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EPIRBS
/ Locating Beacons.
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Equipment Prices (in Australian dollars).
406 MHz beacons The Council of COSPAS-SARSAT announced in 2000 that it would be phasing out satellite processing of emergency beacons operating in the 121.5/243 MHz range and encouraging users to adopt 406 MHz beacons. Users of the 121.5 MHz beacons will have until February 2009 to complete the switch over. Why the change? Older 121.5 MHz system required that a satellite be in view of both the beacon AND the land based LUT (Local User Terminal) before activation could be reported (the satellite acted as a relay for the beacon's signal). This limited the useful detection range to areas immediately surrounding countries which supported LUT's, leaving more isolated areas (such as the antarctic) unprotected. Satellite Concept 406 MHz beacons transmit a digital message which can be stored on the satellite, then re-transmitted to the next LUT that comes into view. This provides true global coverage. In addition, the digital message is able to provide encoded information about the vessel and its owner. The use of 406 MHz distress beacons will therefore minimise the problems of false alerts being received by rescue coordination centres around the world. |
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Email: gps@navaids.com.au
Copyright © Navaids, 1998. * No solicitations |
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