THE SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL ResQLink™ 400 & ResQLink™ View 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons Product User Manual Y1-03-0343 Rev.
ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Phone (954) 981-3333, Fax (954) 983-5087 www.acrartex.
manual, please contact our Technical Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc. +1 (954) 862-2110. Please read all Notes, Warnings and Cautions Carefully. CAUTION: Before proceeding to test or use your new ACR Electronics, Inc. (ACR) product, please read this Product User Manual in its entirety. WARNING: The Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) must be promptly registered with the appropriate National Authority. Failure to register the beacon could delay a Search and Rescue (SAR) response and may be unlawful.
Beacon (406 MHz) Registration Registering Your Beacon As the owner of this 406 MHz beacon, and due to the global alerting nature of the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system, it is a requirement that you register the beacon with the National Authority of your country (e.g. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration in the U.S., Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Australia - online registration preferred in Australia and the Rescue Coordination Centre in New Zealand).
Beacon (406 MHz) Registration What country should I register in? The beacon must be registered in the country of the owner’s residence. If the beacon is not programmed to that country’s code and protocol, and the residence is out of the USA, the beacon needs to be reprogrammed. Additionally, the beacon must be reprogrammed if you, as the owner, move out of the country where the beacon is registered.
Beacon (406 MHz) Registration Registration in Canada Canadian registration form is included with Canadian coded ACR PLBs The fastest and easiest way to register is online at: http://canadianbeaconregistry.forces.gc.
Anatomy of a Rescue How the Beacon Works How your beacon summons help: 406 MHz beacons are a type of portable emergency equipment that transmits a distress signal to search and rescue (SAR) organizations. The purpose of these beacons is to aid SAR teams in tracking and locating ships or individuals in jeopardy as rapidly as possible. The 406 MHz frequency is a worldwide dedicated emergency frequency that is detected by a network of satellites called the CospasSarsat system.
Anatomy of your Beacon (PLB-400) Anatomy of your Beacon A. Antenna Latch – Latch unlocks antenna from the beacon body. When unclipped, the antenna can be deployed to uncover ON/OFF button. A B. Strobe Light – Activates when the beacon is turned on. Facilitates rescue during low-light emergencies. C. Green LED light – Visual indicator of beacon activity. C D D. Red LED light – Visual indicator of beacon activity. F E. GPS Receiver – Location of GPS receiver, give clear view to sky and do not obstruct.
Anatomy of your Beacon (PLB-425) Anatomy of your Beacon The PLB-425 includes all the features (A through H) marked on the PLB-400 diagram on the previous page. The PLB-400 and PLB-425 are functionally the same except the PLB-425 also includes a digital screen as depicted by letter “I” in the diagram to the right. Throughout the rest of the manual, beacon images which include a screen represent the PLB-425 and images without a screen represent the PLB-400.
Overview Activating Your Beacon Personal Locator Beacons are designed to be manually 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. Note: Beacon should be activated in open space with clear view of the sky (eg.
Activating Your Beacon (continued) Activation with GPS When your unit is activated, the GPS receiver will turn on, search to find your Latitude (LAT) / Longitude (LON), and incorporate it into your 406 MHz signal. For the first 6 hours after beacon activation, the internal GPS will start up every 30 minutes, search to find your LAT/LON, and incorporate it into your next 406 MHz signal.
Activating Your Beacon Proper Positioning and Handling during Activation Do not cover the GPS receiver with your hand and make sure you have a clear view of the sky to ensure GPS is acquired. Above Ground. Above ground held in hand is also acceptable On Ground Intended Operational Environments: Make sure the antenna is pointing towards the sky, out of the water. Beacon is not intended to operate in water. While the unit is waterproof, it must be above the water’s surface to function properly.
User Interface: Digital Display during Operation (specific to PLB-425 model only) The following table describes the visual feedback on the digital display that the PLB-425 provides during activation. Digital Display Feedback During Activation The ACR logo appears indicating the beacon has been activated. The system reports that it is in the process of acquiring GPS.
Turning Your Beacon Off Turning off the beacon To deactivate your beacon, depress the ON/OFF button for 2 seconds. You will see 2 fast green LED flashes and all blinking LED lights will stop (and the screen will turn off on the PLB-425 model), signifying that the beacon is no longer sending your distress message. NOTE: Leave beacon on until rescued. Turning the beacon off will prolong or prevent rescue. Repeated activations could be viewed as a hoax.
