QF3 MROCP
18-04-2008, 11:09 AM
Just had to post this one...
pizza ovens and automatic teller machines have been detected....
Important changes to the satellite system
The international council that controls the satellite system, Cospas-Sarsat, decided in October 2000 to cease processing 121.5 MHz analogue signals by satellite on 1 February 2009. From that date only 406 MHz beacons will be detected by satellite. The decision was made to reduce the chronically high false alarm rate from analogue distress beacons.
Currently 97 percent of analogue distress beacon signals are false alarms. A lot of Volunteer Coast Guard money and time wasted.
In the United States there have been cases where pizza ovens and automatic teller machines have been detected emitting an analogue 121.5 MHz signal. As every beacon alert in and around Australia is treated as a genuine emergency until proven otherwise, these false alarms are tying up scarce search and rescue assets such as helicopters. AMSA is concerned that someone at sea in a genuine emergency will get an undersized search and rescue response because search and rescue assets are tied up chasing a false alarm. This has not occured in Australia to date, but the concern by many authorities around the world that it could happen has led to the international decision to eliminate the analogue frequency.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
The digital beacons transmit an identity code on the 406 MHz frequency that can be cross-referenced with a database of registered 406 MHz beacon owners by AMSA. This database includes phone numbers, next of kin contacts, information on the type of vessel, how many people it usually carries and other vital information that enable the right response to the emergency to be provided. In the case of false alarms, it enables us to make a call to the registered beacon owner to see if he/she is in genuine distress or just has a beacon transmitting by accident. Many maritime false alarms occur because the switch on the distress beacon has been bumped on.
Most significantly however, 406 MHz beacons are detected more quickly and accurately (to within 5 km by satellite compared to 20 km for the analogue beacons) which has an obvious safety advantage. As well, depending on the location of the 406 MHz beacon it may be detected within minutes, compared to the average one hour and 30 minutes it takes to get a confirmed satellite detection from a 121.5 MHz analogue beacon.
Survival - The 406 MHz Distress Beacon
... is smarter, faster, safer. Global accuracy to within 5 kilometres.
A digital signal identifies its owner, is detected faster and your position is pinpointed much more accurately than ever before.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
406 MHz Distress Beacon - The leader of the pack
Search and rescue teams will in most cases find you faster if you activate a superior 406 MHz beacon. It is detected more quickly than a 121.5 MHz beacon and can be located to within 5 km. If the 406 MHz beacon also has a built-in Global Positioning System, the location can be pinpointed to within 120 metres.
A 121.5 MHz beacon will only narrow your position down to 20 km.
What is a satellite distress beacon?
Satellite beacons take much of the search out of search and rescue. When activated, beacons transmit a signal to the Cospas-Sarsat global search and rescue satellite system which processes the information to obtain a position. This information is relayed to The Rescue Coordination Centre, RCC Australia, operated by AMSA in Canberra.
Beacons come in many shapes and sizes. They include Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) found in aircraft, hand-held Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and marine-based Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs).
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
2009 - a change is coming
From February 2009 the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system will no longer process the 121.5 MHz frequency used by most distress beacons. The distress frequency used by the satellite network will be 406 MHz.
Why the change?
RCC Australia detects many false distress alerts from non-beacon transmitters that interfere with the 121.5 MHz frequency and from inadvertently activated beacons. In Australia about 97 percent of the distress alerts detected are false.
False alerts can be resolved quickly with 406 MHz beacons as they transmit a digital signal that identifies the owner. AMSA keeps a register of 406 MHz beacon users and can simply make a phone call to determine if there is a genuine emergency or not.
If there is a problem, a 406 MHz beacon will eliminate much of the guesswork in a search by telling RCC Australia your name, address and the type of boat, aircraft or vehicle you are in.
121.5 MHz beacons are based on obsolete analogue technology that does not support an identifying message. In most cases, when these beacons begin transmitting, an expensive search has to be launched to determine if there is someone in distress.
These searches could divert rescue resources away from a genuine emergency.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
What should you do?
2009 may seem a long way off, but you should start planning to upgrade now.
If you already have a 406 MHz beacon then you need not worry as long as it is registered. If you are not sure call AMSA on 1800 406 406 and check. You should have your beacon's fifteen character hexadecimal code ready for the database operator.
If you are relying on a 121.5 MHz beacon, you could upgrade when your beacon's battery is due to be replaced or you could simply make the change now. 406 MHz beacons are only slightly more expensive than 121.5 MHz beacons but offer far more features. Regardless of the price, if it saves your life, it is cheap insurance.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
More information
406 MHz beacon registration advice
Telephone: 1800 406 406
Postal Address:
406/MMSI Registration Section
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
Canberra ACT 2601
Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC)
24 Hour Emergency contact numbers:
1800 641 792 (Maritime)
1800 815 257 (Aviation)
Additional information about the Cospas-Sarsat international satellite system can be found at: www.cospas-sarsat.org (http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/)
Get a better fix with 406.
pizza ovens and automatic teller machines have been detected....
