??Digital EPIRBS

[dazza]

Was listening to the radio Friday morning. They have a bit of a fishing spot, based on Cairns,Cape York, Weipa etc.
A guy was saying that there are new digital epirbs comming to replace the ones we already use. He said they cost $1800.
Does onyone know anything about this? $1800 is out of my range, and I guess there are alot of people around who wouldn't/couldn't fork out this kind of money for an epirb.
I don't know if it is true or crap, but there is going to be a bit of an uproar if it is true. Saftey is the main issue when it comes to boating etc, and if we are forced to buy $1800 epirbs not many people are going to comply with the regulations.
Cheers
dazza

[Kerry]

The 406's (which I suppose one could define as "digital") have been available for quite some time and certainly are not new (as such). Currently 406's start at about $1600 and go up from there depending.

The 121.5/243's (which could be classed as "anologue") currently cost around the $200-$230 mark and fit the requirements as far as regulations go.

BUT

Satellite detection of 121.5/243 will be terminated (that's already been announced) so these will basically become obsolete towards 2006/9 when that side of the system is terminated. 2006 I believe is the termination date for the Russian satellites and about 2008/9 for the American sats.

406's have it all over 121.5's as far as safety goes and also don't have the problems that the 121.5 system has suffered from. Hopefully as the time approaches 406 prices will drop otherwise there may certainly be some issues.


Cheers, Kerry.

[dazza]

Thanks Kerry,
Your explaination was a bit clearer than the bloke on the radio. He was beating it up fairly well. I guess we will have to wait and see. As you said hopefully the prices will drop a fair bit before we have to cross that bridge
Cheers
Darren

[adrian]

hi gang
I hope the price drops to or the bays rivers and creeks will get fished out or too crowded to move . as I can't afford the new type with that price tag many of us are in the same boat . or is this a move by charter operaters to get us on their boats and not use our own offshore?? something to think about

anzac

[Kerry]

hi gang
.... or is this a move by charter operaters to get us on their boats and not use our own offshore?? something to think about

No it's simply a move by rescue authorities worldwide and specifically Cospas/Sarsat (Australia is but one signatory) to reduce the amount of false alerts (about 99% of 121.5's alerts are false) from the now antiquated 121.5mHz system which was never designed and really doesn't suit primary detection by satellite.

Hopefully sales volume and technology will lower the cost in the short term and actually the shorter the term the better for all.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Fitzy]

I remember something from college about the new 406 system being quicker in the response time & much more accurate. It all means saving more lives I guess.

Like Kerry said, I think (hope), as with most things new to the market, that the price will come down alot once demand increases.

Anyone know if the 406's are GPIRBS as standard? (G as in GPS) Transmits a precise lat & long as opposed to just triggering an alarm in a zone.

fitz

[Kerry]

Basically 3 types plus 2 options

Standard 406 Epirb - relies on satellite doppler hence time to locate but does transmit almost immediate ownership details which heps actually verify the alert which in turn puts the right people in the right place on standby.

Standard Epirb + optical/infra red connection to an "external" GPS - which of course is best going at the time the Epirb is activated otherwise the position may be miles out but I believe is a time stamped position? The position is only as good as the time the connection with the GPS was terminated and the location most likely verified similar to the standard type.

Gprib with built in self contained GPS - the best but the most expensive.

The other 2 options manual or automatic deploy but then no good having an automatic version installed in a cabin somehwere.

Also see some new miniture 406 Personal Locator Beacons on the street, about $2200 (from what I can gather) for the built-in GPS version.

What we need is some of our up front Oz companies to release 406 models, I'm sure they have them ready.

Cheers, Kerry.

[dazza]

Hi All,
The general director of Cospas/Sarsat (or someone like that) was on the radio and said that they are changing the epirbs for a few reasons one is the US and Russians are going to phase out their systems. And currently the amount of false alarms costs an arm and a leg. The new ones will give specific ownership details etc so rescue authorities can pin point things a bit better. He recons they will cost about $300 once the old system is wound back
Cheers
Dazza