away from MOB and increases as the boat nears the MOB for recovery. These two MOB solutions count on the remaining crew’s ability to use the equipment properly, maneuver the vessel, find the MOB and execute the recovery. Of course, if you’re sailing in the open ocean, this is a prudent skill set for each of your crew to have. Systems like this are available from various manufacturers with different specifications, capabilities and price tags. The important thing is that you know such systems exist so you can choose which to incorporate into your safety-equipment inventory. Each vessel and crew have different needs, and it’s exciting that manufacturers use advancements in technology to introduce additional solutions to the boating public. Possibly the most exciting new MOB device is a PLB now used successfully by many single-handed ocean racers. When the wearer of this small transmitter travels more than a short distance from the onboard receiver, the unit steers the vessel head-to-wind. In theory, this stops the vessel, allowing the MOB to catch the vessel and climb back onboard. If the MOB is not back onboard within 10 minutes, the ship’s EPIRB is automatically activated. As far as I know, this is only available as part of the NKE instrument package, but I’ll bet other manufacturers incorporate similar devices in their high-end systems soon. Information on NKE is available from Euro Marine Trading, Newport, R.I. (Your author has no relationship with NKE or Euro Marine Trading, and I am not endorsing this really cool product . . . just mentioning it.) For my purposes and budget, I still prefer a conventional, large EPIRB or GPS EPIRB. If MOB is a consideration, add a PLB system (wearable 121 PLB transmitter and onboard receiver/RDF, or the NKE package), rather than relying on search-and-rescue response. For the single-hander on a tight budget, a new wearable 406 PLB could be a fair solution, but useful help is most likely if you don’t stray too far from civilization. Finally, I’ll stress several important points. If you value being rescued enough to purchase one or more of these expensive pieces of gear, you should value being rescued enough to register the device properly, keep the registration and emergency contact information current, stay in touch with your emergency contacts so they can provide useful information on your situation should they be called by an MCC, test the unit periodically per the manufacturer’s instructions, replace the battery at the recommended interval, and remain vigilant about your preparedness so you never need to activate the device. I can envision many instances where none of these products would provide useful assistance. In a time-critical medical emergency, an incident of piracy or serious crime, or a less severe emergency where immediate outside assistance is needed, the VHF radio could be your best bet. In the next newsletter, we’ll explore how best to use the VHF, SSB and other onboard gear to summon help. -- Chris Parker cparker@oceannavigator.com Related Articles Title: Electronic signaling http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=313 Title: Satellite signaling http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=314 Author Bio: Chris Parker is the author of "Coastal and Offshore Weather, the Essential Handbook," and also is the forecaster for The Caribbean Weather Center. | ||
| Ted Lavino Senior Member Username: Tlavino Post Number: 103 Registered: 01-2004 |
Greetings All, this came from Ocean Navigator Magazine and I thought all would benefit: Ocean Navigator Email Newsletter Topic: Communications/ Marine Electronics Issue No.: 38 Date: 03/01/04 Title: EPIRBS -- How To Be Heard This newsletter is a free bi-weekly resource published by Ocean Navigator. You have received this newsletter as a registered newsletter subscriber. If you wish to unsubscribe or feel you have received this in error, please see the information at the end of the newsletter. **************************** ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Want a great gift idea for friends or relatives who share your passion for offshore sailing? Visit Ocean Navigator's Ship's Store. There you'll find items including high quality nautical apparel, books, totes and voyaging tools that your seafaring friends and family will love! It's quick and easy to order. Go to: http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=287 **************************** ADVERTISEMENT **************************** Title: EPIRBS -- How To Be Heard By: Chris Parker Welcome back to Ocean Navigator’s Communications and Marine Electronics email newsletters! I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Chris Parker, and I’m the new author of these monthly newsletters. I have a strong background in weather and communications. I provide weather forecasting and routing assistance to vessels in the western Atlantic, and sell and install voice and data communications gear. I also have