image provided courtesy of Cospas-Sarsat

Back on February 1^st 2009, though boat owners and ship riders didn’t hear it, there were celebrations all over the rescue world as the COSPAS-SARSAT system stopped processing and reporting 121.5 distress signals.  The hours of lost sleep spent chasing after ghost 121.5 EPIRB signals that were actually some other transmitter (like a radio tower or an ATM machine…seriously) is beyond measure. While I appreciated racking up flight hours on the government’s dime; the Coast Guard, along with SAR organizations the world over, have turned a lot of fuel into noise searching for….well…nothing.  Only one out of fifty 121.5 alerts have been genuine distress situations.  An end to all that warrants at least a little celebration.  But even as the date came and went and the chatter about the switch increased – the first problem with the 406 EPIRBs is already showing itself: news release after news release touts the 406 as the “digital” beacon; more powerful, no-waiting, and accurate to just a few yards.  The problem is that none of that is completely true – not mostly – and only sort-of.  And since recreational boaters and professional mariners are making purchasing decisions about the things, and they are lifesaving devices, I wanted to clear a few things up about the “able-to-leap-buildings-in-a-single bound” 406.

MISNOMER

Most Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons do not actually “Indicate” their “Position.”  Without an onboard GPS – your EPIRB, any EPIRB, simply transmits a signal that contains the exact same data regardless of where in the world you happen to be. While the position of a non-GPS enabled 406 is calculated with greater accuracy than the old 121.5 beacons – it is done in exactly the same way – by relaying the analog (that’s right – I said it) 406 signal back down to earth for calculation – just like the 121.5s did.

It’s About the Birds

To understand the real benefits of the 406, you really have to understand the satellites they talk to.  The COSPAS-SARSAT system is made up two very different types of spacecraft:  geosynchronous and low earth orbiting.  Geosynchronous (synched up with the geography below them) stay fixed above the equator at specific longitudes – looking straight down at the earth below them from around 22,000 miles high – giving them a very wide look at the earth.  Low earth orbiting satellites (LEOSAR) travel around the planet at different rates, and because they fly much lower than their geo-synched brothers (between 500 and 550 miles above the earth), they see a much smaller picture of the surface.  If all that seems like too much information – the important points are that one kind of satellite orbits the earth, and the other kind stays fixed in space above it.

One big advantage to the 406 is its ability – with its higher power – to reach out (22,000 miles into space) and be heard by the GEOSAR satellites.  You know, the ones way up there above the equator that don’t move and see HUGE pieces of the earth. Positioned around the globe so they can see everything between the 70^th parallels – these high fliers are the real engine to the 406 machine.  Just as soon as these guys hear that 406 MHz pulse (a half-second long every 50 seconds), encoded with that “digital” information, it immediately retransmits it back down to earth – including the beacon number and your exact latitude and longitude provided by the on-board GPS.  The signal also includes your course and speed giving rescuers very accurate – real-time data – to get straight to you.

Without an On-Board GPS – Everything Changes

Without GPS data in the pulse, the GEOSAR Satellites – and all that extra power spent sending them a signal – do nothing.  Though they hear the signal, you could be anywhere in their massive window on the world so they have no idea where the beacon is coming from.  Your super-digital, high-powered 406 just digressed and the LEOSAR’s do all the work.  The position of the beacon is determined by Doppler shift.  As the satellite passes over the beacon (and just as with 121.5s, you may have to wait for it) and hears the 406 MHz signal, it retransmits the signal back to earth to one of forty-five Local User Terminal (LUTs) around the earth.  Some very serious math is then applied to determine where exactly the beacon is (or was) as the satellite passed overhead.  Though much more accurate than the 121.5 signals, and immune to old LEOSAR blind spots, these positions can still be off by as much as 3 miles and may be up to 40 minutes old; older if the satellite picked up the 406 outside the view of a LUT (see map).  And while this is way better than the 121.5 accuracy (up to 12 miles off) and timeliness, you should consider the benefits of the on board GPS 406 over the other varieties before making a decision.

