USCG/NOAA SARSAT CONFERENCE 2010 EPIRB’s How They Work

How the System Works Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS COSPAS –Cosmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynych Sudov: (Space System for the Search of Distressed Vessels) SARSAT – Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Maritime Distress Beacon Types of Beacons Maritime Distress Beacon EPIRBs 406 MHz Automatic activation when out of bracket and wet. Floats up right able to transmit Strobe light Min 48 hour transmit Some GPS enabled Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Distress Beacon for Personal Use (Land Rescue) Types of Beacons Distress Beacon for Personal Use (Land Rescue) PLBs Manual activation Carried on persons May or may not float Held out of water to transmit NO Strobe light Min 24 hour transmit Some GPS Enabled Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Aviation Distress Beacon Types of Beacons ELTs Aviation Distress Beacon 406 MHz ELTs 406/121.5 MHz 24 hr Transmitter “ON-OFF-ARMED-RESET” controls ELT activated by pilot, crash forces or water activated. Operational Applications Automatic Fixed - AF Automatic Portable - AP Survival Equipment – S Class A (buoyant) Class B (non-buoyant) Automatic Deployable - AD Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Aviation Distress Beacon Types of Beacons ELTs AD S Class B Aviation Distress Beacon AF - Automatic Fixed AP - Automatic Portable AD – Automatic Deployable S - Survival Equipment Class A – (Buoyant) Class B – (Non-Buoyant) AF AP S Class A Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

SENDs Operate over any satellite system except Cospas-Sarsat. SATELLITE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION DEVICES Operate over any satellite system except Cospas-Sarsat. Provide individuals in remote areas a means to alert others of an emergency situation and to aid search and rescue personnel to locate those in distress. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Maritime Satellite Emergency Position-Indicating RadioBeacon EPIRB Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Operational Requirements EPIRB 406 MHz Signal - 5 Watts Short bursts at approximately 50 second intervals (varies between 47.5 and 52.5 s), with a transmission time of 440 ms or 520 ms. Transmits in the 406.0 to 406.1 MHz band. Transmission consists: unmodulated carrier, for 160 ms, short synchronization signal, signal inverted for test, Digital message that provides stored information (identification, nationality, type of user), Optionally, current information like, type of emergency and estimated location. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Hex ID EPIRB’s identification, when decoded into its 15 character hexadecimal representation, which is the EPIRB’s unique identifier number. http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/index.php/en/component/beacondecode/?task=showBeacon Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

406 Frequency Stability Frequency stability very important EPIRB gets on frequency fast and is super stable Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Operational Requirements Strobe Light Auxiliary Radio-Locating Device121.5 MHz, 25 mW, Warble, (a US Req.) Self-test Function Lanyard – 5 to 8 meters Battery – 48hrs of continuous operation Buoyancy and Stability – float upright Designed to prevent inadvertent activation Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Types of Brackets Category 1 Automatic Release between 4 to 13 ft. EPIRB is transmitting when it gets to the surface Hydrostatic release needs replacement every two years. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Type of Brackets Category 2 Manual Release Wet sense deactivation magnet No Bracket carriage requirement Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Types of EPIRBs Class A & B 121.5MHz and 243 MHz only Now illegal to use in the USA 406 MHz and 121.5 EPIRB Cat 1 and 2 brackets, Class 1 and 2 batteries 406 MHZ and 121.5 Self locating EPIRB Cat 1 and 2 brackets, Class 1 and 2 batteries, GPS interface or internal GPS 121.5 ELTs are still carried on most General Aviation. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Class 1 and 2 Batteries Operating Stowage Class 1 -40° to + 55° C Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Lanyard Lanyard: 5 to 8 meters Orange/yellow color Not rot/deteriorate 5 to 8 meters = 16.4’ to 26.24’ Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Battery Replacement Required at Expiration date or if EPIRB activated for any reason besides test. Expiration of battery = ½ Useful Life. Useful Life = power for all required testing + 48 hrs operation. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

406 MHz Detection Range with the USCG DF-430 Altitude (ft) Detection Range (nm) 25,000 133 22,500 129 20,000 124 17,500 119 15,000 113 12,500 106 10,000 99 7,500 88 5,000 76 2,500 57 1,500 23 This is a table of expected detection ranges with the DF-430. This is a line of sight calculation, and not derived from testing. Actual use in the field has resulted in some detections well exceeding these ranges. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Operational Requirements Positive visual and/or audible indication that EPIRB is activated (strobe light flashing). Easily manually deployed, activate, and deactivated, and transferred to survival craft. Not be activated or deactivated by conditions encountered in maritime environment. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Control Ready – EPIRB will be ON in the water unless in its bracket. Sometimes labeled “OFF”. ON – EPIRB operates regardless of location or orientation. Unconditional “ON” position. (Requires two physical actions) Test – Self-test Function. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Beacon Switches Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Beacon Switches Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Self Test Battery Voltage Check Full Circuitry Check Test Data burst GPS acquisition Test (Self Locating) Not required to check remaining power available in the battery. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Prevention of Inadvertent Activation Must be fitted with means to prevent inadvertent activation and deactivation. Not automatically activate when water washes over while in bracket. Most EPIRBs use bracket with magnet to disable activation circuit. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Deactivation Remove beacon from water and dry off or replace in bracket Move switch to OFF or Ready position Remove cover and disconnect battery Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Activation How Or By definition it transmits: out of bracket and wet, by manual switch, in or out of bracket, Or Self test Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Activation What Happens; Beacon starts transmitting its Unique Hex ID in a 406 MHz digital message, 121.5 MHz homer with an audible warble, Strobe Light starts flashing. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

EPIRB Control Functions Control Position Satellite EPIRB Condition EPIRB/BRACKET Status Transmitter On Ready Wet* Dry Out In Off X   Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Brackets Brackets – Cat 1 Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Brackets Brackets – Cat 1 Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Brackets Brackets - Cat 1 Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Brackets Brackets - Cat 2 Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Brackets Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Testing Bracket Magnet A Compass provides simple detection on bracket magnet. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Bracket Water Testing Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS All EPIRBS must have a Bracket to control the “Water Activation Circuit”. These EPIRB and Bracket combination must go through testing prior to being authorized for production and/or sale. Part of the testing is to be subjected to a stream from a hose directed at the unit for a period of 5 min. The nozzle of the hose shall have a nominal diameter of 63.5 mm and water –delivery rate of approximately 2300 liters of water per min. Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

Larry.T.Yarbrough@uscg.mil (305) 415 6868 Questions? Larry.T.Yarbrough@uscg.mil (305) 415 6868 Feb 2010 L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS