User manual ACR ELECTRONICS PLB-300 REV B

[. . . ] * * * WARNING * * * THIS TRANSMITTER IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE ONLY DURING SITUATIONS OF GRAVE AND IMMINENT DANGER DELIBERATE MISUSE MAY INCUR A SEVERE PENALTY IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH YOUR NEW 406 BEACON, DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE STORE!MANY QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED OVER THE PHONE. LIMITED WARRANTY This product is warranted against factory defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 (one) year* from date of purchase or receipt as a gift. will repair or, at its option, replace the unit at no cost to you for labor, materials and return transportation from ACR. For further assistance, please contact our Technical Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc. , 5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645. [. . . ] Responsibly reporting these events to the AFRCC or your proper authority will not incur a penalty, but deliberate misuse or not notifying the proper authority may incur a severe penalty. TO REPORT FALSE ALERTS WORLDWIDE, CONTACT THE NATIONAL AUTHORITY WHERE YOUR BEACON IS REGISTERED. SECTION 4 ­ OPERATION The ResQFixTM and MicrOFixTM 406 GPS beacon models are designed to be manually deployed and activated. They are only to be activated when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted. When properly registered as required, the activation of the beacon tells Search and Rescue who you are, where you are, and that you are facing a life threatening situation. ON / OFF Button Activation Diagram When activated: (Red LED) 406 MHz Only (Green LED) 406 MHz includes GPS data Self Test / GPS Test Button (IR LED) Programming Interface (Not owner accessible) NOTE: If you notice the PLB is flashing the red or green LED and BEEPING periodically on its own, this likely means it has accidentally been activated and needs to be shut off and reported. B 6 4. 1 Activation (406 MHz and 121. 5 MHz) To activate your beacon in a distress situation, follow these steps: 1) Unfasten the antenna from the case. 3) Depress the ON/OFF button for 1 full second. You will hear a BEEP and your beacon is now activated. While transmitting your distress signal, the red LED will flash once every 2 seconds alerting you that your beacon is active. An additional BEEP will sound every time your beacon transmits data to the satellites (roughly every 50 seconds). Figure 3 - Activation 4. 2 406/121. 5 Antenna Position For maximum performance you must deploy the beacon antenna into the proper position (see figure 3). If at all possible, be sure the antenna is positioned facing the sky and avoid submerging in water. This device is intended to operate on or above the ground or while attached to your person above the water line. Activation with GPS Your beacon is equipped with an internal GPS receiver. Once activated, the GPS engine will start up and search to find your LAT/LON and incorporate it into your 406 MHz signal. As soon as the GPS receiver acquires good positioning data the red LED will stop blinking and the green LED will begin flashing once every 2 seconds. The same GPS data will be sent with each 406 MHz signal for the next twenty minutes. At that time the internal GPS will start up again, search to find your LAT/LON and incorporate it into your next 406 MHz signal. If for any reason the internal GPS cannot update your LAT/LON, your last position will be used for the next four hours. At that time the green LED will stop blinking and the red LED will flash once every 2 seconds until new GPS data is obtained. 4. 3 Y1-03-0228 Rev. B 7 4. 4 GPS Receiver Orientation When activated it is critical that you do not cover the beacon with any body part, water, clothing, etc. The GPS receiver is located under the bottom portion of the case behind the ResQFixTM or MicrOFixTM logo (see figure 4). To ensure optimum performance of the GPS receiver, the beacon needs to have an unobstructed view of the sky. Water will shield and inhibit the GPS receiver and may cause difficulties obtaining your GPS coordinates. [. . . ] B 11 The addition of the GEOSAR satellite system greatly improves the reaction time for a SAR event. This satellite system has no Doppler capabilities at 406 MHz, but will relay the distress alert to any of the LUT stations. When there is GPS data included in the distress message, SAR authorities instantly know your location to within 110 yards (100 m). This speeds up the reaction time by not having to wait for one of the LEOSAR satellite to pass overhead. [. . . ]