Conference unifix::sailing

If you are going to stay within 50 miles of the coast, a second VHF
(handheld with spare batteries) and a spare antenna for your primary VHF
are probably a better investment than an EPIRB. All an EPIRB does is
transmit a signal that someone with the proper (sophisticated) direction
finding equipment can use to locate you. The time between the detection
of an EPIRB signal (especially the Class A and B varieties) and the
arrival of help is likely to be long -- many, many hours if not days. If
you're going well offshore, by all means carry an EPIRB (and a
liferaft). 

Having said that, let me add that we have two EBIRBs. The first is an 
ACR RLB-12 -- large with a replaceable (3 year life and expensive) 
battery. The second is an ACR RLB-21 -- small with a factory-replaceable 
battery (10 year life). The RLB-21 will be packed inside the liferaft 
when the raft is serviced this winter. The RLB-12 is mounted near the 
companionway. We've had the RLB-12 since 1978 or so and the recently 
designed RLB-21 since last year. The performance of all EPIRBs is about 
the same. Contruction details vary.

No, I've not overlooked the Class C EPIRBs (that transmit a distress 
signal on channel 16 and a direction finding signal on another channel). 
We decided on a handheld VHF instead.

extracted from:

Note 1441.8                  Cruising World magazine                     8 of 10
NRADM::KOLARIK                                       35 lines  19-FEB-1990 11:16
                        -< NOT THE RIGHT STORY, ALWAYS >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.....    
    CW does not always publish the correct information. Several issues back
    (the Safety at Sea issue I believe) there was an article on EPIRBs. The
    article stated that the way to determine if your EPIRB is putting out
    a signal was to turn it on (BTW do this 5 min. before the hour only) with
    your VHF on and tuned to channel 16 and you will hear the undulating
    tone of your EPIRB. This is not true, I tried it and it did not work.
    I then called the manufacturer and was informed that the article was
    wrong, the correct way was to use an AM radio tuned the the frequency
    range of the EPIRB. I tried this and it worked. I wrote a letter to
    CW and informed them of their error and stated what I had done. I never
    received an acknowledgement nor did I ever see a correction published in
    the following issues. ( Of all the issues to blow it? the Safety at
    Sea issue)
.....    

Cruising World was probably referring to the Class C EPIRBs which do 
transmit on VHF Channel 16. Shame on them for not being specific, 
however. The Class C EPIRBs are for coastal use and have a quite limited 
range (especially given the incredible clutter on Channel 16 on 
weekends).

I think you mean FM radio, as EPIRBs signals are, I believe, frequency 
modulated. You don't need a radio that can receive the 123 and 241 MHZ 
EPIRB signals. Tune a standard FM broadcast tuner to somewhere around 
96 MHz (this may be wrong) and you'll hear the EPIRB signal (the 123 MHz 
one probably). Better still, find an airport and a friendly pilot and 
test against a real aircraft receiver. 

There was a brief article in Ocean Navigator a while back reporting that 
some EPIRBs failed FCC testing. The article didn't say which ones, but 
if you sent Ocean Navigator a SASE they'd return it with a list. Better than 
nothing.

    NEW  406 EBIRB - Takes the Search out of "Search & Rescue" !
    --------------   --------------------------------------------

I understand the new 406 EPIRB is superior to the older "121.5" type.
   (if you have $1000 to $1200)

The new 406 EPIRB, (Broadcasting on 406Mhz) is specific for shipping,
AND the system ties into a database to identify your boat, your name, etc.!

In addition the "406" can locate you down to a 2 mile radius circle!
The older 121.5Mhz was only good to 26 miles, which means the Coast
Guard must search 550 Sq Miles of Ocean! 

Also, from my days of flying, airplanes have Emergency Locator Transmitters,
(ELT's), which broadcast on the 121.5 Mhz frequency, when they go down.


Frank

    I would wait to buy a 406 MHz EPIRB.
     
    All commercal boats and ships are required to have the new EPIRB's
    going online in January 1993.
    
    The new system is based on the INMARSAT C satellite network.It uses
    the telex input.The new system will be able to send your shipname,
    position (automatic from the navigation equipment or manually typed
    in) and you can send the reason of the emergency.(Ship on fire,man
    overboard,collision etc.)There is a menu of 10 different reasons.
    
    The EPIRB is not bigger (it already exists) then the 406 EPIRB.
    
    Peter

Can someone diferentiate between the different types of EPIRB's?
Looking through an ACR flyer I see CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C, 
CLASS S, SART, CATEGORY I, and CATEGORY II devices. Some are handheld
and cost only a few hundred dollars while some mount on the 
boat and cost thousands. They all transmit on a subset of the
frequencies 121.5mHz, 156.75mHz, 156.8mHz, 243mHz and 406mHz.

Michael
"Latitude"