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EPIRB – Emergency Position indicating

Radio Beacon

An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or EPIRB is a safety device carried by a

vessel to alert search and rescue services and allow them to quickly locate you in the event of
an emergency. It does this by transmitting a coded message on the 406 MHz distress
frequency via satellite and earth stations to the nearest rescue coordination centre.

An EPIRB usually works on 406/121.5 MHZ and can be manually or automatically activated
and some models are also water activated.
121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs
The International Cospas-Sarsat System ceased satellite
processing of 121.5/243 MHz beacons on 1 February 2009. 
Although Emergency Locator Transmitters used by aircraft may
still be used, alerts from these devices or from 121.5/243 MHz
EPIRBs will no longer be acted upon unless independently
con rmed by two independent non-satellite sources.

The International Cospas-Sarsat System ceased satellite

processing of 121.5/243 MHz beacons on 1 February 2009. 
Although Emergency Locator Transmitters used by aircraft may
still be used, alerts from these devices or from 121.5/243 MHz
EPIRBs will no longer be acted upon unless independently con rmed by two independent
non-satellite sources.

406 MHz EPIRBs

The 406 MHz EPIRB was designed to operate with satellites.The signal frequency (406 MHz)
has been designated internationally for use only for distress. Other communications and
interference, such as on 121.5 MHz, is not allowed on this frequency. Its signal allows a satellite
local user terminal to accurately locate the EPIRB (much more accurately — 2 to 5 km vice 25
km — than 121.5/243 MHz devices), and identify the vessel (the signal is encoded with the
vessel’s identity) anywhere in the world (there is no range limitation). These devices are
detectable not only by COSPAS-SARSAT satellites which are polar orbiting but also by
geostationary GOES weather satellites. EPIRBs detected by the GEOSTAR system, consisting
of GOES and other geostationary satellites, send rescue authorities an instant alert, but without
location information unless the EPIRB is equipped with an integral GPS receiver.  EPIRBs
detected by COSPAS-SARSAT (e.g. TIROS-N) satellites provide rescue authorities with the
location of distress, but the location and sometimes alerting may be delayed as much as an
hour or two. Although these EPIRBs also include a low power 121.5 MHz homing signal,
homing on the more powerful 406 MHz frequency has proven to be a signi cant aid to search
and rescue aircraft.

Related Article:   GMDSS Batteries Requirements

A new type of 406 MHz EPIRB, having an integral GPS navigation receiver, became available in
1998.  This EPIRB will send accurate location as well as identi cation information to rescue
authorities immediately upon activation through both geostationary (GEOSAR) and polar
orbiting satellites.

The major advantage of the 406 MHz low earth orbit system is the provision of global Earth
coverage using a limited number of the polar-orbiting satellite.  Coverage is not continuous,
however, and it may take up to a couple of hours for an EPIRB alert to be received.  To
overcome this limitation, COSPAS-SARSAT has 406 MHz EPIRB repeaters aboard several
geostationary satellites.

Testing EPIRBs
406 MHz EPIRBs can be tested through its self-test function, which is an integral part of the
device. Testing a 406 MHz EPIRB by allowing it to radiate outside such a container is illegal.

An Emergency position indicating radio beacon

has the following features:
1. Emitting two types of distress signals: 406.028 MHz and 121.5 MHz
2. The EPIRB main unit attached to the automatic release bracket is automatically released
within water depth
4 meters and sends two types of distress signals.
3. After release from the automatic release bracket, the EPIRB main unit starts to send
distress signals upon
sensing water. If the EPIRB main unit is removed from the automatic release bracket on
board the ship by
mistake, it will send no distress signal.
4. Manual activation to send distress signal is possible by turning selector switch ON.
The emitting of the 406.028 MHz distress signal starts 50 seconds after the power was
turned on and then
the 0.44-second distress signal is repeatedly sent at 50-second intervals for 48 or more
hours.
This unit normally operates even if it is dropped from the 20 meters height on the surface
of the sea.

Related Article:   ANNEX IV - Distress Signals