What 150 Bucks More Gets You:

I’m not talking about brands; I’m talking about types. So the price difference may be more or less.  But given that we are talking about an “emergency” beacon – usually used from the water (meaning your boat is gone) let’s just call the price difference “peanuts”: The difference between a 406 with an on board GPS and one without is best expressed this way. You can let the rescuers know where you are – accurate to within yards and including drift data – every 50 seconds; or you can let the rescuers know where you might have been – accurate to within a few miles – a while ago with a non-GPS 406.  Sure, you’ll meet the requirements with the less expensive model, but I promise you won’t miss the extra money sitting (hopefully) in your life raft.

Some readers will notice I haven’t even mentioned the third kind of 406 – the GPS-linked variety that uses data from your vessel’s on-board navigation device.  It’s a great idea so long as you’re staying with your vessel, and you’re under power, and the batteries last.  How likely is that in an emergency that requires an EPIRB?  If you have to abandon ship, or the ship abandons you, the on board navigation system isn’t coming with you….and neither is accurate GPS data.

Bottom Line:

The advantages of global coverage and registration data available with 406 EPIRBS are phenomenal– but consider the following when deciding which type of 406 to purchase:

• 406 EPRIBS are four times more accurate than the 121.5 EPIRBS were.
• 406 EPIRBS with on board GPS are two-hundred times more accurate.

So all 406’s are not created equal (not even close) – and if you want the fullest digital advantage available and really want to help rescue crews get more sleep, make sure yours has a GPS.

For more information on the COSPAS-SARSAT System, approved devices, proper beacon registration, and more information about digital and analog signal processing than any one person should know – visit www.cospas-sarsat.org

disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Coast Guard.

Note: This article was first published in February of 2009

Travis Niemi, a commercial fisherman, talks to the US Coast Guard about the importance of offshore lifesaving equipment after his boat capsized and sank off Key West, Florida at the end of December.  He and his friend Curly Egan were both rescued after being stranded 170 miles offshore in a liferaft for 10 hours.

We pooled together our resources and reached out to search and rescue experts to create the below list of frequently asked questions about EPIRBs. Read up, and share with your family and friends so you all can “boat responsibly!”

What exactly is an EPIRB?

EPIRB stands for emergency position-indicating radio beacon. It is a device that is designed to transmit a distress signal if you get into trouble. No matter where you are in the world, an EPIRB sends a signal to emergency responders through a satellite system called Cospas-Sarsat.

Are there different types of EPIRBs?

Yes, there are two types of EPIRBs that can currently be used in the U.S. – Category I and Category II. Category I EPIRBs can be activated either manually or automatically while Category II EPIRBs can only be activated manually. Both Category I and Category II devices transmit a 406 MHz frequency.

In February 2009, the Federal Communications Commission phased out the use of another type of EPIRB that transmitted a 121.5 MHz frequency, and these devices may no longer be used, marketed or manufactured in the U.S.

I just bought an EPIRB. What is the first thing I should do?

Register it! All beacons are required to be registered by requirement of the Federal Communications Commission. There are several ways to register you EPIRB, but the easiest is via the beacon registration website. To find out other ways to register your device, click here.

Once I have an EPIRB aboard my vessel, how does it work?

Because an EPIRB can be automatically or manually activated, it is important you keep this in mind for where you store or mount the device on your vessel. If you have an EPIRB that activates automatically, it will typically have a hydro-static release mechanism that allows the beacon to release from its bracket. Once free from its mounting, the device floats to the surface and transmits a signal. A beacon has to sink to roughly three meters before it can activate, so remember to take this into account when you mount an automatic EPIRB.

I want to make sure my beacon works. Can I test it?

