An emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) is a small self-contained battery operated radio transmitter which is both watertight and buoyant.
The essential purpose of an EPIRB is to assist in determining the position of survivors in search and rescue operations.
An EPIRB should not be carried as an alternative to an approved marine radio transceiver. It should be considered as a supplement rather than a replacement.
Certain classes of vessel have a mandatory requirement to carry EPIRBs which operate on a frequency of 406.025 MHz. The importance of carrying a suitable EPIRB aboard every vessel proceeding more than a few miles offshore, or making a coastal or overseas voyage cannot be too highly emphasised.
Once activated, an EPIRBs should not be switched off until rescue is completed. However once the incident is over, it is important that the EPIRB is deactivated.
There are two types of approved EPIRBs available in the United Kingdom which are suitable for small ship use:
the small simple type which operates on the aeronautical frequencies of 121.5 and 243 MHz, and
the more sophisticated model which operates on the frequency of 406.025 MHz, with the addition of 121.5 MHz for aircraft homing. The 406 MHz EPIRBs additional facility is a unique identification code which is registered to the vessel on which it is carried. 406 MHz EPIRBs must be registered with with HM Coastguard, a registration card is included with this information sheet. Failure to register an EPIRB will seriously degrade its usefulness to the Search and Rescue services in the event of an emergency and could put lives at risk. If a 406 MHz EPIRB is activated and the owner or operator has registered it with HM Coastguard then the Rescue Co-ordination Centre will know the name, size and type of craft in distress.
The EPIRB should at all times be safely stowed on the parent vessel, where it can be readily seen and available for use. It should not be allowed to move about freely with the vessel's motion, nor have other pieces of gear or equipment stowed with it that could cause self activation. It should not be stowed near or on any device that has magnetic properties such as loudspeaker magnets, as some EPIRBs are activated by magnetic relays.
An EPIRB that is taken off a vessel for safe keeping or servicing should be carefully handled. If it is a 406 MHz EPIRB it should be deactivated by following the manufacturer's laid down procedures. In the case of a 121.5 or 243 MHz device it should be completely wrapped in two layers of aluminium foil which provides suitable Radio Frequency Screening. The same procedures should apply if either of these devices is sent for REPAIR or SERVICING. The relevant authorities spend a great deal of time and money tracing and deactivating 121.5 and 243 MHz EPIRBs that have become activated whilst in transit, taken home for safe keeping , or left stowed on a vessel, in such a manner that they self activate. Often the search is conducted by a Rescue Helicopter that has to leave its designated area in order to trace a beacon transmitting a false alarm. The aluminum foil has sufficient screening properties to attenuate the radio signal from the beacon to a level that is well below the Cospas Sarsat Receiver threshold.
It should be remembered that EPIRBs that have been triggered from shore locations or vessels that are not in a distress situation will mask any genuine distress that may occur in the surrounding area and are a hazard to safety of life rescue situations.
The EPIRB registry can be contacted at:
HM Coastguard Southern (Falmouth) Pendennis Point Castle Drive Falmouth Cornwall TR11 4WZ Tel: 01326 211569
For more information about EPIRBs or marine radio matters contact:
For all other information contact the Agency's 24 hour Telephone Enquiry Service on 020 7211 0211. Or visit the Agency's website at: www.radio.gov.uk
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