What you need to know about it. Res-Q-Link PLB What you need to know about it.

Overview Before you operate the new 406 training beacon you need to know about: How to operate it. Lithium Battery Safety. Lithium Battery Replacement. We can’t just turn it on until we get back an approved request form. We can’t even TEST it without that “permission slip”.

Basic Info – New Training PLB It is a training version of the ResQLink 406 MHz GPS PLB. That means: It sends out a signal to the actual SARSAT. It broadcasts an emergency signal with GPS Coordinates and unique ownership code on 406.037 MHz at 5+ Watts It also broadcasts a sweeping tone on 121.775 MHZ at a minimum of 25mW (Typically 63mW) and then emitts a Morse Code “P” approximately every 50 seconds. The PLB is registered to CAP, but it cannot be registered in the NOAA Beacon Registration data base. The SD Wing and each squadron will have one PLB.

Stay out of Trouble It is against the law to turn this PLB on or to test it unless: You fill out the “Request for 406 MHz Emergency Beacon Test” form and get an approval back from NOAA. This form and the instructions to go with it are on the wing website, or go to this link: http://sdcap.us/emergency-serices/ The form and instructions should also be in the box the beacon came in. Submission deadlines: 1-3 Beacons – 48 hours prior to the first event. 4-6 Beacons – 30 Days before the first event. The 5W 406 MHz signal will go through walls, etc… so don’t mess with it!

To Activate the BEACON 1- Deploy the Antenna 2 - Press the ON button for one second. 3 – Place the unit on it’s back so the antenna points straight up and has a clear view of the sky. The beacon will activate after the unit has been turned on for 100 seconds.

When Activated:

Don’t do this: Our PLB units DO NOT FLOAT!

To deactivate the beacon: Depress the ON/OFF button for more than 3 seconds. Once the beacon is deactivated, all blinking LED lights will stop, signifying that the beacon is no longer sending your distress message.

TESTING The first is a basic self test which checks the beacons Data Integrity and Memory; 406 MHz Synthesizer; RF Power/Battery; GPS header and sends a satellite burst. The second test is a GPS Self Test that actually turns the GPS Receiver on, downloads your position and then transmits this data in the Self Test satellite burst.

DO NOT DO THE GPS TEST! Once this GPS testing feature reaches 12 times, the feature will be disabled by internal software.

Testing Considerations Note: Self test should only be performed in the first 5 minutes of any hour. Basic Self Test (No GPS Data) During a Self-test your beacon will send a 406 MHz signal coded as Self-test to the satellite system and a 121.5 MHz homing signal. This beacon has enough excess battery life to perform 60 self tests over the 5 year life of the battery.

To perform a Basic Self Test: Unclip the antenna latch from the case. Move the antenna into the upright position Depress the Test button for 1 full second A Green Light will flash followed by a Second Long Green Light flash and the strobe light. This indicates a successful Basic Self Test.

Lithium Batteries You can’t send this via FedEx Express without extra fees and paperwork or carry it on an airplane. Be sure to LOG the BEACON use in the Log that is attached. We should keep track of battery life better like this. We ARE authorized to replace batteries since this is a practice beacon. (Real PLBS’s have to have their battery replaced by a qualified vendor.)

Using the Becker on a 406 SEARCH CAP’s older BECKER airborne direction finder, the Becker SAR-DF 517, is only capable of detecting and processing 2 of the eighteen 406 MHz Distress Beacon Channels. Newer 406 MHz Distress Beacons are now being sold that transmit on 406 MHz channels that are not detectable by the SAR-DF 517. CAP is modernizing its SAR-DF 517 equipped aircraft to a more capable RHOTHETA model RT- 600, which can detect and process all 18 channels.

SAR-DF 517 Training Mode In training mode, it is limited to increments of 0.025 MHz. This design limitation restricts the SAR-DF 517 to the following programmable frequencies: 406.025, 406.050 and 406.075 MHz. Given the ± 0.005 MHz bandwidth, even with operator programmability, the SAR-DF 517 is not capable of detecting or processing most of 406 Channels. It will, however detect 406.037, the frequency of the training beacons we have if you are in EMERGENCY MODE.

121.5 (or 121.775) The lower radiated power of the 121.775 (VHF) signal (500mW) results in situations where air, ground SAR assets may not detect the VHF Homing Signal until within a few hundred yards or less of the beacon. You should still fly the aircraft while listening to 121.775 in the Aircraft Radio, but be aware: you will most likely be within a mile of the beacon when if you hear it. The VHF signal is sent out for 50 seconds then it will cease with a morse code P, and allow the UHF signal to be sent. FYI, FRS Radios operate with about the same 500mW power, but they operate on a UHF frequency, so the range comparison is not exact.

Ending Thoughts Some other considerations for using the Newer version of the RoTheta Becker SAR DF-517 RT 600. If the exact frequency of the COSPAS-SARSAT beacon is unknown, it is strongly recommended to use the COSPAS-SARSAT scanning functionality in order to detect the correct frequency

AUTO SQUELCH It is recommended to always use the Auto Squelch during COSPAS-SARSAT operation. This can be achieved by manually selecting 0 % (lowest possible value) or 60 % (highest possible value) as squelch level. During COSPAS-SARSAT- Operation, this will force the automatic setting of the level.

Using the New RT-600 to get GPS Coords The newer Becker DF-517, RT-600 can interrogate the PLB and get it’s GPS Coordinates. Decode menu option, allows to open the COSPAS/SARSAT Decode sub-page by shortly pushing the F2 push- button above the menu option.

Frequency Range Indication COSPAS-SARSAT is using a channel spacing of 3 kHz for its beacons. Due to the internal architecture of the direction finder, it is possible to receive more than one channel in the same time. Thus, frequency steps of the direction finder are 8.33 kHz instead of 3 kHz. The receive frequency covered by the current receive frequency setting is shown in the display line above the receive frequency indication.

Remember… Don’t turn on the new training PLB without first notifying NOAA at least 48 hours out.