contacts in the marine electronics industry. My partner and I have lived aboard for more than 10 years, more than five of which we’ve spent full-time cruising. We equipped two boats for offshore sailing and have learned lots about what does and does not work. While I’m not the expert on all electronic matters (I’m a bit suspect of most people who say they know everything), I have sufficient background to ask the right questions and, hopefully, to explain things thoroughly and concisely and with an easy, entertaining style. In the next couple newsletters, we’ll explore EPIRBs in detail (including the new wearable devices). After that, we’ll look at VHF, digital selective calling and National Marine Electronics Association compatibility issues. I have lots of ideas and things to share with you, but I find the best discussions are in response to reader questions. If you have a question about communications or marine electronics, please email me at cparker@oceannavigator.com. EPIRBs -- The Whole Story An emergency at sea that requires outside assistance has been a real concern for ocean voyagers throughout history. The sea is a vast and inhospitable place when you’re in trouble. Recent advancements in electronic gadgetry can allay some fears, but many people have a false sense of security. Just having the gear will not bring help -- you must choose the right equipment and use it properly. Most of us are familiar with EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacons), both the older 121-MHz variety and the newer 406-MHz. But there’s more -- there are units that hydrostatically activate, transmit GPS position information, are wearable by crewmembers, or any combination thereof. Before we discuss specific gear, we should understand how the overall system works. Generally, when any EPIRB activates, it transmits a distress signal that can be picked up by a satellite passing overhead or, in some cases, a military or commercial airplane. Information is relayed to rescue agencies, and help is dispatched. Sounds simple. But the devil is in the details, and since your life may depend on it, we need to explore exactly how the system works (or sometimes doesn’t) through the entire process. Let’s look at how 406 and 121 EPIRB signals are handled. A 406-MHz signal is picked up by a worldwide network of orbiting satellites generally within a couple minutes of activation. The 406 transmits the electronic serial number of your EPIRB. A GPS EPIRB adds GPS position of the unit to the transmission. Without GPS information, additional satellite passes are necessary to triangulate the location of the distress signal. A 121-MHz signal can be picked up by a passing satellite or aircraft. But it can take hours for a passing satellite to pick up the transmission, and the 121 does not transmit information identifying the serial number or position. Once help is in your vicinity, however, the 121-MHz signal (406 units also transmit a 121 signal) is used for homing in on the exact location of the beacon. Think of it this way: The 121 says, "HELP." The 406 EPIRB says, "This is the vessel Serenity, and I need HELP." The 406 GPS EPIRB says, "This is the vessel Serenity; I’m at 40 degrees 50.223 minutes, 61 degrees 19.456 minutes, and I need HELP." Position can be determined without the GPS information, but it may take 30 minutes or so for 406 and several hours or more for 121. From the satellite or airplane, the distress call is sent to a regional Mission Control Center. This is an important part of the process that most people do not fully understand. The MCC attempts to confirm validity of the distress call and assign response to a Rescue Control Center. This is a difficult task. More than 98 percent of 121-MHz EPIRB calls are false alarms. Between 80 and 94 percent or more of 406 EPIRB/GPS EPIRB calls are false alarms, and the specific and appropriate response (deployment of rescue resources) by the RCC varies dramatically based on geography, conditions, nature of distress and resources available. Let’s look more closely at how the MCC works. When a 406 signal is received, MCC matches the electronic serial number with contact information you provided (and update yearly) when you registered your beacon. Emergency contact persons you designated are telephoned to verify that you are indeed in the vicinity reported by the beacon and are asked to provide any additional helpful details. It is therefore prudent to keep your emergency contacts well informed about your status and details of any problems you encounter that you think could lead to a possible need for search-and-rescue (SAR) resources. If your emergency contact can confirm that you anticipated a possible and specific problem, your chance of eliciting a fast and appropriate emergency response increases dramatically. The reason for this is the MCCs know the RCCs are strapped for resources, and the vast majority of distress signals received are false alarms. If RCCs responded to every false alarm, their costs would mount to such an extent that public funding would stop, and they would either cease to answer any distress calls or answer a call only when reimbursement for expenses could be guaranteed. The result is that in practice, MCCs and RCCs do not deploy SAR resources in response to 121-MHz distress calls, and 406-MHz distress calls are often not responded to without some verification of information. Only about 70 percent of U.S.