Rear Adm. William "Dean"€ Lee, 5th District commander, holds up an emergency position indicating radio beacon during an awards ceremony at Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City. The EPIRB transmitted a signal to the Coast Guard, which allowed crews to locate and rescue Eric Hopkins, left, after the boat he was aboard sank in December 2010. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lindberg.

A 406 MHz emergency beacon should only be activated when you are in grave and eminent danger. Most EPIRB activation switches have a test position. This test position allows the entire unit, including electronics, battery and antenna, to be tested without generating a false alarm.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the “test” feature in non-emergency situations. There are also boating supply stores or Coast Guard units nationwide that can assist you.

What is a false alert?

A false alert is an activation of an emergency beacon in a non-distress situation. Examples of false alerts include accidentally turning on an emergency beacon, improperly testing a beacon or incorrectly mounting an emergency beacon so that it falls out of its bracket and activates.

One of the more frequent causes of false alerts is when the beacon is removed from its bracket without first switching it to the “off” position. It is important you inform your passengers of this as well, as many times a curious passenger will touch the device. The Cospas-Sarsat satellite system is very good at detecting emergency beacons, so an activation of any beacon, even for just a few seconds, can be detected.

What should I do if I have accidentally activated my emergency beacon?

If your beacon is activated and you are not in an emergency, you should contact the appropriaterescue coordination center without delay. Click here to find the rescue coordination center closest to you. If you cannot contact a rescue coordination center directly, you should use any means available to inform the appropriate authorities that a false alert has been transmitted and should be cancelled.

Am I required to carry an EPIRB?

In general, U.S. commercial fishing vessels, uninspected passenger vessels that carry six or more people and uninspected commercial vessels are the only vessels legally required to carry an EPIRB. Regardless of the requirements, if you operate a vessel, an emergency beacon could be just as instrumental as wearing a life jacket in saving your life.

This is a lot of information to remember. If there were one thing I needed to remember about EPIRBs what would it be?

We reached out to the search and rescue office at Coast Guard headquarters for help on this one, and their answer was simple – Register your beacon.

“The most important thing for effective operation of beacons is for the beacon to be properly registered,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Turner, the Coast Guard’s Sarsat liaison officer. “Registering your beacon means the Coast Guard can be in contact with the folks back home who can provide search and rescue responders with more information to assist in a search.”

This post was originally written by LTJG Stephanie Young for the CG Compass blog.

With the crowded nature of the GMDSS / Emergency Signaling market, does the maritime world really need another manufacturer? I’ll leave that question for you to fight over in the comments but, regardless of need, a new player has emerged; a UK based company called Ocean Signal. Take a look at the following video for a sneak preview of their products:

Click here to view the embedded video.

More details on this device over at Panbo!

Most of our readers are familiar with Search And Rescue Transponders, those devices that look similar to EPIRBs that, when interrogated by X-band radar, produce a line of dots on the radar screen pointing rescuers to your location. These devices are great for Man Overboard scenarios, simply throw them overboard and they drift in relatively the same direction as the victim allowing you to home in on his location after completing a Williamson turn.

For larger incidents, the technology is less impressive.

If my ship is sinking fast I would not bother with the GMDSS DSC autocall buttons as their undesignated distress alerts are often ignored. I would also probably ignore the SART beacon because it’s signal can only be seen a few miles away.  At a close range, marine flares and a handheld VHF would likely be far more effective.  Regardless of whether a ship is close by or beyond the horizon my choice for MAYDAY calls to shore is an EPIRB.

When an EPIRB is triggered, the position is relayed to the Coast Guard or local authorities who will then relay the exact coordinates to any nearby vessels. In addition to a global rescue signal the EPIRB also transmits a homing signal on 121.5mhz, giving rescue aircraft a relative bearing to search on.

At close range the EPIRB and SART perform essentially the same function by providing an electronic trail for rescuers to follow to your location, however a vessel would need a Radio Direction Finder (RDF) to track an EPIRB’s homing signal, whereas SART can be tracked via radar commonly found on all ships and some planes.  Not sure how many vessels these days carry RDFs, but it’s likely a low percentage.

