Cospas-Sarsat System Overview

Operational use of Cospas-Sarsat by SAR agencies started with the crash of a light aircraft in Canada, in which three people were rescued (September 10, 1982). Since then, the System has been used for thousands of SAR events and has been instrumental in the rescue of over 24,000 lives worldwide.
The basic Cospas-Sarsat concept is illustrated in the adjacent figure.
The System is composed of:

• distress radiobeacons (ELTs for aviation use, EPIRBs for maritime use, and PLBs for personal use) which transmit signals during distress situations;
  
• instruments on board satellites in geostationary and low-altitude Earth orbits which detect the signals transmitted by distress radiobeacons;
  
• ground receiving stations, referred to as Local Users Terminals (LUTs), which receive and process the satellite downlink signal to generate distress alerts; and
  
• Mission Control Centers (MCCs) which receive alerts produced by LUTs and forward them to Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs), Search and Rescue Points Of Contacts (SPOCs) or other MCCs.

The Cospas-Sarsat System includes two types of satellites:

• satellites in low-altitude Earth orbit (LEO) which form the LEOSAR System
• satellites in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) which form the GEOSAR System

Cospas-Sarsat has demonstrated that the GEOSAR and LEOSAR system capabilities are complementary. For example the GEOSAR system can provide almost immediate alerting in the footprint of the GEOSAR satellite, whereas the LEOSAR system:

• provides coverage of the polar regions (which are beyond the coverage of geostationary satellites);
  
• can calculate the location of distress events using Doppler processing techniques; and
  
• is less susceptible to obstructions which may block a beacon signal in a given direction because the satellite is continuously moving with respect to the beacon.
  

LEOSAR and GEOSAR Capabilities

LEOSAR	GEOSAR
Beacon identification information and location information provided Global coverage, but not instantaneous	Beacon identification provided, and location information available if encoded in beacon message (location protocol beacon) Near instantaneous alerting in the GEOSAR coverage area

Extract from Cospas-Sarsat System Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 October 2009 12:10 

McMurdo FastFind-211 PLB with GPS

Personal Location Beacon (PLB) - Get Found with FAST FIND

- Currently the smallest PLB on the market
- Internationally approved
- Waterproof to 10 metres and buoyant whilst in flotation pouch
- 5 year battery life
- 50 channel GPS transmitter with internal antenna


The Fast Find 211 is a waterproof 406 MHz Personal Location Beacon (PLB) that should be carried by individuals, who are embarking on trips into areas around the world where there is little or no other form of communication or where other forms of communication are unlikely to work. 


The Fast Find acts as your Personal Emergency Location Beacon, it is your last resort communication to the national and international search and rescue bodies and it should not be mis-used. If you go boating, flying, bushwalking, skiing or using a 4WD then a PLB is your best last resort communication tool.
 

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McMurdo SmartFind PLUS G5 406 MHz GPS EPIRB Cat II

Meeting the demands of both commercial mariners and recreational boaters, the new McMurdo SMARTFIND Plus heralds the arrival of the next generation in EPIRB technology incorporating a high accuracy 12 channel GPS for enhanced position location and comes complete with a Carry Safe Manual Bracket.
The G5 SMARTFIND PLUS has all the advanced features of the standard E5 SMARTFIND with the addition of an integral 12 channel GPS receiver. The addition of a GPS receiver to the EPIRB ensures that the exact position of a casualty is relayed to the rescue services. This can in turn improve the speed of recovery by updating the position of the beacon at regular intervals.

The Smartfind Plus GPS EPIRB has been designed to enhance further the lifesaving capabilities of conventional beacons. The standard Global Positioning System (GPS) uses an array of 27 satellites and provides continuous positional information with a typical accuracy of around 30m. A 406MHz EPIRB such as the Smartfind Plus or Fastfind Plus PLB has a built in GPS, when the beacon is activated in an emergency, positional information is incorporated into the distress message which it transmits.
This incorporation of positional information overcomes the location problem when using geostationary satellites and can greatly reduce the time it takes for the SAR authorities to arrive on the scene. When speed of response and accuracy of location are important considerations, then the Smartfind GPS EPIRB offers the best performance

Product Features

Non hazardous battery for safe and easy transportation

High brightness LED flashing locator lights

Unique Carry Safe Manual Bracket for safe transportation

Integrated 12 channel GPS (PLUS version)

