EPIRB - impressive and embarrassing!

[Wandering Star]

Not sure I should post this! My EPIRB battery expired in 2008. I decided to treat myself to a new one at a bargain
basement price because the Supersore in Port Solent had a stock with a reduced (3 year) unexpired battery life. I took the new EPIRB out on a Ryanair flight to Portugal and incidentally my bag was searched and no one batted an eyelid about carrying it - so that's reassuring!

I unscrewed the old EPIRB from the bulkhead where it lives and out of curiosity tested it, but after it had flashed 3 times, it carried on flashing and I couldnt find a way to stop it flashing! After literally less than a minute, I did get it to stop flashing, I wasn't concerned as i thought it was in test mode.

10 minutes later the Falmouth rescue people had called a neighbour (how they got his number i have no idea) as my contact details had changed. They then contacted my wife with the info obtained from my neighbour and finally they had contacted me as a result of obtaining my mobile number vrom my wife! It was seriously impressive stuff and reassuring to know how comprehensively and quickly they respond to an EPIRB transmission. Embarrassing for me though.

The downside is though that I had notified them of the changes to my contact details months ago and had also returned the form included with the new EPIRB details about 3 weeks ago but neither set of details were on their database, this is maybe something they need to improve. However, full marks for tracking me down even without the correct details and all within 10 minutes - i'm gobsmacked and red faced.

 

[prv]

The downside is though that I had notified them of the changes to my contact details months ago and had also returned the form included with the new EPIRB details about 3 weeks ago but neither set of details were on their database, this is maybe something they need to improve.

Indeed - the other week I got the confirmation letter saying that the details for my PLB had been changed to reflect our change of boat. I sent that off back in December or possibly even November. The letter had a brief apology for the delay, blaming short-staffing - exactly the same words it had when I originally registered the beacon first time round.

I wish they'd hire a few temps for a week or two to knock the backlog down. It's only a bit of data-entry.

Pete

 

[chanelyacht]

Are both of you OK if I feed that back to the guys? That sort of comment is taken seriously.

 

[Wandering Star]

Are both of you OK if I feed that back to the guys? That sort of comment is taken seriously.

Well I've no objection at all. You can apologise to them (again) on my behalf. If they want to check the log the incident would have placed me in Portimao marina and I think it was Saturday, boat name was Wandering Star although recorded boat name was Sarah Main.

Cheers, Brian.

 

[prv]

Are both of you OK if I feed that back to the guys?

I have no objection, but I'm surprised if it's news to them. Surely they know how behind they are?

Also don't take my delay estimate as gospel, I can't really remember when I sent it off, but I know it was a bloody long time. I did all the radio / SSR / PLB paperwork in a fit of enthusiasm as soon as we exchanged contracts on the boat, and that was before Christmas.

Pete

 

[dk]

Similar experience. Registered my PLB on line some 4 weeks ago, but not heard a word since. SSR and VHF no problem. Sorted within a week!

 

[timmygobang]

I gave them a call around October last year, the guy entered all my details over the phone. Though I might double check now after reading this as I dont recall getting a confirmation letter.....

 

[prv]

I dont recall getting a confirmation letter.....

Check the back of your EPIRB / PLB. The confirmation comes with a sticker which you are supposed to attach to a marked area on the beacon.

Pete

 

[Chris_Robb]

I wish they'd hire a few temps for a week or two to knock the backlog down. It's only a bit of data-entry.

Pete

Trouble with temps is they are often not supervised enough and create rubbish in. eg I would never in the old days let a temp do filing - you would never find anything later!

 

[prv]

Trouble with temps is they are often not supervised enough and create rubbish in.

As a former data entry temp I protest

One place I worked was very cheeky though - they told me "be especially careful with this stuff as the customer is paying for it to be double-entered and verified, but we don't have enough people for that so you're the only one doing it."

Pete

 

[nigelmercier]

In case anyone is unaware of this: if you accidentally activate an EPIRB, do not turn it off! The correct procedure is to first contact the EPIRB registry using the number on your sticker, they will then advise.

 

[prv]

The correct procedure is to first contact the EPIRB registry using the number on your sticker, they will then advise.

As long as they've got round to sending you a sticker, of course

Pete

 

[lustyd]

Presumably though it doesn't matter if they know your details, a rescue will still go ahead because they have your position and a signal saying distress. I guess after the rescue there will be a discussion about details not being available, especially if you didnt register.

 

[prv]

Presumably though it doesn't matter if they know your details, a rescue will still go ahead because they have your position and a signal saying distress.

I certainly hope so!

I bought my PLB a few days before the Scuttlebutt crossing, so I wasn't expecting my details to be on the register if I had needed to use it.

(I filled them in using an online form, so in a sensible system they would have been in the database immediately, but the Coastguard seems to struggle with this kind of thing, witness manual entry of CG66 details also submitted online.)

Pete