Feb 1 Coast Guard only monitoring 406 MHz emergency position

[Gratitude]

I came across this article in the Anchorage Daily News concerning the Coast Guard emergency beacon monitoring:

http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/654595.html

Jim

[thataway]

The 121.5 mhz frequency is still used for honing, but for an EPRIB, 406 is all which will be picked up by the Sat SAR system. Some airplanes still may moniter 121.5, but I would not count on it. Most US EPIRBS have been 406 mhz for a number of years.

[eNORMous]

Additionally, the FAA is moving forward to eliminate 121.5 ELT and require all aircraft to employ 406 moving forward, which they've wanted to do for a couple years now and perhaps as the result of Steve Fosset's crash (who carried a 121.5 EKT but apparently DID NOT activate). You'll have four years to get your aircraft's ELT up to 406 MHz.

Even after February 2009, you can legally fly (at least in the United States; don't count on flying around the European theatre with 121.5 - it is NOT legal) an aircraft with a 121.5. ELTs must be 121.5/406 simultaneous or capable of automatic switching to 406 for European operations.

Don't count on anyone of any reputable qualifications honing in on 121.5 analog - cause after February, if you ONLY broadcast on 121.5, there won't be a single satellite listening for ya mates.

Interestingly (and pehaps not by coincidence) ALL analog television broadcast stations in the United States of Amercia MUST not broadcast analog signal and will be required to broadcast only DIGITAL.

[Captains Cat]

[eNORMous]

Charlie- technically, you're right. There is considerable detail in how this all takes place in each area of the country (from what I've been reading over the past year - tough to completely follow all the mandates and what the FCC is allowing local broadcast stations to perform during the period). I more or less became enthused about following it because Wilmington, NC was the nation's test bed during the past year.

My understanding, more to the point regarding less than "full power" stations, is there are numerous low power stations recently constructed, old ones, and even some which will be constructed, which (I think for the most part) handle affiliate stations (in analog) on the "fringes" of areas at particular (sub) wavelengths of both the VHF & UHF spectrums.

To me it sounds like if a full power station was capable of broadcasting it's FCC designated VHF and/or UHF range up to a certain distance but was unable to saturate the airwaves with a particular sub-range of that spectrum, then low-power broadcast stations were put in place to accomodate those sub-range spectrums. Not sure about that, hard to follow it all - but you're right mate - only full-power right now.

I also understand some low-power stations are being maintained for emergency broadcast systems.

Thanks Charlie!
Norm

[thataway]

The 121.5 homing I was refering to is by SAR units. (For example most if not all hellicopters and ground units doing SAR still can home on 121.5 mhz.)

An EPRIB has 125 milliwatts on 121.5 and the PLB has 25 milliwatts power output. Because the 406 signal (esp with GPS) will give a good localization, the area which needs to be searched by the rescue team is much smaller, and the low power will be ample. 406 is accurate within radius of 2.4 miles, and with GPS within 300 feet. The SAT SAR satellites will no longer receive and process 121.5/ 243 mhz distress signals. But the RDF of the search and rescue units will still use the 121.5 low power transmitters imbeded in the EPRIBS and PLB to do final localization of the unit in distress. I suspect at some time this will be phased out.

I am a little surprised that airplanes are still allowed to use the 121.5 frequency, since it is no longer monitered by the satellites.

The Equipted to survive site has a good deal of information on EPRIB's and PLB:
http://www.equipped.org/faq_plb/default.asp?Action=Cat&ID=1

I wonder how many of us carry 406 EPIRBS or PLB? We have two PLB--one of each of us. We choose the PLB because it is smaller, more likely to be carried on the person, and we carry these with us when hiking, in the RV, Kayaks etc.

[eNORMous]

MY PLB (identified in my signature line) is 406 Mhz. Right now I'm considering the purchase of an offshore life raft and debating those with USCG-approved numbers, or opting for the (what appear to be) exceptional models but don't have USCG-approved numbers. There is a significant difference in price. I mean, the entire adventure of examining all the possibilities (in particular number of tubes [internal/external]), type of ballast, number of ballasts, size of the life raft (I'm opting for the 4-man unit since I will never have 6 persons on board ANTIBODY during an offshore fishing trip) - ugh! I mean, it's not like I have a 57' Hatteras or a commercial vessel. The number, style and type for recreational offshore life rafts (while there are a few) is certainly much more limited than the availability of commercial life rafts. Oh the joy of shopping.

Dog, they're expensive - but, they are sure worth it when you need them!