# Presentation: 785815

## UN/USA Training Course onSatellite Aided Search and RescueMiami Beach, FL19 – 23 January 2009Beacon Registration Databases

## INTRODUCTION

-     	**Requirements for**** ****Beacon Registration **
**   ****	****406 MHz Beacon Population**
**    ****	****Registration Databases**
** ****Overview of Existing Databases**
** ****Overview of USA RGDB**

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**INTRODUCTION**

## REQUIREMENTS FOR

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**REQUIREMENTS FOR**
**BEACON REGISTRATION**

**    **** ****IMO****  - Assembly Resolution A.887(21)  - “Establishment, Updating and Retrieval of the Information Contained in the Registration Databases for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)” was adopted on 25 November 1999 – includes 11 relevant provisions.**
**     ****ICAO - ****Annex 10 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Volume 3, Part II, Chapter 5 “Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) for Search and Rescue”, **
-      paragraph 5.1.8: “States shall make arrangements for a 406 MHz ELT    register. Register information regarding the ELT shall be immediately available to search and rescue authorities.”
-      paragraph 5.3.2.2: “The emergency locator transmitter shall be coded in accordance with either the aviation user protocol or one of the serialized user protocols described in Appendix 1 to this chapter, and _shall be registered with the appropriate authority.”_

**Notes:**
1.All identities that may be used for identifying ships in distress should be registered and the data should be updated whenever it changes.
2 Every State requiring or allowing the use of the GMDSS systems should make suitable arrangements for ensuring registrations of these identities are made, maintained and enforced.
3 Those responsible for maintaining registration databases for GMDSS equipment should ensure that any MRCC can immediately access the registration data at any time.
5 All databases for GMDSS equipment should have an identical data format to permit immediate access among each other.
6 All equipment using Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSIs) should be registered, if appropriate, with the International Telecommunications Union in accordance with established procedures.
8 Registration databases should include the following information,1 ship name; .2 Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI);
.3 radio call sign; .4 EPIRB identification code (if applicable) and its homing frequency; .5 country (ship flag State; may be derived from MMSI and call sign); .6 ship identification number (IMO number or national registration number); .7 brief ship description. 8 name, address, telephone and (if applicable) telefax number of emergency contact person ashore;. 9 alternative 24-hour emergency telephone number (alternate contact ashore); .10 capacity for persons on board (passengers and crew); .11 radio installations (Inmarsat-A, B, C, M, VHF DSC, etc.) for ship and survival craft; 12 identification numbers for all radio systems available; .13 type and number of survival craft; and .14 date of last modification of database record. 
9 For 406 MHz satellite Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacons (EPIRBs), the country of registration should be coded in accordance with one of the following principles: 
10 The data record of ships to which SOLAS chapter IV applies should be reviewed, and the database information should be updated annually. Other ships should be encouraged to update their data records annually or at least every other year.
11 Authorities maintaining or using databases should ensure that information described in paragraphs 8.4, 8.8, 8.9 and 8.12 above supplied for GMDSS equipment registration is used only by appropriate recognized SAR authorities.
12 Every State should: .1 maintain a suitable national database, or co-ordinate with other States of their geographical area to maintain a joint database; and additionally, .2 for ships which are using GMDSS frequencies and techniques or which are sailing internationally, ensure that the data records of these ships are notified to an international database (e.g. updated ITU database).
13 States should also:  .1 promulgate clear and timely guidance to manufacturers, agents and users on the appropriate coding, registration and updating procedures; 2 co-operate closely with other States, manufacturers, owners and organizations to help resolve any registration or information-retrieval problems that may arise; .3 formalize co-operative arrangements between the parties concerned for the
maintenance of the joint database; .4 encourage manufacturers and distributors to advise customers, upon purchase of GMDSS equipment, about registration requirements, and refer unresolved coding and registration issues to proper national authorities for resolution; and
.5 encourage manufacturers and distributors to educate users about the maintenance of GMDSS equipment.

