A Boaters Guide to EPIRBs

THE SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL

A Boater’s

Guide to

EPIRBs

www.acrartex.com

Activate EPIRB/PLB

MCC gathers this information

and passes it to the Rescue

Coordination Center (RCC)

36,000 lives saved and still counting

How a 406 MHz Rescue Works

The RCC uses the beacon’s registration

information to verify the emergency

and notify local Search and Rescue

(SAR) forces

The signal is routed to a ground

station, Local User Terminal (LUT)

and transferred to the Mission

Control Center (MCC)

Beacon sends 15-digit Unique

Identification Number

(UIN, also known as Hex ID) signal

to Cospas-Sarsat satellites

Local Search and Rescue forces are

deployed to your location

You are required to

with your local authority

If you purchase a new or used 406 MHz beacon, you

MUST register it with your local government. If you change any

information on your registration (such as phone number, address,

bought a new boat, etc.) you MUST update the 406 MHz beacon

registration. Also, if you sell your 406 MHz beacon, notify your local

government that you have done so, and make sure the buyer

registers the beacon personally. Otherwise, you may be

contacted by rescue authorities if it is activated! Please provide the

new owner a link to our registration web page

so he/she can register their beacon.

www.acrartex.com/support/registrations/

Support Search and Rescue

www.acrartex.com

Worldwide Registration

Generally speaking, for boaters an EPIRB is preferred over a PLB. EPIRBs once placed in the water will

operate autonomously by self-activating and floating upright in a transmitting position. Because of their

simplicity, it is easy to educate crew members on their operation. With bigger batteries for longer

transmission life, EPIRB are essential for long distance transits. They are specifically designed for that

worst case scenario of just you and the beacon in the water. PLBs require more effort to operate, as

they must be manually activated and be held out of the water to function properly even though they

are water proof. PLBs are however small enough to carry on your persons so they are well suited for

single handed boaters or crew members who are routinely out of site of the Captain. The best beacon

to have is the beacon you have with you when you need it.

What is the difference?

EPIRB

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

PLB

Personal Locator Beacon

Floats in an upright position to

transmit.

Performs best while floating

Not required to float.

Floating versions only float so

it can be retrieved if dropped

in water. Unit needs to be held

out of the water or attached

high on a PFD for best

transmission.

Minimum of 48 hours at

temperatures down to -4°F

(-20°C). Longer in nominal

temperatures

Minimum of 24 hours at

temperatures down to -4°F

(-20°C). Longer in nominal

temperatures

Either manually activated in or

out of the bracket OR Automat-

ically activated when out of its

bracket and in the water.

Manually activated

Not required. Some newer

versions have flashing LED

strobes

Required to have strobe light

Worn or carried on a person

Mounted in a bracket

(automatic or manual

deployment), or carried in a

ditch bag

Floatation

Transmission

Requirements

Activation

Strobe Light

Mounting

Options

Registration

Registered to the person.

PLBs are legal to be used on

land as well as on water.

Registered to the vessel

EPIRB vs. PLB?

www.acrartex.com

Both require registration. It’s quick, easy and free, and can be done online:

http://www.acrartex.com/support/registrations/

Reduce the search radius down to 100m

Reduce the notification time from

typically less than 1 hour

down to a few minutes!

The Benefits of GPS

Taking the Search out of Search and Rescue

121.5 MHz Beacon

12.5 nm radius

490 sq miles area

No notification: Requires

some one listening to the

121.5 MHz Frequency

The Cospas-Sarsat satellite system uses 2 dierent satellites. The

GEOSAR satellites are stationary over the equator, if your beacon has

GPS coordinates, these satellites instantly alert Search and Rescue of

your position in as little as 2-3 minutes.

The LEOSAR satellites are low earth orbiting and typically ever hour one

ies over your location. These satellites use Doppler shift principles to

calculate your position to send to Search and Rescue. However, the

notication time can be typically less than1 hour while you wait for one

to orbit over you.

406 MHz Beacon

w/GPS

0.1 nm radius

0.03 sq miles area

Notification: In as little as

5 minutes

406 MHz Beacon

3 nm radius

28 sq miles area

Notification: Typically less

than 1 hour

What EPIRB is Right For Me?

www.acrartex.com

Internal GPS

Internal GPS,

GPS Interface & Digital

Display

Some questions to help you decide which EPIRB to buy.

