Epirb or handheld vhf for inshore

[AlistairC]

Thanks for all your advice, I'll buy a personal EPIRB and a decent waterproof handset (icom M31) probably.

I already have a handheld but I dont know if I'd trust it.

 

[Anonymous]

If you are going for an EPIRB you need to decide whether you want GPS and automatic. GPS EPIRBS call the rescue services much faster than non-GPS because the GPS EPIRB sends the location in the transmission whereas for a non-GPS EPIRB the satellites have to deduce the position by trigonometry and this takes time as the satellites are not all in the right part of the sky at the same time. This is what McMurdo say about it...
<span style="color:blue">[ QUOTE ]
An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or
Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is used to alert search and rescue
services in the event of an emergency. They do this by
transmitting a coded message on the 406 MHz distress
frequency. This message is relayed via satellite and earth station
to the nearest rescue co-ordination centre.
406 MHz EPIRBs and PLBs work with the Cospas-Sarsat polar
orbiting satellite system which provides true global coverage.
The system has an alert delay of typically 45 minutes dependant
on when the satellites come into view on the horizon.
The satellite can determine
the position of your
Smartfind E5 EPIRB or
Fastfind PLB to within 5km
(3 miles). The coded
message identifies the exact
vessel to which the E5 is
registered or the person the
Fastfind PLB is registered to.
This information allows the
rescue services to eliminate
false alerts and launch an
appropriate rescue.
The GPS enabled Smartfind Plus G5 406 MHz EPIRB and Fastfind
Plus PLB have built-in transmitters that will typically alert the
rescue services within 3 minutes. Smartfind Plus is capable of
providing typical positional accuracy of +/- 50 Metres and
position updates every 20 minutes, given a clear view skyward.
Both the Smartfind EPIRBs and Fastfind PLBs also have a
secondary distress transmitter. This transmits on 121.5 MHz and
is used for "homing" purposes. When the rescue services get
close, this allows them to direction find on the signal. To cater
for searches at night, the Smartfind EPIRBs have a high
brightness LED flashing light that aids final visual location.

[/ QUOTE ]</span>

As for 'automatic' this is especially useful if you are short-handed but it is triggered by being in water so won't help if you are lying unconscious in the cockpit. It should go off if you are run down, though, as long as you don't leave your EPIRB safely parked in the wall bracket that has a magnet to hold it off!

Cost is terrible, though. I have just sent my EPIRB away for new batteries at a cost of 470 Euros /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Channel Ribs]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for all your advice, I'll buy a personal EPIRB and a decent waterproof handset (icom M31) probably.

I already have a handheld but I dont know if I'd trust it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You might like to look at the Standard Horizon range, I used to be a big fan of the M31 but am rapidly becoming a convert. In any event, if I can help with prices please PM me.

 

[boomerangben]

For the liferaft scenario, the DSC set would get the message across and get helicopters and lifeboats moving towards you, EPIRB will then continue to confirm your liferaft's position (if you have to cut free from the vessel) and continuously transmit a signal that rescue assets can home to. VHF cannot be homed to unless you are transmitting and you can bet your bottom dollar that your batteries will run out just at the wrong time. If you take the GPS EPIRB option, the time taken to get assets moving towards you will be slightly greater than a VHF mayday, but the subsequent search (bearing in mind you almost certainly will not have an accurate position to pass with only a HH VHF) will be much quicker.

At the end of the day each of us has to decide on where our pennies are spent and those shoe string sailors might have to settle for a HH VHF which of course is far better than nothing, but I would certainly recommend sticking a day/night flare or strobe light in your pocket.