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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Aviation Distress Beacon
Types of Beacons ELTs
Aviation Distress Beacon
406 MHz ELTs
406/121.5 MHz 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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 to 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

10. Hex ID
EPIRB’s identification, when decoded into its 15 character hexadecimal representation, which is the EPIRB’s unique identifier number.
Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

11. Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

12. 406 Frequency Stability Frequency stability very important
EPIRB gets on frequency fast and is super stable
Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

13. 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

14. 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

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

16. Types of EPIRBs Class A & B 121.5MHz and 243 MHz only
Now illegal to use in the USA
406 MHz and EPIRB
Cat 1 and 2 brackets, Class 1 and 2 batteries
406 MHZ and 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

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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Beacon Switches
Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

24. Beacon Switches
Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

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

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

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

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

35. Brackets
Feb 2010
L. Yarbrough/D7CFVS

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

37. 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

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