Updated at 4:59 p.m., Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Coast Guard to ban two emergency rescue beacons
Advertiser Staff
Beginning Jan. 1, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) will be prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model.
The date to stop using 121.5 MHz EPIRBs is in preparation for Feb. 1, 2009, when satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5 and 243 MHz beacons will end. 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 Class A, B, and S 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs. It does not affect 121.5/243 MHz man overboard devices, which are designed to work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite system.
In the U.S., users are required by law to directly register their beacon in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling (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/.
