Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are the smaller cousins of devices found on many safety minded vessels, the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). While we focus here on marine related uses of personal locator beacons, many outdoor enthusiasts use these devices in a variety of other outdoor activities. Solo boaters should be especially interested in wearing a locator beacon since there is no crew onboard to effect their own rescue. Radio beacons need to be registered with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which provides SAR authorities with your personal contact information and ties it to the PLB you are using. This information is very helpful in determining the validity of questionable alarms and provides a way for authorities to contact family members.
Operation - PLB's transmit on the same 406 MHz frequency used by the search and rescue satellite system known as SARSAT-COSPAS. Most devices provide an additional 121.5 MHz homing signal to assist nearby rescuers.The United States, Russia, Canada and France established the SARSAT-COSPAS satellite and ground station system for receiving locator beacon transmissions and locating vessels or people in distress. Devices using the 406 MHz frequency offer superior performance over older equipment using the 121.5/243 MHz frequencies. A video overview of the SARSAT-COSPAS system is available on the ACR Electronics website. PLB's are designed to worn on a personal flotation device or fit into a pocket and convenient to carry. Purchase prices begin around $550 and there several options available to boaters.
ACR Electronics manufacturers two PLB products, the AquaFix 406 and ResQFix. The devices either carry their own onboard GPS receiver or can download position information from an external GPS receiver source. Once activated, the PLB transmits a personal identification code, and its location coordinates. Having GPS available data narrows a search area down to 100 meters. ACR beacons are available for rent in the United States through PLB Rentals, LLC and in France through Oscoor. French journalist Daniel GrandClement can credit his personal survival to renting a PLB prior to a fall overboard in rough seas off the coast of Yemen. Rental cost for a PLB starts at $60 per week.
McMurdo Emergency Locator Beacons – McMurdo uses the same advanced technology found in its EPIRB product line in its Fast Find Plus GPS. Fast Find utilizes an internal GPS receiver to provide accurate position coordinates for SAR authorities. This PLB is advertised as being the smallest, lightest device available in the market.
Responsible Use – Use PLB's as a signal of last resort and only after all other possibilities of self help are exhausted. There must be a threat of imminent loss of life, serious injury or property damage requiring assistance to justify using one of these devices. Misuse of a PLB is a serious federal offense in the United States and is subject to a hefty fine.
Alan Sorum - Alan Sorum is the Maritime Operations Project Manager for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC). Alan is ...
