SAR PLB/ELT question

[A and C]

As you all may well know the PLB/ELT transmiters are changing to 406 Mhz from Feb 2009.

Do any of you know if the UK SAR aircraft will still have the equipment to home on a PLB/ELT that is using 121.5/243 after Feb 2009?

[fergineer]

From what I can gather the beacons still transmit on 121.5 its only the satellites that picked up that frequency that will be shut off. The beacons will still transmit on 121.5 so that the aircraft can home in on them. Thats what I have read into the specs on models various.

[Spacer]

Yep, pretty much right. The 121.5/243 will still be used for homing. A better question is....



How many 406 beacons are there around today to take over? At least it hasn't been coming for years :hmm:

[spheroid]

As you all may well know the PLB/ELT transmiters are changing to 406 Mhz from Feb 2009.

No they are not. 121.5 and 243 will still be in use..... Although what good they are is anyones business. I once put out a Pan call on 243 and no one heard me...... Ended up putting the aircraft in a field and using a mobile phone to let the Squadron know that their aircraft was on fire....

[ExSAR]

Just to clarify the situation -

With effect from 1 Feb 09 the COSPAS/SARSAT satellite system no longer detects emergency beacon transmissions on frequencies 243.0 or 121.5. The decision to switch off the detection of these frequencies was partly due to the large number of false alarms caused by such items as domestic microwaves and ATM machines! Therefore, the only distress frequency now detectable by the satellite system is 406 MHz, which can also carry beacon registration information and GPS data, which makes the planning of the appropriate SAR effort much easier.

However, 406 MHz cannot be used for homing by SAR assets as the signal pulse is only 0.5 of a second every 50 seconds. Therefore, 406 MHz beacons (PLB, ELT or EPIRB) also transmit on 243.0 or 121.5 for homing purposes.

All is not lost for those who continue to operate with 243.0 or 121.5 beacons as their transmissions may be heard and reported by aircraft monitoring the ‘Guard’ frequencies, but if you want guaranteed, global detection of your distress call, 406 MHz is the only way to go.

Fly safe.
ExSAR

[Avtrician]

Dont know about the UK system, but the Oz beacons also transmit the GPS coordinates, so homing in is not really a problem.

[Could be the last?]

So will ours (UK), and a 'raft' of other information aswell. :ok:

[Spam_UK]

Would just be nice to get some now!

[Could be the last?]

I seem to recall that the org that is/was responsible for this project won the lottery about 4 years ago.

You can guess what they did...........:cool:

[Bertie Thruster]

A and C

I think you will find every 406 epirb, even the very latest gps enabled beacons, transmit a low power 121.5 signal for final accurate homing by SAR.

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

The Mighty Hunter will continue to home to be able your 121.5/243 beacon.

Duncs:ok:

[melipona]

The new beacons will increase the chance of a successful and rapid recovery. The 406 GPS encoded transmission is picked up by global monitoring satellites and details are quickly passed to the most appropriate authority to alert them of the emergency situation and its location.
This information is in turn given to the rescue craft, as the rescuers approach the location, if for any reason the casualties are not obvious, they can then use their legacy homing equipment to home onto the beacon position.

So the 406 transmission gets rescuers close whilst the 121.5/243 gets them even closer.

[Bertie Thruster]

It won't remain "legacy" equipment! With EPIRB GPS location only updated every 20 minutes, 121.5 homers will have to remain an essential part of SAR craft! (at least for over water rescues)

[A and C]

Thank you for the comments, I now have answers to the questions that the sales blerb seemed to miss.

[pembroke]

It may be of note on this forum that the majority of GA owners and operators are converting to 406 PLB's because of a French airspace requirement. I have bought and registered a PLB for personal use. The registration seems to be with MRCC, Falmouth for marine use and ARCC, Kinloss for aviation. Can someone involved in SAR confirm this is the correct way to register.

[Rasputin412]

Greetings all. The RAF does not have any 406 Mhz PLBs yet. The ones brought up for the trial were useless - batteries dead, U/S when got out of the box, didn't really work with the aircraft kit etc, so more work required here then.:ugh: As mentioned above, 406 Mhz PLBs still transmit on 121.5 / 243 for terminal homing so this kit will remain on the aircraft. 121.5 and 243 will still be homed to by rescue aircraft, but they cannot home to you if they do not know you are lost / crashed! With the satellite monitoring switched off, the only warning will be line of sight. Therefore, the best bet is to file a flight plan before getting airborne. It does not have to be an official one (but this is best) Even a phone call to a friend or relative with your route and ETA should suffice. When you land at your destination, just phone your friend / relative to 'close you flightplan'. Therefore, if your friend / relative cannot raise you on your mobile 1 hour after landing, they can at least alert the rescue services, who can start the relevant procedures. The lack of 406 MHz PLBs in the RAF is a bit of a farce. At the local training base, overdue procedures will be started 15 minutes after an aircraft is due back (iaw rules and regs) and so after numerous false call outs hopefully this problem will be noted further up the chain. It is not like we have not had any notice of the satellites being switched off!:uhoh: The alternative is to nip down to the local chandlery and buy yourself a personal yacthing EPIRB - I wonder if they could get a NATO stock number!:} Any way, Fly Safe!

[melipona]

You should register the details of your EPIRB or PLB, (regardless of the intended platform that it is installed on), with the MCGA here (http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/epirb.htm)

[pembroke]

Thanks for that. The AIC , 57(P55)2003 requires registration with the ARCC at RAF Kinloss, presumably to the same database?
PS (from another aviation forum), it seems the French have already fined some owners of GA and larger aircraft for not carrying a PLB/ELT or not having a 406 update