Product Support Manual Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) RLB-33 RLB-32 Y1-03-0148-2 Rev. H FCC ID: OWNER VESSEL CALL SIGN / MMSI SERIAL NUMBER B668L2ACR-RLB-33 B668L2ACR-RLB-32 ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Tel : +1 (954) 981-3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www.acrelectronics.com Email: info@acrelectronics.
* * * WARNING * * * THIS TRANSMITTER IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE ONLY DURING SITUATIONS OF GRAVE AND IMMINENT DANGER DELIBERATE MISUSE MAY INCUR A SEVERE PENALTY Magnet Safe Distance 1m (3.3 ft) Stereo Speaker Safe Distance 1m (3.3 ft) Keep this beacon a safe distance away from all magnetic sources Keep this beacon a safe distance away from all stereo speakers IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH YOUR NEW 406 BEACON, DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE STORE! CALL ACR ELECTRONICS AT +1 (800) 432-0227.
Table of Contents SECTION 1 – FOREWORD AND PRODUCT FEATURES.............................................................................................. 1 SECTION 2 – REGISTRATION OF 406 MHZ BEACONS ............................................................................................... 1 2.1 Registration Importance .................................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Where to Register..............................
SECTION 1 – FOREWORD AND PRODUCT FEATURES Thank you for purchasing from ACR Electronics, Inc. We design, manufacture and distribute quality products knowing they are used to save lives. Many of our products are required to be tested and approved by regulatory bodies worldwide. We believe in going beyond those specifications to insure our products work when needed in real world conditions. With proper care and maintenance your ACR product will last for years.
2.3 Registration in the United States It is the owner’s responsibility to register 406 MHz beacons that are programmed for and purchased in the United States. The national authority that accepts registrations in the United States is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The fastest and easiest way to register your beacon with NOAA is to use the online registration database at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov.
2.7 Commercial Vessels World Wide 406 MHz beacons that are carried on commercial vessels world wide should be registered with the country where the vessel is flagged regardless of where the vessel operates. When a commercial vessel acquires a 406 MHz beacon from outside of its home country, the beacon should be reprogrammed for the home country and registered there. 2.
3.2 Reporting of False Alarms Should there be, for any reason, an inadvertent activation or false alarm, it must be reported to the nearest search and rescue authorities. The information that should be reported includes the EPIRB 15-digit Unique Identifier Number (UIN), date, time, duration and cause of activation, as well as location of beacon at the time of activation.
4.3 Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) The ACR HydroFix™ HRU has an expiration date of 2 years from the date of installation or 3 years from the date manufactured, whichever comes first. Upon installing your beacon or new HRU, permanently scratch the new expiration date on the HRU date calendar (as seen below). Date of Installation Example: Date of installation of New HRU or First Installation of EPIRB including new HRU: August 1, 2007. This unit will need to be replaced in August of 2009.
SECTION 5 – ACTIVATION AND DEPLOYMENT 5.1 Bracket Configuration Figure 2 Figure 3 6 Y1-03-0148-2 Rev.
5.2 Dimension Drawings Category 1 Dimension Drawing NOT TO SCALE Bracket Sensor Magnet (inside bracket) Figure 4 7 Y1-03-0148-2 Rev.
Category 2 Dimension Drawing NOT TO SCALE Bracket Sensor Magnet (inside bracket) Figure 5 8 Y1-03-0148-2 Rev.
5.3 Configuration Overview Category 1 beacons are designed to be automatically deployed and activated. The beacon may also be hand held on the deck of vessels, or floated in water and attached to a raft or life vest with the lanyard provided. Category 2 beacons are designed to be manually deployed from the bracket. The beacon is designed to operate best while floating in water. Hand held operation should be avoided when possible. Do not operate inside life raft or under any similar cover or canopy.