Enter the AIS SART, a technology that has been approved by the IMO (and now even the FCC) to replace traditional SARTS since 2007, but has only recently been fully accepted by manufacturers.  While relatively new, this technology follows many of the same guidelines as traditional SARTS.  For example the units must be watertight at a depth of 10 meters for at least 5 minutes, it must float, and be able to withstand falls into the water from a height of 20 meters.

The future of AIS. The USCG and other IMO signatories have made it clear that AIS technology will play an integral role in the future of marine safety. The May 2010 USCG directive on modernization tells us:

Use of AIS as an Alternative to the 121.5 MHz EPIRB Homing Signal. This proposal has been considered by COMSAR because of its clearly superior performance, but it was not adopted at the last session due to concerns of some administrations that few aircraft were equipped to home on the AIS signal. This enhancement is considered too beneficial for further delay. Because the EPIRB power budget will not economically support both homing options, it is recommended that COMSAR accept the AIS homer as an alternative to the 121.5 MHz homing beacon in the same fashion that the AIS SART was accepted as an alternative to the Radar SART.

Enhancement of Safety Communications for Survival Craft. There have been numerous suggestions that along with GMDSS Modernization there should be an overhaul of lifesaving appliances on survival craft. The voluntary radio equipment carried on large cruise ship lifeboats (especially those used as tenders) already far exceeds the IMO requirements, often including fixed mount VHF radios and radar. It is recommended that…. fixed mount VHF radios and AIS for all self propelled lifeboats and VHF portables with integral GNSS for other survival craft. The option to include a handheld satellite phone should also be included.

Accommodation of e-Navigation in GMDSS Modernization. In addition, the expanding e-Navigation requirements overlap in some cases such as the use of MMSI identifiers. Integration of radar and AIS displays on electronic charts invites further integration of MSI warnings as well. New requirements for cargo security monitoring and special broadcasting services make a strong case for dealing with e-Navigation requirements and GMDSS modernization together.

Recognizing the Needs of Non-SOLAS Vessels in GMDSS Modernization. While GMDSS requirements apply only to SOLAS vessels, it is customary for most administrations to apply some of the GMDSS requirements to non-SOLAS vessels under domestic regulation. This is especially important in the U.S. with the world’s largest fleet of recreational vessels and a rather modest SOLAS fleet.

While this directive only provides guidance to regulators debating future GMDSS mandates, you don’t have to wait for the results.  Here are gCaptain’s suggestions for adding technology to the safety net of your vessel today:

1. Replace your SART’s with AIS SART’s. This suggestion is fairly straight forward. AIS SARTs are now available from well know manufacturers including McMurdo, Alltech (AMEC), and Jotron as well as a half dozen less known manufacturers.
2. Have a PLB’s or, better yet, Portable AIS SARTS on hand to issue out to all persons who need to go on deck during heavy weather.
3. Equip your Fast Rescue Boat with an AIS-B transmitter (our favorite HERE). This will allow you to track it’s movements on the bridge and is helpful in allowing you to set up and monitor SAR grid patterns.
4. Install an EPIRB or PLB in every lifeboat and FRC! This is the only way you are going to be rescued if the lifeboats are separated in poor weather.

While your ship many not be onboard with the latest tech gadgetry it’s only a matter of time before new an innovative uses of AIS are developed. I even hear that AeroMech is testing it’s use on UAV’s to perform SAR operations in weather too severe for traditional pilots. Have you thought of any new uses for the technology or have an AIS related tip you would like to share? If so please leave it in the comments section below.

