Table of Contents
Advertisement
4 CONTROLS
4.1 Activation switch
This slide switch is protected against accidental activation by a red tear-
off seal which indicates if the EPIRB has been activated previously.
The EPIRB can be activated manually by tearing the seal upwards,
depressing the locking button on the switch and sliding the switch to
the left.
When the EPIRB is activated the strobe will start to flash immediately,
but the EPIRB will not make any distress transmissions for 50 seconds.
This gives you a chance to turn off if you activated it accidentally.
During this time the red LED illuminates continuously. When the red
LED starts to flash, the 50 seconds delay has passed and distress
transmissions have started.
4.2 TEST button
This control allows various test sequences to be run on the EPIRB.
Details of these tests are given in Section 10.1
4.3 Sea switch
It is important to realise that the only time the EPIRB is completely off
is when it is fitted in its mounting bracket or enclosure. As soon as you
take it out, a magnetic switch activates and puts the EPIRB into its
"ready" state. It will not drain the battery in this state, but it will turn on
automatically if the sea switch contacts are immersed in water. The sea
contacts are the two studs, one on each side of the EPIRB.
Although you can control the EPIRB manually with the activation
switch, the sea switch overrides any manual settings. For the manual
switch to operate properly the EPIRB must first be dry so that the sea
switch is de-activated.
To ensure the sea switch operates properly in rough seas, it has a
built-in time delay. It has to be wet for at least 2 seconds before it will
activate and it has to be dry for at least 8 seconds before it will
de-activate.
Controls
19
Advertisement
Table of Contents
