# Presentation: 676324

## S    A    R    S    A    T

- <date/time>

**S    A    R    S    A    T**

**P****ersonal ****L****ocator ****B****eacons**
**(PLBs)**
** **

## What is Cospas-Sarsat???

**COSPAS =****	****Cosmicheskaya Systyema Poiska Aariynyich Sudov **
**	****	*****Which loosely translates into:  “The Space ******	******	******	******	******System for the Search of Vessels in Distress”***
***	*****	**
**SARSAT =****	****Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking**

***What is Cospas-Sarsat???***

**In short, Cospas-Sarsat takes the “search” out of Search & Rescue**

## Slide 3

## Emergency Beacons

_**Emergency Beacons**_
**Two types: 121.5/243 MHz and 406 MHz**
**Three applications: **
**-  Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacons (EPIRB)**
**-  Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT)**
**-  Personal Locator Beacons (PLB)**

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
**General Characteristics**
**Small and lightweight**
**Manually activated**
**Watertight**
**Contains transmitter, antenna, and battery.  **
**	****-****	****GPS receiver (optional)**
**Tested at international and national levels**

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
**International (Cospas-Sarsat) Specifications**
**Transmit at 406.028 MHz**
**5 W output**
**Temperature range**
**	****Storage: - 67F to + 158F (Class 1)****Operating: - 40F to + 131F (Class 1)****Storage: - 22F to + 158F (Class 2)****Operating: - 4F to + 131F (Class 2)**
**24 hours duration**

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
**National (RTCM) Specifications**
**Floatation**
**	****-****	****Category 1:  Must float in water**
**	****-****	****Category 2:  Not required to float**
**121.5 MHz homing with Morse-code “P” identifier**
**Self-test function**

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
**Identification Information**
**Encoded into beacon:**
**	****-****	****Manufacturer, model, serial number**
**	****-****	****Category **
**	****-****	****GPS position (optional)**
**Registration database:**
**	****-****	****Owner, address, telephone**
**	****-****	****Application (e.g., hiking, canoeing)**
**	****-****	****Emergency points of contact**
**	****-****	****Additional information**

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
***Performance As Demonstrated in Alaska  (1995-2002)***

| Cause of Activation | Number | Percent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Distress Activation | 154 | 85 |
| Non-Distress Activation | 14 | 8 |
| Undetermined | 12 | 7 |
| Total Activation | 180 | 100 |
| Total Rescues: 226 |  |  |

## Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) 

**Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) **
**Alert Data Distribution**

**Local User Terminal**

**U.S. Mission Control Center**

**Air Force RCC**

**State SAR Authority PLB System**

**Virtual Private Network**

**Frame Relay**

**Voice**

**PLB Processor**

## Any Questions???

_**FOR MORE INFO...**_

**NOAA/SARSAT**
**E/SP3, Room 3320, FB4**
**5200 Auth Road**
**Suitland, MD  20746**

**1-301-457-5678 **
**Or 1-888-212-SAVE (7283)**
**Fax:  1-301-457-5620**

**Visit Our Website!  www.sarsat.noaa.gov**

**Any Questions???**