I want an EPIRB

that is going to

get me rescued as

fast as possible!

I want the peace of

mind that comes

from knowing

exactly what my

EPIRB is doing when

I use it!

I want my

EPIRB to

protected

from

mother

nature.

I want the

peace of mind

knowing my

EPIRB will

release from

the bracket

automatically.

I want my

EPIRB mount-

ed close to me

so I can easily

grab it.

GlobalFix PRO

GlobalFix iPRO

Want more recommendations on what safety gear you should

have onboard? Check out our all new Product Wizard on

www.ACRARTEX.com

You may also want to consider a ACR Personal Locator

Beacon as a back up for your EPIRB and the primary

safety beacon for yourself when on deck alone.

Personal Locator Beacons have multiple applications and

can be used on your boat, plane, or on any outdoor

adventures you take.

Category I Automatic Deployment

The Category I bracket is designed to release an

EPIRB when the Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) in

the bracket is submerged in water to a depth of 4 to

14 feet (1.5 - 4m). The regulation specifies a range of

depth for deployment to allow for different water

temperatures which will affect the release depth. The

Hydrostatic Release Unit needs to be replaced every

two years.

In an emergency, the EPIRB will release from its

bracket, float to the surface and alert search and

rescue that you need help fast.

EPIRBs in a Category II bracket need to be manually

deployed and activated. They can be mounted above

or below deck, in a location that is protected from

outside influences (i.e. green water, traffic impacts,

cabin doors, etc). Some people prefer to keep their

beacon in a RapidDitch

Abandon Ship Bag without

the bracket which is OK if the bag is going to be in a

dry spot on the boat.

Category I EPIRB - Automatically or manually deployed

Category II EPIRB - Manually deployed

EPIRBs have different categories which define which

type of bracket the EPIRB uses Cat. I Cat. II

Bracket automatically deploys EPIRB when vessel sinks Yes No

Contains a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) Yes No

Built-in deactivation water sensor to prevent false alarms Yes Yes

Manual activation of beacon while in bracket Yes Yes

Protects EPIRB from UV exposure Yes No

Which EPIRB bracket is right for me?

Category I vs. Category II

36,000 lives saved and still counting

Model / Product #

Frequency

GPS

Location Accuracy

Size / Weight

Notification Time

Deployment

Activation

Min. Required

Battery Life

Typical Battery Life

Digital Display

Waterproof

Buoyant

Power Output

Strobe Light

GPS Location Test

406Link.com

GlobalFix

iPRO

2846.0 / 2848.0

406.040 MHz

121.5 MHz homing

Internal and Optical

Interface (NMEA)

110 yds (100m)

7.0 x 4.2 x 3.6” / 21.12 oz

17.7 x 10.7 x 9.1 cm / 600 g

2 - 15 minutes

Automatic (Category I)

or Manual (Category II)

Manual or Water

48 hours @ -20° C

65+ hours @ -20° C

Yes

To 33 ft

10 meters

Yes

6.3 Watts

Yes

Advanced testing available

GlobalFix

PRO

2842 / 2844

406.040 MHz

121.5 MHz homing

Internal

110 yds (100m)

7.0 x 4.2 x 3.6” / 20.9 oz

17.7 x 10.7 x 9.1 cm / 595 g

2 - 15 minutes

Automatic (Category I)

or Manual (Category II)

Manual or Water

48 hours @ -20° C

65+ hours @ -20° C

To 33 ft

10 meters

Yes

6.3 Watts

Yes

Advanced testing available

Beacon Comparison

36,000 lives saved and still counting

Beacon Comparison

GlobalFix

2830 / 2831

406.040 MHz

121.5 MHz homing

Internal

110 yds (100m)

8.59 x 4.3 x 3.57” / 26 oz

21.81 x 10.92 x 9.06 cm / 740 g

2 - 15 minutes

Automatic (Category I)

or Manual (Category II)

Manual or Water

48 hours @ -20° C

To 33 ft

10 meters

Yes

5 Watts

Yes

Advanced testing available

Category I:

Avoid Mounting

Beneath Sails

Mounting Recommendations

Category I

recommendation:

Mount in an area

free of overhead

obstructions, yet

easily accessible.

Category II recommendation:

Store your EPIRB in a DitchBag supplied with

essential safety gear so that all of your safety

equipment is located in one place or mount

in an accessible location.

