Other Equipment L9

Small Craft Operator Program

Small Craft Operator Program
Module 2 – Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime)

Topics we will be covering in the course include …

• Section 1 - Maritime Mobile Service
• Section 2 – Procedures
• Section 3 – GMDSS
• Section 4 – Digital Selective Calling

Radios

• Section 5 – Routine Communications

• Section 6 – Distress Communications
• Section 7 – Urgency Communications
• Section 8 – Safety Communications
• Section 9 – Other GMDSS Equipment
• Section 10 – Additional Information

Restricted Operator’s
Certificate (Maritime) Course

Section 9
Other GMDSS Equipment

In this lesson we will be looking at…

•Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
•International COSPAS-SARSAT System
•Radar Search and Rescue Transponders
•Automated Identification System
•NAVTEX Receivers

EPIRBs

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are a very useful
piece of GMDSS equipment for recreational boaters when operating
some distance from shore

EPIRBs

•Are buoyant beacons that operate on the international distress
frequency 406 MHz

•When activated automatically transmit a distress message digitally to
orbiting COSPAS-SARSAT satellites and NOAA geostationary satellite
system

Category 1 EPIRB

•May be activated manually or automatically
•Automatic activation is triggered after the EPIRB is released from a
specially designed bracket
•A hydrostatic release will release the EPIRB at a water depth of 1-3
metres, where it will float to the surface and begin transmitting
•Must be mounted externally on
vessel to readily float free from a
sinking vessel

Category 2 EPIRB

•Requires manual activation and does not automatically float free
•Should be mounted in a location readily accessible in an emergency
situation

Personal EPIRB

•Also known as Personal Locator Beacons (PLB)
•Portable
•Carried by individuals, not the vessel
•Must be registered
•Manual activation
•Should be kept above the water once activated
•Includes GPS information in Distress signal
•Low-powered 121.5 MHz homing beacon built in

What Does an EPIRB Distress Message Contain?

•The distress message transmitted by a 406 beacon contains the
information such as:

• Which country the beacon originates from

• A unique 15-digit hexadecimal beacon identification code (a "15-hex ID")

• The encoded identification of the vessel or aircraft in distress, either as an MMSI

value, or as, in the case of an ELT, either the aircraft's registration or its ICAO 24-bit
address (from its Mode-S transponder).

• When equipped, a GPS position

• Whether or not the beacon contains a 121.5 MHz homing transmitter

Locating an EPIRB

•Most EPIRBs have a strobe light that assists rescue
vessels in locating the EPIRB and indicates visually
that the EPIRB is transmitting

•Include a low-powered 121.5 MHz for homing

EPIRB’s

•Accuracy

•Position accuracy is usually within 5 km unless EPIRB has a built in
GPS, in which case it can be within a hundred metres

•Testing

•Both Category 1 and 2 EPIRBs have built in test functions. See
manufacture’s instructions for testing

EPIRB Number

•EPIRBs predate Digital Selective Calling radios so do not use MMSI
numbers

•EPIRBs have an unique 15-digit hexadecimal beacon identification
code (a "15-hex ID") that is used for registration

•Authorities are also advised when the
ownership of the EPIRB changes

Registration of EPIRBs

•EPIRBs must be registered in a database maintained by:

Canada:
Canadian Beacon Registry
1-877-406-7671
www.cbr-rcb.ca

USA:
SARSAT Beacon Registry,
National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) in Suitland, MD
1-888-212-7283
www.sarsat.noaa.gov

Registration of EPIRBs

•If you have a registered emergency beacon, it is important that the
information be accurate
•The registry must be updated if any of the following information
changes:

•Your home address
•The emergency contact information
•Phone number changes
•Any of the important information in the registry changes such as
colour of vessel or aircraft

COSPAS-SARSAT Satellite System

COSPAS-SARSAT Satellite System

•Is an international system consisting of two orbiting satellite systems
designed to detect EPIRB 406 MHz distress signals
•Established jointly by Russia, France, Canada and the U.S.A. for the purpose
of monitoring for distress signals from EPIRBs
•COSPAS satellites orbit at 1000 kilometres and are controlled by Russia
•SARSAT satellites orbit at 850 kilometres and are controlled by U.S.A.
•At any time a minimum of 4 satellites are operational
•Orbit time is 100 minutes (approx.)

Response Time

•The time for a response may be as little as 30 minutes or as long as 2
hours, depending on EPIRB / satellite relative positions
•Coverage of COSPAS-SARSAT system is worldwide

What is a SART?

•Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)

•Purpose of a SART is to assist in locating vessels in
distress and survivors

•Small portable devices that can be fitted to the life raft,
or easily taken aboard the life raft when abandoning ship

What is a SART?

•SART are activated when interrogated by a rescue vessels X band
9GHz radar, or similar airborne radar

•SART responds with a signal generating 12 blips on the searchers
radar, extending outward from the SART’s position along a line of
bearing

What is a SART?

SART will indicate being interrogated by
emitting an aural tone and a flashing light

Locating and Response from a SART

• Emits an audible tone and activates a

flashing light

• If scanning ceases from more than 15

seconds SART reverts back to “standby”
mode

• Complete circles when rescue craft within

one nautical mile

AIS-SART

•AIS Search and Rescue Transponder (AIS-SART)

•The purpose of a SART is to assist in locating vessels in distress and
survivors

•SARTs are small portable devices that can be fitted to the life raft, or
easily taken aboard the life raft when abandoning ship

NAVTEX Receivers

•Another mandatory equipment item on many non-pleasure draft, the
NAVTEX receiver is part of the Worldwide Navigational Warning Service
(WWNWS) intended to provide maritime safety information to vessels
at sea
•Data is provided for transmission by:

•Hydrographic offices
•Meteorological offices
•Rescue Coordination Centres
•International Ice Patrol

NAVTEX Receivers

•Coverage is worldwide and there are 21 geographical sea areas with
each area having up to 24 transmitting stations
•Areas are called NAVAREAs
•Typical range of transmission – 250-400 nautical miles
•Operates on a frequency of 518 kHz

Quizizz Time

End of Lesson Confirmation

Q1. What does EPIRB represent?

Q2. 406 MHz EPIRB transmission are received by what satellites?

Q3. How is a SART transponder activated?

Q4. What is a NAVTEX receiver?

End of Lesson Confirmation

The response time for an EPIRB is usually?

A. not more than 5 minutes.

B. not more than 20 minutes.

C. anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

D. not more than half an hour.

End of Lesson Confirmation

A SART transponder:

A. sends out a constant locating signal

B. sends out a signal in response to a RADAR signal from a search

vessel

C. emits a flashing yellow light until manually turned off

D. sends out a Morse Code SOS

In this lesson we looked at…

•Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
•International COSPAS-SARSAT System
•Radar Search and Rescue Transponders
•Automated Identification System
•NAVTEX Receivers

Questions?

Restricted Operator’s
Certificate (Maritime) Course

Section 9
Other GMDSS Equipment

Small Craft Operator Program
Module 2 – Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime)