Security Levels

Emergency Beacons

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

EPIRB registration form ELT registration form PLB registration form

SARSAT Information:

Cospas-Sarsat brochure
SAR Satellites Help Save Lives article from CG Magazine, Dec 2007

Training Presentations:

SARSAT System Overview [view presentation]
How EPIRBs Work [view presentation]
Time to get a 406 MHz ELT for your aircraft [view presentation]
Testing magnets installed on EPIRB brackets [view presentation]

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:

EPIRB: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon for maritime use

EPIRB Fact Sheet
Fishing vessel carriage requirements 46 CFR 25.26
121.5 MHz EPIRBs Prohibited 47 CFR 80.1051

ELT: Emergency Locator Transmitter for aviation use

Aircraft carriage requirements 14 CFR 91.207
Time to get a 406 MHz ELT

PLB: Personal Locator Beacon for land-based applications

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

Information Bulletin Feb 2008
Information Bulletin Feb 2007

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

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Last Modified 9/5/2008