Comprehensive diagnostic and self-test facilities

Once activated, will transmit for a minimum of 48 hours

5 year warranty

5 year battery life

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GPS versus Non-GPS

A comparison of GPS vs non-GPS 406 MHz distress beacons

Excract from: Australian Maritime Safety Authotity

	406 MHz distress beacons - with GPS	406 MHz distress beacons - Non GPS
Signal type	Digital	Digital
Coverage	The entire globe	The entire globe
Identification	406 beacons have a unique identification code which is part of its signal.	406 beacons have a unique identification code which is part of its signal.
	When properly registered with the Rescue Coordination Centre, Australia, the unique code provides information about the boat or aircraft, or person carrying the beacon. This includes the owner's emergency contact and the country of registration.	When properly registered with the Rescue Coordination Centre, Australia, the unique code provides information about the boat or aircraft, or person carrying the beacon. This includes the owner's emergency contact and the country of registration.
	Allows false alarms to be resolved with a radio or phone call.	Allows false alarms to be resolved with a radio or phone call.
Alert time	The 406 signal may be received within seconds by Geostationary satellites. If detected by a polar orbiting satellite, detection time will be longer. The extra information provided by a 406 will in most cases help authorities locate you faster.	The 406 signal may be received within seconds by Geostationary satellites. If detected by a polar orbiting satellite, detection time will be longer. The extra information provided by a 406 will in most cases help authorities locate you faster.
Location	GPS- Has an accuracy locator of 120 Metres	Orbiting satellites will calculate the position if there is no GPS capability. These orbiting satellites take 90 minutes on average to receive the signal but it may take up to 5 hours depending on the conditions. More information is needed to determine the real location. This usually means at least two satellite passes &/or independent intelligence is required to determine a location and this takes more time. Non GPS has an accuracy locator of 5km
Rescue time	If the 406 beacon is registered, it will enable rescuers to know more about who you are, where you are, what your boat/plane looks like, and your emergency contact. This saves time, and therefore helps rescuers to act more quickly.	Rescuers must wait for confirmation of the beacon's position before sending a search & rescue team. This takes more time. If the 406 beacon is registered, it will enable rescuers to know more about who you are, where you are, what your boat/plane looks like, and your emergency contact. This saves time, and therefore helps rescuers to act more quickly.
Signal Power	5 Watts	5 Watts

Sat Alert RB6 EPIRB

Harnessing the power of 406MHz technology, the RB6 EPIRB is COSPAS-SARSAT approved and boasts improved location accuracy and 48hrs minimum transmit time.

The RB6 beacon features a 5 year replaceable lithium battery, in-built strobe light for night detection and can be owner-registered for added safety.

With the assurance of 406MHz technology and rapid alert time, the RB6 EPIRB is the perfect all-rounder for all outdoor pursuits.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Design: High stability oven-free frequency reference for rapid satellite-compatible transmission. Durable stainless-steel aerial.
Waterproof to a depth of greater than 3 metres. Floats with antenna vertical.

Frequencies: 406.028 MHz satellite communication with 121.500 MHz homing transmitter.

Approvals: Approved by COSPAS-SARSAT, compliant to Australian and New Zealand AS/NZS 4280.1

Emission Spectrum: Oven-free high stability carrier fully compatible with the COSPAS-SARSAT system.

Modulation Characteristics: 160 mS unmodulated carrier, 280 mS bi-phase modulated.

Activation: Manual switch with test facility and green LED pilot light.

Strobe Light : Two high intensity white light emitting diodes, flashed in an attention attracting multiple sequence.

Batteries: Two long-life lithium D cells with greater than 10 year shelf life, recommend replacement after 5 years. (Free Battery Replacement @ 5 Years)*

Dimensions: 25cm long x 8cm diameter. Aerial 38cm with spring-wound base.

Gross Weight: 950 grams

Warranty: 10 Year parts and labour

* The Sat-Alert RB6 EPIRB battery should be replaced by the date engraved on the beacon label, which is 5 years after date of manufacture.  Where a Sat-Alert RB6 EPIRB has never been activated, we offer the first battery replacement free of charge, so the initial purchase yields an effective 10 years battery life. Please note that all transport costs related to battery replacement or warranty claim are to be borne by the purchaser.

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