How to get rid of an old EPIRB?

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david36

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As part of a bigger purchase, I have recently acquired a 20 year old (approx.) non GPS EPIRB that last had its battery changed about 7 years ago. As far as I know it still works but I do not want it - I prefer a more modern, GPS based item. But, how do I get rid of it without causing chaos and /or incurring vast costs? Any reasonable ideas gratefully received. I am aware of the need to notify the Epirb Registry that it is no longer "live".

Fair winds.
 
david36 said:
As part of a bigger purchase, I have recently acquired a 20 year old (approx.) non GPS EPIRB that last had its battery changed about 7 years ago. As far as I know it still works but I do not want it - I prefer a more modern, GPS based item. But, how do I get rid of it without causing chaos and /or incurring vast costs? Any reasonable ideas gratefully received. I am aware of the need to notify the Epirb Registry that it is no longer "live".

Fair winds.
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Big hammer.
 
Open up and take the battery out, then dispose of (separately) as usual? If you're feeling particularly responsible that means the unit to a shop that collects WEEE and the battery to your Household Waste Recycling Centre, but personally I'd probably just stick 'em both in the bin.

Pete
 
Or pop it on fleabay for 0.01 or offer it free to a sailing school as an example prop for their SRC course
 
Your EPIRB is almost certainly a 121.5/243mhz EPIRB if it is 20 years old. This is the old system not not useable. Although the 121.5 aspect seems to be used by aircraft for final homing in on the casualty but is not picked up by satelite. There is/was no registration or identification for the old system. Remove the battery or disable in some way then it is just electronic junk. If it is indeed a more modern digital EPIRB (430mhz) then it will be registered to you. It would be useful to sell and or replace battery but you would need to cancell or transfer the registration. olewill
 
I foud myself in a similar situation a few years back, an old EPIRB with unknown battery state. I sawed the aerial off to limit any transmission as the battery was not accessible without sawing the casing open. Then working in a metal box, I attacked it with an angle grinder to open the case up and remove the battery. I presume this worked without any unwanted transmissions as there was no visit from the authroties.

Rob.
 
david36 said:
As part of a bigger purchase, I have recently acquired a 20 year old (approx.) non GPS EPIRB that last had its battery changed about 7 years ago. As far as I know it still works but I do not want it

Thanks for the advice - the Sartec trade-in sounds good. I will follow it up. The expensive solution that I wanted to avoid was from the manufacturer in the USA " send it back to us" as hazardous material!

Fair winds.
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