Click HERE for gCaptain’s full coverage of AIS-SART technology!

gCaptain has long been a fan of the idea behind SPOT’s personal locator devices but gCaptain readers have pointed out a major concern, a SPOT it is not a PLB (the personal equivalent of an EPIRB) . The SPOT device can send a distress message with your location but it doesn’t go directly to the Coast Guard, rather it must first get routed through their private rescue coordination center. The other problem is that it doesn’t meet strict design standards of a certified PLB and, let’s face it, when you are in major trouble you want something that’s bulletproof.

So it is with open arms that we welcome ACR’s newest device the ACR AquaLink View PLB which comes compelte with ACR’s 406Link service which, like the SPOT, allows you not only to send a distress signal but also send an emergency or I’m OK signal to friends and family.

Here is Panbo’s take on the device:

The first time was the best. I was tootling down the Bay in May when I tested the ACR AquaLink View PLB. I’d already appreciated its high build quality, and how neatly instructions about how to activate its two self test modes and primary distress function are explained right on the casing. Then when I pressed the GPS Test button for five seconds, it was very nice to have the small LCD screen show the procedure step-by-step and advise me to give the antennas a good sky view. And it was impressive that the GPS — perhaps never used before, or at most tested in Florida — got (and displayed) a position in well less than a minute. (In fact, the whole test procedure is so quick that I’ve had a hard getting a good photo with the scrolling screen in action.) But the kicker was how my cell phone buzzed a moment later with a text message confirmation that the beacon’s test signal had made it through the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, along with a link to its accurately mapped position…

Because I’m also testing the Pro version of ACR’s 406Link service, the same “All’s well” short message and location link could have been emailed and/or texted to four other recipients. Frankly, though, I consider that Spot-like messaging feature quite secondary to the reassurance felt when you can test a critical safety device like this PLB all the way through the system (short of the rescue center). Continue Reading Panbo’s Review…

gCaptain believes that one of these devices should be required inside every lifeboat and liferaft that goes to sea and we fully endorse the Aqualink but their is still one problem… the communication is still one way! To actually communicate with rescuers you need a two way emergency locating device, of which our favorite is currently Solara Data’s Field Tracker 2100, a device currently in use by the park service as well as our favorite emergency evacuation company. Standby as gCaptain waits for its own 2100 to review.

A few months ago we received a press release from McMurdo on a revolutionary product, the Fast-Find 210 PLB, a portable version of an EPIRB, The revolutionary part was not a change in the way distress signals are sent from the device but rather the size (very small) and price point ($299 list) of the device. Subscribing to the theory of Too Good To Be True, we have held off on writing about the product until we had confirmation on the quality of the unit from a trusted source. Today that verification came, via Panbo, from friend of gCaptain and survival expert Doug Ritter. Doug writes:

Bearing in mind the limitations inherent in our tests we conducted as outlined above, bottom line is that this new McMurdo Fast Find represents a significant advance in performance in a much more compact package.  It isn’t perfect, the cap design and not quite single-hand deployment issues are a bit annoying, but they are not deal killers and the combination of the truly pocketable size, significantly improved GPS performance and low cost makes it a compelling distress signaling device. McMurdo have essentially leapfrogged the competition with this one. The new Fast Find is small enough and affordable enough to outfit your entire family in case someone gets separated from the group, falls overboard, etc.

Carry a Fast Find together with an effective pocket survival kit with essential survival and basic signaling gear and you’ve got most wilderness emergencies covered with just a pocket full of gear and not at a huge cost. These new Fast Finds are much more enticing due to their small size and low cost, hence more will carry them and more lives will be saved. Win, win, all the way around.

What does this mean for the average mariner? First, with greater acceptance and knowledge of PLB’s, shipping companies will start to equip each lifeboat with individual units to augment the vessel’s base station. If the trend catches on you may even see them included in liferafts or clipped onto individual lifevests.

Regardless of whether shipping companies adopt these units on a wide scale it is now economically possible for the average mariner (or passenger) to purchase his own unit independent of the vessel’s GMDSS equipment. This leads us to the question: “What are the safety implications of mariners and vessel passengers having the ability to transmit distress communication independent of the Captain’s orders?” and “Will individuals stringently assure these devices are properly registered and maintained?”

