Emergency Beacon via onboard GPS

Alan,

Are you sure on your EPIRB facts?

The new 406 MHz beacons do all that you are after and some of thenm include a built-in GPS.

Extract from the Australian Marine Safety Authority:-

"The 406 MHz distress beacon emits both an analogue 121.5 MHz signal and a digital 406 MHz signal. The digital signal carries a code which identifies the beacon while the analogue signal is to enable aircraft to home on location. That digital code can be cross referenced with a database of registered 406 MHz beacon owners held at AMSA which identifies who is in trouble and what type of situation they are in. This enables the search and rescue authorities to tailor a response to the emergency situation.

A 406 MHz beacon narrows its position to within 5 kilometres. This can be reduced to just 120 metres if the beacon includes a Global Positioning System. Detection of 406 MHz beacons can be near instantaneous from a geo-stationary satellite."

Don't know of anything like that, but a satelite phone and a gps would work just as well. In fact better, as you can tell the person at the other end of the phone what the emergency is.

R.

Hello - I think some HF radios have this ability when linked to GPS. You could also just ring up on a sat phone or HF radio and tell people your position off a GPS..this is probably the best, most reliable method currently available. I thought epirbs also gave rough position?
Cheers
Greg

Indeed - as others have suggested, when the chips are down (when the ballon goes up - when you are in deep shtoom - wheninsert additional cliche of choice here, simplicity is your greatest ally. A budget GPS unit will allow YOU to ascertain the coords reliably. All you need then is the long distance comms facility - HF or Satphone - A used Satphone or a basic used HF will see the whole exercise done for about $7-800 maybe - maybe buy the budget GPS and hire the comms. I'd much rather be talking to someone 'anywhere' if I was in trouble, that to simply flick a switch on an epirb and hope ! Even though some of the phones/HF will auto send GPS coords, you'll be happier I suggest if you have personally conveyed the figures to others on line - at least you know they have it !

I am told that sat phones work well in open dry country but have limitations in thick bush, raining, snowing and or heavy mist. Can anyone confirm this ?

Hi all,
First thanks for your responces.

Assuming every one has a GPS when they are out 'there', the Sat phone would be the best way to go. It offers two way comms and if a GPS is on board (and working), then all good.

The HF idea seems ok as well. Cheaper and well proven technology.

What wattage would be required at 12volts, to transmitt to a reciever 100kms away or 200kms: Can anyone give a me a sample HF Transciever model and what exactly would the frequency range be?

Are there any HF transcievers that incorporate external RS232 (USB, Parallel or any other sockets) for connection to a GPS or optional control boards??

With the 406Mhz beacons, besides the activation data being transmitted to Canberra (and the rest of whomever is listening). I would assume that the GPS location is known - but then again no comms, just location! :(

Ok, thanks again.

Must be honest here guys. I'm trying to put together a resuce device so that if someone or a group, is lost in the outback and they are with a dead vehicle - yet come across a 'standalone' device stitting on the ground 15kms away from the dead 4x4. They hit a button and it sends a location signal to the 'resucers' 100km away. They get the signal (know which device has been activated, becuase 3 have been deployed!), and can then talk to the person who pressed the button - offering medical or practical assistance, whilst the helicopter is sent to help them.

The HF radio seems ok, but a GPS location has to be sent as well. An onboard GPS would be fairly ok - but not if your Japanese and no not Engrish :)

Cheers,

Alan.

Both Barrett and codan HF's for the last few models can transmit positions in a selcall if connected to a GPS.
Some can also be called/selcalled and asked for the current position by another radio without operator input at the vehicle end. My 550 Barrett can do this and it is by no means new but over ten years old now.

Once again thanks to you all for giving me suggestions.

I think that Peter 2 - has hit the nail on the head. And i will look into that avenue with a bit more zeal.

I had considered using UHF, but HF seems the way to go.

Thanks, again.

Alan.