Testing Your Beacon Your beacon has the ability to perform 2 different tests to ensure that the beacon is working perfectly. The first is a basic self-test which checks the beacon’s design performance and sends a self-test message transmitted with default location data. The second is a GPS/GNSS self-test that turns the GPS receiver on, acquires your position and then transmits this data in a 406 MHz self-test satellite burst (GPS and GNSS are used interchangeably to describe the GPS/GNSS Test).
User Interface: Digital Display during Self-Test (specific to PLB-425 model only) The following table describes the visual feedback on the digital display that the PLB-425 provides during a Self-Test. Digital Display Feedback During a Passed Self-Test The ACR logo appears indicating that the Beacon Self-Test has been initiated. The system performs a thorough testing of the beacon’s functionality and all tests pass.
Testing Your Beacon GPS Self-Test (GNSS Self-Test) The GPS receiver is located under the bottom front portion of the case (indicated by “GPS Give Clear View to Sky”). It is imperative that the receiver is not obstructed during the GPS self-test or during activation to ensure that the GPS receiver is acquiring your latitude (LAT) and longitude (LON) position. This test must be performed outside with a clear view of the sky.
User Interface: Digital Display during GPS/GNSS Test (specific to PLB-425 model only) Digital Display Feedback During a Passed GPS/GNSS Test The ACR logo appears indicating that the beacon GPS/GNSS Test has been initiated. The system reports that it is in the process of acquiring GPS. While acquiring GPS connection, the system reminds you that for optimum GPS performance, position the beacon so that it has a clear view of the sky.
Satellite Testing Your Beacon Optional Advanced through Satellite Testing and Beacon Management Additional features and through satellite testing services are available for this beacon when you subscribe to www.406Link.com. When you sign up for this optional service you can test your beacon and have confirmation messages sent to your cell phone or email. Visit 406Link.com for complete details. (This service is not required for your beacon to function as a Personal Locator Beacon.
False Alert A 406 MHz false alert MUST be reported to the search and rescue authorities. To report a 406 MHz false alert in the United States, contact: United States Air force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) Telephone: 1-800-851-3051 To report a false alert outside of the United States, contact the national authority where your beacon is registered. False alerts in Canada, notify the Canadian Mission Control Center by calling 1-800-211-8107.
Battery Replacement Replace the battery no later than the battery expiration date specified on the beacon, or after emergency use. At each inspection, check the time remaining until replacement is required. The battery should be replaced if the beacon has been activated for any use other than the selftest/GPS test. Always refer battery replacements and other beacon service to a factory authorized Battery Replacement Center. NOTE: There are no user serviceable items inside the beacon. DO NOT OPEN THE BEACON.
Lost or Stolen PLBs If your PLB is lost or stolen, do the following immediately: • • Report to your local authorities that the PLB has been lost or stolen. Contact your National Authority with the following information: ➢ Police department name ➢ Police department phone number ➢ Police case number If your PLB were to be activated, the information you provided will be forwarded to the appropriate search and rescue authorities who will ensure that your PLB gets back to you.
Weight 5.3 oz. (151 g) Buoyancy Category 1, buoyant The ResQLink View is a buoyant PLB but is not intended for operation in water. Intended operational environments include on ground and above ground including held in hand. In all cases, the beacon must be facing skyward with the antenna perpendicular.
Modulation Type Phase (16K0G1D) Digital Message Format 144 bits Long Message Serialized Beacons are shipped from ACR with a serialized code but can be reprogrammed at a service center to other coded formats including nationality of registration. Message Protocol Standard Location and National Location Duration 520 ms Rate 400 bps Encoding Biphase L Modulation +1.1 radians peak 121.5 MHz Transmitter Frequency 121.
Polarization Vertical VSWR Less than 1.5:1 CAUTION: Contains lithium batteries. Do not incinerate, puncture, deform, short-circuit or recharge. Do not dismantle the PLB, contains no user-serviceable parts. Dispose of the used PLB with the battery removed in accordance with local waste disposal regulations. Product Warranty Limited Warranty This product is warranted against factory defects in material and workmanship for a period of five years* from date of purchase or receipt as a gift.
