| NOAA SARSAT | Cospas-Sarsat |
Satellites
will stop processing signals from 121.5 MHz
emergency beacons (EPIRBs and
ELTs) on 01 Feb 2009.
Search and Rescue
Satellite-Aided Tracking:
SARSAT
SARSAT
overview graphic
Is
your emergency beacon registered?
To enhance protection of life and property, it is mandatory that
emergency beacons be registered with NOAA before installation and that information be kept up to date.
Click here for easy online beacon
registration information.
Beacon Registration Website
SARSAT Information:
Training Presentations:
Properly Dispose of Old Beacons To Prevent False
Alerts
Discarded radio beacon triggers false alarm... [read
more]
A Survivor's
Story
A testimonial from Rudy Snel on surviving the sinking of Sean Seamour II, thanks
to an EPIRB [play
audio]
Beacon Types
There
are three types of beacons used to transmit distress signals:
ELT: Emergency Locator Transmitter for aviation use
121.5
MHz Phase Out: The
International Cospas-Sarsat Program will terminate satellite processing of
distress signals from 121.5 and 243 MHz emergency beacons on February 1,
2009. After this date, mariners, aviators and other persons will have to
switch to emergency beacons operating at 406 MHz in order to be detected by
satellites.
Coast
Guard Message
Code of Federal Regulations
Press
Release
Articles on
Phase Out
Distress Alerting Satellite System (DASS)
NASA
info on DASS
International Cospas-Sarsat
Program Website
SARSAT Agreements
U.S.
Interagency SARSAT MOU
Memorandum of Understanding Among the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), U. S. Coast Guard (USCG), U. S. Air Force
(USAF), and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Regarding
the U.S. Responsibilities for the Cospas-Sarsat System. Issue
1/Revision 2 dated April 20, 2003
U.S.
DASS MOA
Memorandum of Agreement Between
NASA, NOAA, The U. S. Air Force, The U. S. Coast Guard and The Department of Energy
Nuclear Security Administration Regarding the Development and Demonstration of
the Global Positioning System-Based Distress Alerting Satellite System (DASS). Effective
date February 2, 2003
International
Cospas-Sarsat Program Agreement
In fostering international cooperation for search and rescue, the purpose of
this Agreement is to: (a) assure the long
term operation of the System; (b) provide distress alert and location data from
the System to the international community in support of SAR operations; (c)
support, by providing these distress alert and location data, the objectives of
the IMO and the ICAO,
concerning search and rescue; and (d)
define the means by which the Parties shall coordinate the management of the System and cooperate with other national
authorities and relevant international organizations
in the operation and coordination of the System. Signed July 1, 1988