In article
,
Joe wrote:

You can gamble on some things, but not your EPIRB.
Go get a new Simrad
* 406MHz Distress Alert with 121.5MHz Homing Beacon
* Non-Hazardous Battery for easy, low cost transportation
* Five year battery life

Activation Method
Water

Battery Replacement (Years)
5

Built-In Strobe
Yes

Category
I

Floats
Yes

Frequency
406/121

GPS Enabled
No

Fully agreed with except:
Get the one *WITH GPS*, EG50 Auto or EG50 Man.

http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Products/Safety/

Time to relay position to MRCCs and initiate SAR response:

with GPS 5 minutes, anytime, anywhere

without GPS 50 minutes average, 100 minutes worst case
add another 100 minutes if you do not register your EPIRB (free) because
a SAR response will then only happen after the second pass.
LEOSAR satellites used to doppler measure the position circle the earth
every 100 minutes

Precision of localization:
with GPS to 0.05 nm, without to 2.6 nm

And by all means avoid the old style 121.5 MHz ONLY beacons as they are
out of service by 2009 because of too many false alarms.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_radiobeacon

An EPIRB with GPS can be had from USD 500 up.

And get VHF too - priceless to talk to and guide the helicopter
searching for you as reported about a month ago in this newsgroup.
It is not easy to locate a liferaft in less than ideal conditions.

HTH

Marc

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