Rob_Webb
Well-Known Member
Is there some kind of evolution taking place here with some kinds of EPIRB becoming redundant and a new version taking over? Anyone in the know care to inform?
EPIRB changes?
- Thread starter Rob_Webb
- Start date
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
121 MHz EPIRB's will not be supported by COSPAS/SARSAT after Feb 2009. 406 MHz EPIRB's are the ones which will be supported. Personally, I don't know why they are still allowed to sell them as their demise is not very common knowledge.
Another problem with 121 MHz EPIRB's is that most countries do not respond to them unless there is other information supporting that the alert is genuine (NZ is one of the few that do respond) and it takes longer for a (less accurate) satellite doppler fix to be determined compared to the 406 ones. Non response is because of the high false alert rate which cannot be resolved as the vessel's identity is unknown and no nominated contacts.
Another changing matter is that for recreational use 406 EPIRB's which do not automatically actuate when placed in the water are now coming onto the market - not talking about not floating free, previously all 406 EPIRB's were required to start transmitting if just placed in the water by hand. These ones are much cheaper (eg the GME one) but I would like to think that my own EPIRB would auto turn on when I just put it in the water.
Another changing matter is 406 EPIRB's are now coming out with GPS in them. As far as I know not all the satellites can handle the GPS position yet (stand to be corrected on that as haven't looked at it for a while) but in any event the gain is not particularly important to the recovery time of the distressed (by the time the nominated registered contacts are phoned to determine if the boat is at sea or not a doppler fix will have been obtained to within 1-3 nm). Was a previous thread on the GPS bit and one good poster actually asked Falmouth about it and they said much the same. So, GPS or not, is pretty much a personal choice I think.
John
Another problem with 121 MHz EPIRB's is that most countries do not respond to them unless there is other information supporting that the alert is genuine (NZ is one of the few that do respond) and it takes longer for a (less accurate) satellite doppler fix to be determined compared to the 406 ones. Non response is because of the high false alert rate which cannot be resolved as the vessel's identity is unknown and no nominated contacts.
Another changing matter is that for recreational use 406 EPIRB's which do not automatically actuate when placed in the water are now coming onto the market - not talking about not floating free, previously all 406 EPIRB's were required to start transmitting if just placed in the water by hand. These ones are much cheaper (eg the GME one) but I would like to think that my own EPIRB would auto turn on when I just put it in the water.
Another changing matter is 406 EPIRB's are now coming out with GPS in them. As far as I know not all the satellites can handle the GPS position yet (stand to be corrected on that as haven't looked at it for a while) but in any event the gain is not particularly important to the recovery time of the distressed (by the time the nominated registered contacts are phoned to determine if the boat is at sea or not a doppler fix will have been obtained to within 1-3 nm). Was a previous thread on the GPS bit and one good poster actually asked Falmouth about it and they said much the same. So, GPS or not, is pretty much a personal choice I think.
John
machurley22
Well-Known Member
Is there some kind of double act taking place here? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
ghost
Well-Known Member
talking of epirbs, I had a double engine failure ( fire) mid way back from Holland, at night - 0100 hrs ish, fire duly out but adrift, gps wiring burnt, on me own, vhf batteries kaput. NW 4, tide set due south.
drifted until day break - 0530- under drouge, saw freighter fired two para flares, nothing. 0615 nearly got mown down by freighter from Malta -Valleta pride?- worked out roughly where I was ( heading south east through the 'roundabout')
''Fu%* this'' 0623 epirb on, a 406 unit. Attempted to jerry rig one good engine out of two burnt outboards, after one hour and a bit, managed to get port engine going but anymore throttle than tickover in gear would snuff it. 0800 started to glimpse coastline under the sun, Belguim? France?
doing 3kts turned N.W. into the blue, epirb still on. 1115 started seeing ferries, 1245 saw Blighty and the Goodwins, made a painfully slow approach for Ramsgate. epirb off. made the jetty 1430
Once in done the formalities and phoned the coastguard who, told me that Toulouse picked up my signal at 0630, wanted to send a chopper, uk cg insisted as they had a plane (lysander) in the channel they would do the sweep, apparently they flew over my position 3 times and didnt see me, I never saw them either, a commercial jet also picked up my signal and radioed that through, no mention was made re: turning the unit off and possibile outcome of that, by them.
This has been my only experience of using an epirb
drifted until day break - 0530- under drouge, saw freighter fired two para flares, nothing. 0615 nearly got mown down by freighter from Malta -Valleta pride?- worked out roughly where I was ( heading south east through the 'roundabout')
''Fu%* this'' 0623 epirb on, a 406 unit. Attempted to jerry rig one good engine out of two burnt outboards, after one hour and a bit, managed to get port engine going but anymore throttle than tickover in gear would snuff it. 0800 started to glimpse coastline under the sun, Belguim? France?
doing 3kts turned N.W. into the blue, epirb still on. 1115 started seeing ferries, 1245 saw Blighty and the Goodwins, made a painfully slow approach for Ramsgate. epirb off. made the jetty 1430
Once in done the formalities and phoned the coastguard who, told me that Toulouse picked up my signal at 0630, wanted to send a chopper, uk cg insisted as they had a plane (lysander) in the channel they would do the sweep, apparently they flew over my position 3 times and didnt see me, I never saw them either, a commercial jet also picked up my signal and radioed that through, no mention was made re: turning the unit off and possibile outcome of that, by them.
This has been my only experience of using an epirb
landaftaf
Well-Known Member
makes being at sea an exciting escapade again huh - back to the good old days and pioneering spirit .... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
ghost
Well-Known Member
still safer than making any comments on this forum
landaftaf
Well-Known Member
. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif so it seems sometimes . /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Rob_Webb
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Ship's Cat. I think mine's a 121 so maybe time for a rethink.
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
Hi Rob.
If you want any encouragement there was a 121 MHz EPIRB alert in Cook Strait today and as they could not find anything in the fixed area they seemed to go all day wondering if a boat really was lost and asking everyone in Cook Strait to check that their EPIRB had not been accidently activated.
With 406 those uncertainties would not exist.
John
If you want any encouragement there was a 121 MHz EPIRB alert in Cook Strait today and as they could not find anything in the fixed area they seemed to go all day wondering if a boat really was lost and asking everyone in Cook Strait to check that their EPIRB had not been accidently activated.
With 406 those uncertainties would not exist.
John
CodStewart
Well-Known Member
If you faff up and sink, do you have to pay for the plane to come and rescue you?
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
Not here, nor most (all?) other places you don't.
John
John