Be sure to read Doug Ritter’s full review, and keep up-to-date on the latest marine safety electronics by bookmarking gCaptain’s GMDSS category and Panbo’s Marine Safety section.

We also want to thank our friends at West Marine for making Doug’s review possible and for offering gCaptain readers $25 off the purchase of a McMurdo Fastfind 210… just use click on this link and use coupon code use code AFFSPCL to visit their store and place an order.

USCGImagery offer this video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

But, did you know that there is a critical piece of life-saving equipment that will also be affected with a change from analog to digital transmissions?

If you own or use an emergency distress beacon on a boat or on a plane, you should know that starting on February 1, 2009, the older beacons that transmit only an analog signal (121.5 or 243 MHz) will no longer be “heard” by search and rescue satellites. Just like checking your TV, you need to ensure that your distress beacon is capable of transmitting a digital signal (406 MHz) in order for it to be recognized.

There are three types of emergency distress beacons: EPIRBs (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons) for use in the maritime community, ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters) found on aircraft and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) for individual use. Although PLBs have always been manufactured to transmit to satellites on the 406 MHz frequency, older models of EPIRBs and ELTs were made to transmit to satellites on the 121.5 and 243 MHz frequencies. It should be noted that all 406 MHz beacons in the U.S. also contain a low powered homing signal that transmits on 121.5 MHz. This signal doesn’t reach the satellites, but it allows search and rescue teams to home-in on the beacon once in close range.

The decision to stop satellite processing of the 121.5 and 243 MHz frequency bands was made by the International Cospas-Sarsat Program with guidance from the United Nations. 406 MHz distress beacons have been used successfully for over 15 years now and they have proven to be more powerful, more accurate, and they are verifiable. Because of the digital nature of 406 MHz beacons, every beacon in the world has a unique ID encoded in its signal. As long as the beacon is registered (which is required by U.S. law), search and rescue forces can quickly confirm that the distress is real and have access to important information about the beacon owner.

When a person in distress activates an EPIRB, ELT or PLB (or an EPIRB automatically activates when a vessel sinks or an ELT automatically activates when an aircraft crashes), a signal is transmitted to search and rescue satellites. This “alert” is then relayed to a network of ground stations on Earth. If the signal originates in the U.S. the alert is sent to the U.S. Mission Control Center (USMCC) operated by NOAA. The USMCC processes the alert then distributes it to a U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center depending on if the location is in a maritime or inland environment. In the past five years (2003-2007), 406 MHz beacons have directly contributed to the saving of 1,224 lives in the U.S. alone.

Mariners should know that 121.5 MHz EPIRBs became prohibited for use in January 2007.

Aircraft owners and operators should be aware that, although 121.5 or 243 MHz ELTs still meet FAA carriage requirements, the distress signal will not be automatically sent to search and rescue personnel. The only way an alert will be realized is if a radio in close proximity to the beacon is tuned to the 121.5 or 243 MHz frequency and the operator passes the alert information to proper authorities. Even if this takes place, without the amplifying information provided by 406 MHz beacons, the results of a successful search are greatly diminished. That being said, pilots and other aviation interests should increase their attention to monitoring the 121.5 MHz frequency any time they have the chance to do so.

If you decide to replace an old 121.5 MHz EPIRB or ELT, please make sure you disable it by removing and properly disposing of the batteries. Also, remember to register your 406 MHz beacon at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov. Registration is free, easy to do and mandatory. You can include and update important information anytime such as emergency contact numbers, a description of your boat or aircraft, a person’s medical condition, or even a simplified float or flight plan—anything to make it easier for us to find you!

All beacon owners and users should check their beacons (just like those TV sets) before the switch to digital takes place in February 2009. Your life may well depend on it!

This information is provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Search and Rescue (CG-534).