Important changes to the satellite system
The international council that controls the satellite system, Cospas-Sarsat, decided in October 2000 to cease processing 121.5 MHz analogue signals by satellite on 1 February 2009. From that date only 406 MHz beacons will be detected by satellite. The decision was made to reduce the chronically high false alarm rate from analogue distress beacons.
Currently 97 percent of analogue distress beacon signals are false alarms. A lot of Volunteer Coast Guard money and time wasted.
In the United States there have been cases where pizza ovens and automatic teller machines have been detected emitting an analogue 121.5 MHz signal. As every beacon alert in and around Australia is treated as a genuine emergency until proven otherwise, these false alarms are tying up scarce search and rescue assets such as helicopters. AMSA is concerned that someone at sea in a genuine emergency will get an undersized search and rescue response because search and rescue assets are tied up chasing a false alarm. This has not occured in Australia to date, but the concern by many authorities around the world that it could happen has led to the international decision to eliminate the analogue frequency.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
The digital beacons transmit an identity code on the 406 MHz frequency that can be cross-referenced with a database of registered 406 MHz beacon owners by AMSA. This database includes phone numbers, next of kin contacts, information on the type of vessel, how many people it usually carries and other vital information that enable the right response to the emergency to be provided. In the case of false alarms, it enables us to make a call to the registered beacon owner to see if he/she is in genuine distress or just has a beacon transmitting by accident. Many maritime false alarms occur because the switch on the distress beacon has been bumped on.
Most significantly however, 406 MHz beacons are detected more quickly and accurately (to within 5 km by satellite compared to 20 km for the analogue beacons) which has an obvious safety advantage. As well, depending on the location of the 406 MHz beacon it may be detected within minutes, compared to the average one hour and 30 minutes it takes to get a confirmed satellite detection from a 121.5 MHz analogue beacon.
Survival - The 406 MHz Distress Beacon
... is smarter, faster, safer. Global accuracy to within 5 kilometres.
A digital signal identifies its owner, is detected faster and your position is pinpointed much more accurately than ever before.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
406 MHz Distress Beacon - The leader of the pack
Search and rescue teams will in most cases find you faster if you activate a superior 406 MHz beacon. It is detected more quickly than a 121.5 MHz beacon and can be located to within 5 km. If the 406 MHz beacon also has a built-in Global Positioning System, the location can be pinpointed to within 120 metres.
A 121.5 MHz beacon will only narrow your position down to 20 km.
What is a satellite distress beacon?
Satellite beacons take much of the search out of search and rescue. When activated, beacons transmit a signal to the Cospas-Sarsat global search and rescue satellite system which processes the information to obtain a position. This information is relayed to The Rescue Coordination Centre, RCC Australia, operated by AMSA in Canberra.
Beacons come in many shapes and sizes. They include Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) found in aircraft, hand-held Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and marine-based Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs).
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
2009 - a change is coming
From February 2009 the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system will no longer process the 121.5 MHz frequency used by most distress beacons. The distress frequency used by the satellite network will be 406 MHz.
Why the change?
RCC Australia detects many false distress alerts from non-beacon transmitters that interfere with the 121.5 MHz frequency and from inadvertently activated beacons. In Australia about 97 percent of the distress alerts detected are false.
False alerts can be resolved quickly with 406 MHz beacons as they transmit a digital signal that identifies the owner. AMSA keeps a register of 406 MHz beacon users and can simply make a phone call to determine if there is a genuine emergency or not.
If there is a problem, a 406 MHz beacon will eliminate much of the guesswork in a search by telling RCC Australia your name, address and the type of boat, aircraft or vehicle you are in.
121.5 MHz beacons are based on obsolete analogue technology that does not support an identifying message. In most cases, when these beacons begin transmitting, an expensive search has to be launched to determine if there is someone in distress.
These searches could divert rescue resources away from a genuine emergency.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
What should you do?
2009 may seem a long way off, but you should start planning to upgrade now.
If you already have a 406 MHz beacon then you need not worry as long as it is registered. If you are not sure call AMSA on 1800 406 406 and check. You should have your beacon's fifteen character hexadecimal code ready for the database operator.
If you are relying on a 121.5 MHz beacon, you could upgrade when your beacon's battery is due to be replaced or you could simply make the change now. 406 MHz beacons are only slightly more expensive than 121.5 MHz beacons but offer far more features. Regardless of the price, if it saves your life, it is cheap insurance.
^ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=61#top)
More information
406 MHz beacon registration advice
Telephone: 1800 406 406
Postal Address:
406/MMSI Registration Section
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
Canberra ACT 2601
Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC)
24 Hour Emergency contact numbers:
1800 641 792 (Maritime)
1800 815 257 (Aviation)
Additional information about the Cospas-Sarsat international satellite system can be found at: www.cospas-sarsat.org (http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/)
Get a better fix with 406.