EPIRB will it save me

[ccscott49]

Re: Labrador

You should have rowed faster, towards the finish line! tee hee But I can see the scene now, it must have been hilarious! My dog would have done the same, I would have had to get somebody else to row her out, then she would have come back! So faithful, even when sleeping in the pub or wherever, she would lie on my feet, so she'd know when I moved!

 

[alant]

You are correct, see Macmillan Almanac.
8.2.6 - satellites will pick up on 406, 243 & 121.5.
With 406 at 5km & 121.5 at 20km accuracy.
however, SAR aircraft can only home in on 121.5 & 243, not 406.
If sailing in North Atlantic region, I was informed by a commercial pilot, that it is fairly simple for their aircraft to triangulate much closer than this and SAR can home in from at least 60 miles.
406 can still suffer being ignored due to false alarms.
If sailing in south Atlantic, not much cross ocean air traffic to pick up 121.5, so its probably best to use a system which offers both.

 

[Mike_Martin]

Hi Nic,

The obvious answer is yes it will save you eventually, however, there is a time delay and depending on how critical time is in the situation etc etc.

You should really talk to HMCG for advice (try the EPIRB Registry on 01326 211 569 for a starter), however, in the meantime I can give you steer but I am not an expert like HMCG.

As mentioned earlier 121.5MHz is the Aeronautical Distress frequency and it is used as voice, beacon and DF channel. The first problem you will have is that you will not be able to put out a Mayday before activating the beacon as an aircraft does, this means that when the sat picks you up no-one will be expecting you to be there (first delay).

It takes 2 passes of the sat to get you position anywhere near a 406MHz EPIRB approx 20 mins apart (second delay). However, from that point on you would have no problems. The beacon will also be used to locate you.

The difference with a 406MHz is that when you set one off it is a Distress Alert in it's own right and gets your position very accurately first time.

The usual advice is that a 406MHZ EPIRB is an EPIRB and a 121.5 PLB is back up for on-scene location.

As I said I'm no expert but this is a rough guide.

MIke



Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Section,
Radiocommunications Agency

 

[gtmoore]

There's also the point worth making that 121Mhz satellites have to be in range of a ground station to transmit to at the time it picks your distress call up whereas the 406MHz ones can store then forward your alert when over a ground station.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mike for your informative answer

Nic

 

[Mike_Martin]

It's what I do

Mike

Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Section,
Radiocommunications Agency