Step Two - How The Beacon Works - ACR Electronics PLB-350B Product Support Manual

Registration in Canada
Canadian residents can register online at:
http://canadianbeaconregistry.forces.gc.ca/ or contact the Canadian
Beacon Registry by phone at: 877-406-7671 or by fax at: 877-406-3298.
Canadian Beacon Registry
CFB Trenton, PO Box 1000 Stn Forces
Astra, Ontario K0K 3W0
Registration in Other Countries
In countries other than the United States and Canada, 406 MHz
beacons are registered with that country's national authority at the time
of purchase. The sales agent may have assisted you in filling out the
forms and sending them to the country's national authority. Alternatively,
many countries allow online registration in the International 406 MHz
Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) at www.406registration.com.
To verify that the unit is properly programmed for your country, view the
UIN label on the back of the unit. In the event that the beacon is not
programmed for your country, the sales agent (if properly equipped) can
reprogram the unit for the correct country.

STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS

1. How your beacon brings help
406 MHz beacons are a type of portable emergency equipment that
transmits a distress signal to search and rescue (SAR) organizations.
The purpose of these beacons is to aid SAR teams in tracking and
locating ships or individuals in jeopardy as rapidly as possible.
The 406 MHz frequency is a worldwide dedicated emergency frequency
that is detected by a network of satellites called the Cospas-Sarsat
system. This satellite system was established by, and continues to be
supported by, its primary benefactors - the USA, Russia, Canada and
France. The Cospas-Sarsat system has saved over 28,400 lives - and
counting - since its inception. See Appendix or the Cospas-Sarsat
website for more information about the system at www.cospas-
sarsat.org.
When a 406 MHz beacon is activated, the digital distress message is
sent to Cospas-Sarsat satellites and, in turn, the distress message is
relayed to SAR. The distress message contains the beacon UIN and on
some models the GPS location of the beacon. Additional information
about the beacon is accessed by SAR from the beacon registration
database. At the same time the 406 MHz signal is activated, a 121.5
MHz signal is turned on. The 121.5 MHz signal is used by SAR to home
in on the beacon as they approach it.
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