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ACR GlobalFix™ 406
Figure 5
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signals from satellites. IF the GPS never gets good navigation
data, the GPS will turn OFF after 10 minutes and there will be
no successful green LED indication. This test should never be
performed more than once during the five-year life of the
battery pack to prevent excessive current drain!
1.2.9
If the thumb switch is accidentally or inadvertently put in the
vertical position (not in the OFF or ON position), the beacon
would still be turned ON and would drain the battery. That this
should happen accidentally or inadvertently is very unlikely.
However, if this should occur, the beacon will sound a beep
once per second and will alternately flash the red and green
LED's at a rate of one per second until the beacon is turned
OFF. It is important that the beacon be turned OFF immediately
(lowering the thumb switch to the OFF position, thumb switch at
rest in the front position) if this alert is ever obtained.
1.3
SATELLITE DETECTION
1.3.1
The GlobalFix™ 406 transmits an encoded phase modulated
radio signal to the satellite portion of the COSPAS-SARSAT
System. The system was developed and implemented by the
COSPAS-SARSAT Partners (Russian Federation, Canada,
France and the United States).
1.3.2
COSPAS-SARSAT is an international system that uses Russian
Federation and United States low altitude, near-polar orbiting
satellites that assist in detecting and locating activated
121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs and 406 MHz Satellite EPIRBs. The
Russian Federation provides aboard COSMOS navigation
spacecraft COSPAS payloads that are inter-operable with the
SARSAT System. In addition to weather and environmental
sensors, SARSAT payloads, provided by Canada and France,
are carried aboard the United States National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Advanced TIROS en-
vironmental satellites. (See Figure 1: Satellite Detection)
1.3.3
COSPAS and SARSAT satellites receive distress signals from
satellite EPIRBs transmitting on the frequency of 406.025 or
406.028 MHz. The COSPAS-SARSAT 406 MHz satellite
EPIRB signal consists of a transmission of non-modulated
carrier followed by a digital message format that provides
identification data. The 406 MHz system uses spacecraft-borne
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