## REQUIREMENTS FOR

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**REQUIREMENTS FOR**
**BEACON REGISTRATION ****(Cont’d)**

**ITU** **has no recommendations, regulations, etc. on the establishment of beacon registration databases. **However, ....., The vessels themselves need to be registered with the ITU's Maritime Mobile Access and Retrieval System                    (MARS) database. This on-line query database has been established in accordance with Resolution 340 (WRC- 97) of the Radio Regulation and is intended to assist in search and rescue activities.
-  **Cospas-Sarsat - ****Section 3.5 of the DDP (C/S A.001): **“It is essential that every country using 406 MHz beacons maintain a register where SAR agencies can obtain vital information at any time. Each country using 406 MHz beacons should make appropriate arrangements to ensure 24-hour access to their national register(s) by SAR services.”

## BEACON POPULATION

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**BEACON POPULATION**

**Based on the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat’s recent estimate :**
**     ****about 600,200 beacons operating at 406 MHz were in use at**
**the end of 2007**
**     ****the population could reach about:**
**     ****1.3 million in the year 2011**
**     ****1.9 million in the year 2015 **
**     ****over 2 million in the year 2017**

## Beacon Population

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**Beacon Population**

**406 MHz Beacon Population Forecast to 2018**
- (taken from JC-22/5/7 Secretariat)

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## REGISTRATION

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**REGISTRATION**
**DATABASES**

**     ****Overview of Existing Databases **
**     ****USA RGDB (Overview)**
**     ****IBRD (Next Presentation)**

## OVERVIEW OF EXISTING 

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**OVERVIEW OF EXISTING **
**DATABASES**

**In 2008, 103 countries maintained 406 MHz beacon registers**
**The majority of these are EPIRB databases**
**Estimated registered beacons – 424,056 as of 12/31/07**

## USA RGDB (Overview)

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**Registration Databases**
**USA RGDB (Overview)**

**NOAA USMCC requires a system that automates & facilitates processes for:**
** ****Registering 406 MHz emergency beacons**
** ****Handling anticipated dramatic increase in 406 MHz registrations after 01 February 2009**
** ****Increasing time for USMCC personnel to actively pursue contacting owners that have**
**  ****registrations with expired decals**
** ****The life-and-death nature of SAR demands that the system:**
** ****Provide high reliability and system responsiveness flawlessly**
** ****Protect against viruses, hackers, and other threats**
** ****Public policy adds requirements for:**
** ****Equal access for all operators and users **
** ****Privacy of personal data**
** ****Government Paperwork Elimination Act**
** ****Cost-management considerations call for:**
** ****A COTS-intensive, low-maintenance design**
** ****Compatibility with existing USMCC hardware and system software**

## USA RGDB (Overview)

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**Registration Databases**
**USA RGDB (Overview)**

## USA RGDB (Overview)

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**Registration Databases**
**USA RGDB (Overview)**

## USA RGDB (Overview)

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**Registration Databases**
**USA RGDB (Overview)**

## USA RGDB (Overview)

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**Registration Databases**
**USA RGDB (Overview)**

## VITAL STATISTICS

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**USA RGDB**
**VITAL STATISTICS**

-      **Online system operational since August 11, 2003**
**     ****As of January 1, 2009 – 225,007 beacons registered**
**     **_**Profile**_**        67.9% EPIRBs****        13.1% ELTs****        18.9% PLBs ****          0.1% SSAS**
**	**** **
**    ****	****30,184 new beacons added in CY 2008**** **
**    ****	****Estimate 31,000 registrations in CY 2009**** **
**    ****	****65% - 70% of beacon registration transactions are    ****	****performed by beacon owners via online RGDB**

## Future Activities

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**USA RGDB**
**Future Activities**

**Implement an upgrade to the US 406 MHz Registration Data Base that incorporates proven technologies along with the latest IT Security controls**
**‘****Design-in’ redundancy to increase availability**
**Provide for electronic storage of hardcopy records to increase retrieval efficiency and decrease storage space requirements**

## SUMMARY

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**SUMMARY**

**International Organizations (IMO &ICAO) have established basic requirements for beacon registration**
**Beacon population continues to experience significant growth**
**The US 406 MHz Beacon Registration Data Base continues to experience significant growth particularly in registration of ELTs and PLBs**
**Not all countries have beacon registers or provide continuous access to existing databases **
**To provide assistance to States, Cospas-Sarsat manages an International Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) that provides significant benefits to SAR forces and administrations**
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