NEW STANDARD FOR EPIRB'S

[seabug]

Just received the message below with my boat registration renewal.

"EPIRB*technology is changing.EPIRB'S save lives by sending emergency signals to satellites.

Only digital 406MHz EPIRB's will be detected by satellite from
1 February 2009.
Anologue 121.5MHz EPIRB's will not be received.

Digital 406 MHz EPIRB's are detected more quickly and accurately.

Switch to 406 when the battery on your current beacon expires.

*Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons are also known as Distress Beacons.

For more information visit:www.amsa.gov.au/beacons "

Does anyone have the price of the 406?
Are there a choice of suppliers?

Cheers
Seabug

[Daintreeboy]

They're still a bit more pricy than the 121 meg ones, about double in price as a guess. In my opinion, you're better off with the older one for now as it will last 5 years before replacement. That takes you to the 2009 deadline and the price of the 406 MHZ will be much lower then.
Cheers, Mark.

[basserman]

yeh as mark said
but i dare say these new ones will be the bees knees
once you buy one they say you will be able to registar it along with all your details like boat area phone number and all your personal info and if you have to set it off all this info will come up on their screens makeing it a quicker respons and they will also be able to ring first to make sure it was not engaged by accedint
;D

[Kerry]

The main problem with the 121.5/243's is that they were never intended and are really not suitable/ideal for satellite detection especially with a limited global coverage and the fact that they have contributed to more than 99% of all false EPIRB alerts.

All EPIRB alerts have to be responded to but with 121.5's there is absolutely no way known if it is a false alarm or not until it's investigated. At least with 406's there are ways of determining if it is a false alarm or not.

I suppose as always it comes to to the decision between an individual's safety and the cost some individuals are prepared to put on their own safety and the people who have to chase down false alarms all for the sake of a few hundred miserable dollars.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Daintreeboy]

All I'm saying is the current epirbs are still pretty effective and electronic technology comes down in price pretty quickly after it first comes out. These new epirbs have been out for a while and are coming down in price all the time. If you had to buy now because your old epirb is due, I don't see a problem in buying the 121.5 MHZ epirb, they still cost a few dollars and are an effective safety device, otherwise they wouldn't be part of the regulations. Some of us don't have a few extra hundred 'miserable' dollars.
Cheers, Mark.

[Kerry]

Well most appear to be able to get that "other" u'beat reel or something just as inconsequential but as usual when it comes to actual safety equipment many are simply not prepared to treat that as serious as that u'beat reel.

Really any EPIRB is something that one never expects to have to use but I can tell you one thing when the day comes that your up to your ar.. in sh.. will be the time that you were wishing that you would have done the smart thing with that few miserable hundred bucks (instead of that u'beat reel) when one had the opportunity as when the sh.. hits the fan it's way way to late to have the option over again and that option could "have" made all the difference. #

Cheers, Kerry.

[nonibbles]

I still have the old type and have no intention of buying the new one at least until the expiry on the old (stamped 2006) in the meantime I still have to save for a VHF radio and a chart plotter that shows all the new zones. Oh, and a more expensive fire extinguisher. Can't afford a new reel yet still catching up with all the other things I have to have just in case like food on the table ;)

[dazza]

hi seabug
to answer your questions.
i just purchased a new 406
its recommended retail was $599
GME are currently offering a $100 cash back offer. (i think this offer may have expired now your dealer will let you know)
i couldn't find anyone outlet cheaper than the other, they were all selling them for the recommended retail.
There is a bit of paperwork involved. You register the epirb's details with aussar (or whoever they are) and apparently they send you a card with registered details etc. haven't recieved mine yet, but should be hear soon. Looks like a good system. you put your phone number and 3 other contacts.
hope this helps
cheers
dazza

[Kerry]

GME are currently offering a $100 cash back offer. (i think this offer may have expired now your dealer will let you know)


Been extended to March 31 and the $100 offer is for any EPIRB of any brand dead or alive.

Cheers, Kerry.

[seabug]

Thanks Kerry +Dazza.
Seems a good Idea .
It will save a lot of false alarms
Regards
Seabug

[Morlers]

Do the 406's have a 5 year expiry date like the 121.5's when the batteries required replacement or unit replaced if batteries are sealed? If so, is the battery replacement cost reasonable? I know batteries don't last forever.

:) :)

Morlers

[Daintreeboy]

Nothing wrong with having the current epirbs, they work and are part of the safety equipment regs. If they didn't work, they'd cancel them now and force people to buy them now.
Cheers, Mark.