36,000 lives saved and still counting

Recommended

• Areas that are highly

visible and in reach

• Inside DitchBag

with all safety gear

• Next to life raft

Not Recommended

• Avoid door jambs

or obstructed areas

• Avoid areas prone to

flooding & fires

• Avoid mounting

Category I EPIRB’s

inside the vessel

cabin or with any

overhead obstructions

www.acrartex.com

Mounting Recommendations

We are in the business of saving lives and

science is everything: it provides

laws, processes and reliable,

predictable outcomes that we

successfully use to combat the

unpredictable, wild, dangerous

forces of nature (also known in

some circles as "bad luck" or

"misfortune" or even "fate").

We are exacting, obsessive,

serious and accurate. When

your life is on the line, these

are the qualities that you want

in a company. We don't apologize

for being overly meticulous, self

critical AND obsessed with quality.

We design products to outperform

any regulation set for us by

government agencies because that

is what our customers expect, that is

why the industry respects us, and

more importantly, that is what we

expect from ourselves.

Science and obsessive engineering

provide a product that, unlike nature,

plans or luck, is not subject to whims.

Our company's existence is one based upon the principle of continuous

improvement. We spend prodigious amounts of time and money finding

new ways to challenge our products.

In other words, our testing efforts often begin where governmental

standards stop. "Quality" to us means conformal coating of PCBs when

there is no requirement, just for added protection. It means developing

tests to validate every claim we make. It means flat-out rejecting any failure

ratio that our competitors consider acceptable. Simply put, we believe any

defect ratio at all is unacceptable, when lives hang in the balance.

Why Choose ACR?

www.acrartex.com

Adventure, whether it’s on the water or

in the backcountry, means grabbing your

gear and going for it… it’s not about

being careless or taking chances. That’s

why more and more paddlers, boaters

and backpackers are packing a 406 MHz

satellite signaling device.

Now, with the power of 406Link.com,

you can make sure your PLB or EPIRB is

functioning properly – before you ever

leave – through the same satellite system

used by Search and Rescue.

And with the Trip Planning feature,

you can help with your recovery in an

emergency by making available

valuable information about your trip.

Advanced Satellite Test System

Proves Your Beacon is Working

With 406Link.com, you can make sure your

PLB or EPIRB is functioning properly –

before you ever leave –

through the same

satellite system used

by Search and Rescue.

*Requires optional service

plan to unlock features.

Visit 406Link.com for

coverage in your area.

Directly alert Search and Rescue

(SAR) of your emergency and

GPS position. No subscription to

406Link.com required. Same

proven 406 MHz signal that is

credited with saving more than

30,000 lives.

Beacon Management

including battery replacement

reminders, self test and activation

history, creating trip plans for

family and friends and managing

your account.

Self Test of Beacon and simultane-

ously send family and friends a

test message via text and email.

Thru-the-system Self Test. Now

you truly see that your EPIRB is

working properly by self testing

and getting satellite conrmation

that your signal was received.

GPS Test of Beacon and

simultaneously send family

and friends a test message

with map of location via text

and email.

What you can do with EPIRB and 406Link.com

36,000 lives saved and still counting

Stay Safe (and Connected) with 406Link.com

I thank the USCG and the crew of the freighter Fuji Bay

for their super job in our rescue. It makes me proud of

having been in the Coast Guard for four years. But, the

item, not person that we give our lives to, is the ACR

GlobalFix EPIRB. A truly remarkable piece of needed

equipment for every vessel. It saved us!

— Survivor Kirk Ezell

2 lives saved

Survivors

www.acrartex.com

With the EPIRB in hand we climbed into the raft and

activated the ACR GlobalFix PRO. 40 minutes later we

were rescued. What a great feeling to see the coast

guard heading for us. That EPIRB was a life saver.

Thanks guys for making it safer to be on the water.

— Survivor Shayne Sadler

5 lives saved

I was told that the Coast Guard main command station

received our EPIRB alert and the right people were

notified. We ended up being very lucky in our situation,

thanks to the Coast Guard. I worked in the Gulf of

Mexico for two years as an hydrographic surveyor

on the Inez McCall and learned a great deal about

marine safety. I never knew exactly how important

EPIRB's were until this day. I will not leave the

dock without one in the future.

— Survivor Jason White

4 lives saved

THE SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL

scan with phone