Document Number: 1109
Fifth District
U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release Date: Dec. 13, 2006
Contact: Steve Blando
(202) 372-4632
BOATERS PROHIBITED FROM USING 121.5, 243 MHz EPIRBS BY 2007
WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard is advising boaters that, beginning Jan. 1,
2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in commercial and recreational vessels.
Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must
have a digital 406 MHz model.
Mariners should begin replacing their analog EPIRBs now in preparation for
the Feb. 1, 2009 date in which satellite processing of distress signals from
121.5 and 243 MHz beacons will cease. Following this termination date, only
the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat
Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search
and rescue operations around the world.
The regulation applies to all 121.5 and 243 MHz Class A, B and S EPIRBs. It
does not affect 121.5 or 243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to
work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite
system.
This change was brought about, in large part, due to the unreliability of
the 121.5 and 243 MHz beacons in emergency situations. Data reveals that,
with a 121.5 MHz beacon, only one alert out of every 50 is a genuine
distress situation. This has a significant affect on the expenditure of
search and rescue personnel and other resources. With the use of 406 MHz
beacons, coupled with proper registration, false alerts have been reduced
significantly. Consequently, real alerts can receive the attention they
deserve.
When a 406 MHz beacon signal is received, search and rescue personnel can
retrieve information from a registration database. This includes the beacon
owner's contact information and vessel/aircraft identifying characteristics.
Having this information allows the Coast Guard, or other rescue personnel,
to respond appropriately.
In the United States, users are required by law to directly register their
beacons in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at:
http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Other
users can register their beacon in their country's national beacon
registration database or, if no national database is available, in the
International Beacon Registration Database at
https://www.406registration.com/.
The Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search
and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue
services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject
to U.S. jurisdiction.
Document Number: 1109
Fifth District
U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release Date: Dec. 13, 2006
Contact: Steve Blando
(202) 372-4632
BOATERS PROHIBITED FROM USING 121.5, 243 MHz EPIRBS BY 2007
WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard is advising boaters that, beginning Jan. 1,
2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in commercial and recreational vessels.
Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must
have a digital 406 MHz model.
Mariners should begin replacing their analog EPIRBs now in preparation for
the Feb. 1, 2009 date in which satellite processing of distress signals from
121.5 and 243 MHz beacons will cease. Following this termination date, only
the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat
Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search
and rescue operations around the world.
The regulation applies to all 121.5 and 243 MHz Class A, B and S EPIRBs. It
does not affect 121.5 or 243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to
work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite
system.
This change was brought about, in large part, due to the unreliability of
the 121.5 and 243 MHz beacons in emergency situations. Data reveals that,
with a 121.5 MHz beacon, only one alert out of every 50 is a genuine
distress situation. This has a significant affect on the expenditure of
search and rescue personnel and other resources. With the use of 406 MHz
beacons, coupled with proper registration, false alerts have been reduced
significantly. Consequently, real alerts can receive the attention they
deserve.
When a 406 MHz beacon signal is received, search and rescue personnel can
retrieve information from a registration database. This includes the beacon
owner's contact information and vessel/aircraft identifying characteristics.
Having this information allows the Coast Guard, or other rescue personnel,
to respond appropriately.
In the United States, users are required by law to directly register their
beacons in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at:
http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Other
users can register their beacon in their country's national beacon
registration database or, if no national database is available, in the
International Beacon Registration Database at
https://www.406registration.com/.
The Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search
and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue
services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject
to U.S. jurisdiction.
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