-based EPIRBs are currently registered with COSPAS/SARSAT (and many registrations may contain out-of-date contact information). In these cases, validating the distress call is not possible. In the absence of secondary confirmation of distress, an MCC’s decision to deploy an emergency response depends primarily on geography, conditions, and RCC or commercial shipping resources available. When in distress, use your EPIRB, but also make sure you signal your distress, including as many important details as possible, in a secondary method that will eventually be relayed to the appropriate MCC. Which is the appropriate MCC? Different parts of the world are covered by MCCs operated by various countries. It may help your situation if your emergency contact person (or the person you were able to get your secondary distress call out to) can pass any relevant information to the U.S. Coast Guard MCC in Suitland, Md., 301-457-5428. If this number does not work, contact the local Coast Guard office and ask how to call USMCC in Suitland, Md. When your emergency contact is in touch with USMCC, ask that they follow up with the regional MCC or RCC handling the mission, and let you know the status of the SAR response. Unfortunately, not all countries’ MCCs are as diligent as the Coast Guard, so it helps to have a USMCC confirm the mission is being handled appropriately. Especially if you travel far from major population centers, the SAR response is likely to be in the form of a merchant ship that voluntarily participates in the Amver (Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue) program, diverting to your location to assist. Regardless of the type of SAR response, when you call for help, you are calling on expensive resources and putting others’ lives at risk. When help arrives, they may take either partial or total control of the situation, and your specific wishes may not be accommodated. The SAR response is intended primarily to save human life, not to protect private property. If you are unable to contact nearby rescue resources, EPIRBs are probably the best method of alerting those able to respond that you are in distress. No other method is as fast or reliable at signaling your need for assistance. When you select the proper equipment (we’ll get to that in the next Newsletter), maintain current registration info, use it properly and get a message confirming a possible distress to the appropriate MCC, your chance of summoning the right help quickly is excellent. If everyone used the system properly, there would be fewer false alarms and far fewer unanswered calls for distress. Now that you understand how the system works, you probably realize a great deal of time can pass before help arrives. If your need for assistance is more immediate, you may find help as close as VHF Channel 16 or possibly VHF Channel 70 using a DSC-equipped VHF (more on these in a future issue). Just as you should not rely on a single source for navigational information, you should not entrust your rescue to a single call for help. When you are really in trouble, use whatever means you still have at your disposal to call for help. In the next issue, we’ll examine how to choose the correct device for your situation and how to use it properly to elicit the desired response. I welcome your questions, comments and ideas. -- Chris Parker cparker@oceannavigator.com Related Articles Title: Coast Guard deploys personal EPIRBs http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=288 Title: EPIRBs: The Modern Call for Help http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=289 Author Bio: Chris Parker is the author of "Coastal and Offshore Weather, the Essential Handbook," and also is the forecaster for The Caribbean Weather Center. To subscribe to additional topically-focused free email newsletters from Ocean Navigator, please go to: http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=292 Please visit Ocean Navigator Online at http://cms.navigatorpublishing.com/enewsl.asp?l=294 | ||
| David Sheriff Board Administrator Username: David Post Number: 170 Registered: 10-2002 |
EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacon) can now be rented from BoatUS. The rental fee is $50/week and includes shipping both ways. Given the relatively low cost, I think having an EPIRB on board for any multi-day single vessel charter beyond Catalina, particularly in bad weather season, will become the prudent standard of practice. See: http://www.boatus.com/foundation/epirb/ |