ON position: Notice the Activation Indicator Plastic Pin has been broken off. OFF position: Note the Activation Indicator Plastic Pin Figure 6 Note: Some countries may fine vessel owners for causing false alarms. The permanent breakage of the Activation Indicator Plastic Pin is a positive indication of a manual activation. 5.7 Manual Activation without Deployment The beacon can be activated while still in its bracket by placing the thumb switch in the ON position.
If the thumb switch is accidentally or inadvertently put in the vertical or test position (not in the OFF or ON position), the beacon would still be turned ON and will drain the battery. It is very unlikely that this would happen, however, if this should occur, the beacon will sound a beep once per second and will alternately flash the red and green LEDs at a rate of one per second until the beacon is turned OFF.
accomplished by two methods: first, by always leaving a properly functioning GPS connected to the RapidFix™ before activation and second, by connecting a properly functioning GPS with a valid position fix and allowing sufficient time to acquire valid GPS position data. This will take a nominal 20 minutes if old GPS position data is stored in the memory of the RapidFix™.
6.3 Shore Based Maintenance (SBM) for SOLAS Vessels, IMO MSC/Circ. 1039 The Maritime Safety Committee approved guidelines for shore-based maintenance of satellite beacons, for the purpose of establishing standardized procedures and minimum levels of service for the testing and maintenance of satellite beacons. First Shore Based Maintenance on all ACR EPIRBs is due at the date of the first battery replacement. 6.4 Annual Testing for SOLAS Vessels, IMO MSC/Circ. 1040 SOLAS regulation IV/15.
Figure 10- Satellite Coverage 7.3 Figure 11- GEOSAR Satellite Orbits Global Positioning System (GPS) The GPS system is a satellite group that enables a GPS receiver to determine its exact position to within 30 m (100 ft.) anywhere on earth. With a minimum of 24 GPS satellites orbiting the earth at an altitude of approximately 11,000 miles they provide users with accurate information on position, velocity, and time anywhere in the world and in all weather conditions.
Applicable Standards Part 80 Subpart V – EPIRBs FCC Part 80 Subpart W – GMDSS (Cat. 1 only) RTCM RTCM Recommended Standards for 406 MHz Satellite EPIRBs C/S T.001 – Specification for C/S 406 MHz Distress Beacons COSPAS/SARSAT C/S T.007 –C/S 406 MHz Distress Beacon Type Approval Standard Annex A.1, Item No. A.1/5.6 – 406 MHz (C/S) Satellite EPIRB MED Annex B, Model B IMO Resolution A.694(17) – General Requirements for GMDSS Equipment IMO IMO Resolution A.
8.4 Specifications 406 MHz Transmitter 406 MHz Frequency Output 5 Watts Power Digital RLB-33: Standard Location Protocol2 Message RLB-32: Standard Location Protocol1 Format RLB-33: 520 ms Duration RLB-32: 440 ms Frequency ±2 parts per billion/100ms Stability 400 bps Rate ±1.1 radians peak Modulation Biphase L Encoding 1 Leaves ACR with Serialized U.S. code but can be reprogrammed at a service center to Maritime or other coded format including nationality of registration. 2 Leaves ACR with Serialized U.S.
ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645 Tel: +1 (954) 981 3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www.acrelectronics.com European Office 1 Rose Cottages, Pitmore Lane, Sway, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 6BX UK Tel: +44-1590-682282 Fax: +44-1590-683828 Email: acr.europe@dial.pipex.
ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645 Tel: +1 (954) 981 3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www.acrelectronics.com European Office 1 Rose Cottages, Pitmore Lane, Sway, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 6BX UK Tel: +44-1590-682282 Fax: +44-1590-683828 Email: acr.europe@dial.pipex.
ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645 Tel: +1 (954) 981 3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www.acrelectronics.com European Office 1 Rose Cottages, Pitmore Lane, Sway, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 6BX UK Tel: +44-1590-682282 Fax: +44-1590-683828 Email: acr.europe@dial.pipex.
ACR ELECTRONICS INC.
ACR ELECTRONICS INC.
