Hi All,
Been a few threads lately about safety in the outback and tips and equipment necessary for emergency situations. Done a fair bit of in- and off-shore sailing and skippered a fair few regattas so had to learn a lot about EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) and PLBs (Personal Locating Beacons) so thought would drop some info on what they are, how they work, etc.
EPIRBs are mandatory for boaties heading more than 2NM outside of calm or near-calm waters. They operate on the 406MHz digital frequency. Previously they operated on the 121.5Mhz frequency however this has been stopped and people who have older EPIRBs that operate on this frequency should buy a new one. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority monitors the 406MHz frequency as well as a network of non-geostationary satellites which operate similar to GPS to triangulate the signal and locate the beacon. Each beacon has its own unique identifier and you should register your EPIRB with AMSA as they can then correlate the owner with the particular device in question. In addition PLBs should also be registered with AMSA and registration is required to be updated for EPIRBs and PLBs every two years.
Registration is free and can be done online at http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/registration.html
If commercial or recreational pilots hear a signal on 121.5 or 406MHz they will also relay this to the authorities who will co-ordinate SAR operations which should have already been commenced on activation of the signal.
PLBs differ slightly in they are smaller, do not conform to the same standards as required by EPIRBs (such as having to float with antenna clear of the water). PLBs must have a battery life of 24 hours, EPIRBs of 48 hours. In addition all EPIRBs and PLBs must conform with Australia/New Zealand Standard 4280.1.
What's the difference between a PLB with and without a GPS? Basically the GPS makes locating the device more accurate. Without a GPS the accuracy is to about 5km. With a GPS the accuracy is improved to about 120m. That's a fair difference - and particularly on the sea where the difference in the accuracy could mean the difference between being found in time, or.......
Now - all that said, an EPIRB/PLB is not a replacement for a HF radio or Sat Phone. These should be carried in my opinion and the EPIRB/PLB used as an absolute last resort - but that said if in doubt better to be safe than sorry. A lot of time if you ever are in an emergency and in touch with SAR they may tell you to activate your beacon to assist in locating you.
EPIRB/PLBs should be used only once, and if I recall correctly replaced every three years. They also have a test feature built into them which should be used before every outing to ensure they are operating. They shouldn't be tossed in bins or left idle because if set off inadvertently a lot of resources are wasted which could have been saving someone else.
Also - if you have one and don't know how to use it don't wait until you need to use it to read the manual or try and figure it out. They are pretty simple to use, but in a time of panic strange things happen!
It's a long post already so won't go into minimum water rations, other emergency gear, etc. That can come in another post. Also, a lot of this information is already on the web but thought I would consolidate it and also add my own experiences of it. I have had to use an EPIRB on the water once - and it saved about 20 people. A decent PLB will cost you about $400 with a GPS.
Sorry for the ramble but thought this might help someone out - and if anyone notices anything I've said in error shout it out and I will amend.
Please note the definitive source of information on EPIRBs and PLBs can be found at:
http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/index.html
Jas
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