Combined EPIRB/AIS personal location beacon

[Ian_Edwards]

HI,

Following recent post about the availability of combined EPIRB and AIS POB's, I emailed the RYA for an update on why they aren't available.

I go a reply saying that the RYA recently had attended a meeting of the Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue subcommittee at the IMO where EPIRB/AIS had been discussed.

The problem is that a combined device requires two different ID's and that this configuration may cause confusion in SAR activities.

The Email states:

"It has taken time to resolve the issue of matching these two non-related IDs, one for EPIRB and one for AIS, the method now proposed is by the inclusion of the User IDs of EPIRB-AIS in Beacon Registration Databases.


This is likely to move to agreement by the end of the year (IMO moves at a snail’s pace) and once the performance standard is agreed then I reckon these things will appear fairly quickly".

Personally, I find it hard to see why the IMO are finding hard to reconcile two databases and introducing a substantial delay into the introduction of a potentially life saving bit of gear.

But it's good to know that the RYA are actively involved and looking after our interests and that combine AIS and EPERB's may be available in 2019.

 

[Tim O]

I shall wait until 2019 to fall overboard in that case

 

[Tim O]

seriously though...nice work Ian

 

[pandos]

This explains why in Ireland at least the registration of plb is handled by one authority separate to the epirb and ais register.... so progress can involve two government bodies slowing things and ultimately extracting feeso at every turn
.. myou epirb will remain registered with the USCG who are a pleasure to deal with. They welcome the registration and then. In the nicest possilet way advise that it is possible to register in my own country

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Personally, I find it hard to see why the IMO are finding hard to reconcile two databases and introducing a substantial delay into the introduction of a potentially life saving bit of gear.

But it's good to know that the RYA are actively involved and looking after our interests and that combine AIS and EPERB's may be available in 2019.

The problem probably isn't with the technical implementation - as you say, that's a fairly straightforward piece of data management. It's getting agreement between all the parties to make it happen that's difficult! I've worked on similar international issues where where I was REQUIRED to vote against an eminently sensible proposal because the technical solution was seen as impinging on political issues. This was very difficult as the technical solution was a sensible one that I agreed with in principle - but I was not given a choice about the way I had to vote. Fortunately our colleagues understood our situation, and a solution was eventually agreed. But the members of the relevant technical committees of the IMO will have political masters, who may see (not necessarily correctly!) the proposed technical solution as politically difficult.

 

[Skylark]

I've resurrected this one year old thread.

Does anyone know of an up-date as to the availability of a combined PLB/AIS beacon?

 

[webcraft]

.
Does the wearing of one of these mean anyone falling overboard will automatically trigger a full SAR operation?

I know (and have taught) the dictum that any Mob is an automatic Mayday, but there are exceptions.

- W

 

[GTom]

.
Does the wearing of one of these mean anyone falling overboard will automatically trigger a full SAR operation?

I know (and have taught) the dictum that any Mob is an automatic Mayday, but there are exceptions.

- W

If you have a water-activated device, it will send away the distress signal. However, AIS signal won't get far...

 

[prv]

Does the wearing of one of these mean anyone falling overboard will automatically trigger a full SAR operation?

All the PLBs I'm aware of are not activated by water, and I believe this is a regulatory requirement rather than a coincidence. There has to be a manual button plus some kind of arrangement (flap or cover) to prevent accidental activation.

AIS MOB beacons can be automatically activated, which is fine because they're only intended to reach your own boat so a wet lifejacket going off isn't a national emergency.

Presumably the activation criteria for a combined PLB / AIS MOB beacon is one of the things having to be thrashed out in the meetings referred to above. Should the whole thing activate automatically like the existing style of AIS beacon, or only manually like a current PLB, or should the AIS part be automatic and the PLB not?

(Personally I'd favour the last option, to limit false alarms. If you're in the water and not in a fit state to press an activation button then by the time a lifeboat reaches you from an automatic PLB activation it's unlikely to do you much good. The same might not be true for your own boat getting back to you two minutes later on an AIS signal.)

Pete

 

[prv]

If you have a water-activated device, it will send away the distress signal. However, AIS signal won't get far...

The thread is about devices that also have a 406MHz PLB built in.

Pete

 

[JeffNev]

Got MOB beacons on my mind at the moment so a few things…

Though it’s long way after the initial post, I thought I’d share this safety beacon guide - https://www.marinesuperstore.com/safety-beacons-guide - as it does address the initial question about EPIRB with AIS and seems up-to-date.

As for PLBs with AIS, I fully agree with prv – an automated AIS with a manually activated PLB component makes the most sense.

In another thread here, a poster was saying how they’d also carry a radio at all time to alert crew if they went over, and then they could be located via AIS. The Ocean Signal RescueMe MOB1 combines AIS and DSC so would be a neat workaround to that and eliminates the need to carry two devices.