OWNER VESSEL RADIO CALL SIGN UIN #
CAUTION: Before proceeding to install, test or use your new ACR Electronics’ product, please read this Product Support Manual in its entirety. If you have questions regarding the contents of the manual, please contact our Technical Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc., Telephone +1 (954) 981- 3333. Please be ready to provide the technician with the page number you wish to discuss.
Table of Contents STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON ____________________________ 3 STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS _____________________________ 6 STEP THREE - INSTALLING THE BEACON_____________________________ 15 STEP FOUR - MAINTAINING THE BEACON ___________________________ 19 APPENDIX A - USING AND TESTING THE GPS SYSTEMS__________________ 25 APPENDIX B - THE COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM __________________________ 26 APPENDIX C - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ___________________________ 27 APPENDIX D - WARRANTY, US
STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON 1. Why is registration important? As the owner of this 406 MHz beacon, it is mandatory that you register it with the EPIRB national authority of your country: It is the law. Please note that all 406 MHz beacons are required to have their registration updated every two years by the owner. Your unique ID code programmed inside each EPIRB is transmitted to Search and Rescue (SAR).
2. What country should I register in? Register your beacon with the EPIRB national authority of the country for which the beacon was programmed, typically the country where purchased, regardless of where you do your boating. The beacon must be reprogrammed if you, as the owner, move or the vessel sails under the flag of a different country than the one for which the beacon was previously programmed.
Registration outside of the United States In countries other than the United States, 406 MHz beacons are registered with that country’s national authority at the time of purchase. The sales agent should have assisted you in filling out the forms and sending them to the country’s national authority. Alternatively, many countries allow online registration in the International 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) at www.406registration.com.
STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS 1. How your beacon brings 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 special system of satellites called the Cospas-Sarsat system.
2. Anatomy of your beacon NOTE: When unpacking your beacon, it is recommended that you save the original packaging for re-use when shipping the beacon for battery replacement in the future. // Activation switch with Witness Tab The activation switch embodies a special, patented method of activating a beacon. Refer to a subsequent section of this manual for how to activate the beacon. // Internal GPS engine The internal GPS engine is located where it can most readily get a clear view of the sky.
Strobes Antenna Top View Activation/Test Switch Green LED Red LED Internal GPS Receiver Switch Positions TEST Position OFF/READY Position Y1-03-0242 Rev.
Category 1 – SeaShelter™3 Bracket Spring Release knob Ejector spring HydroFix™ Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) Antenna hook Front cover hook (detent) Category 2 – LowPro™3 Bracket Water Sensor Deactivation Magnet Antenna hook Front Cover Release Tabs Release Latch Y1-03-0242 Rev.
3. Activating your beacon WARNING: This transmitter is authorized for use only during situations of grave and imminent danger. Deliberate misuse may incur a severe penalty. Overview Category I beacons are designed to be automatically deployed and activated in the event of a sinking vessel. 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 II beacons are designed to be manually deployed from the bracket.
Category I beacons-Automatic deployment and activation If the vessel sinks, the HydroFix™ HRU frees the beacon from the bracket, allowing it to float to the surface. Built-in sensors detect that the beacon is no longer in its bracket and when continuity is created by water between two of the top cap screws, an activation circuit is completed. NOTE: Transmission of the 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz signals will not occur until 100 seconds after activation.
Category I and II Beacons-Manual Activation Without Deployment The beacon can be manually activated while still in its bracket by placing the Activation Switch in the ON position. Activation by this method overrides all sensors and turns the beacon “ON.” Push the main switch up 90 degrees, slide toward antenna and all the way down to activate.
TIPS FOR OPTIMUM DEPLOYMENT OF AN ACTIVATED BEACON: When activating and deploying your beacon in an emergency, DO NOT: // Hold or clutch the beacon or antenna // Operate the beacon while hand held, if at all possible // Turn the beacon off for any reason, including to save power // Activate the beacon if you have any other means of self rescue // Operate the beacon inside a life raft or under any other canopy or cover // Tether the beacon to the bracket or vessel When activating and deploying your beacon in
// // // // Precautions to prevent false alarms Do not mount or transport the beacon within 4.6ft/1.4m of a magnetic source. Do not store the beacon outside of its bracket. Do not mount the EPIRB backwards in its bracket (lanyard roll must face in). Do not clean the beacon with a water hose and brush while out of its bracket. Reporting Should there be, for any reason, an inadvertent activation or false alarm, it must be reported to the nearest search and rescue authorities.
STEP THREE - INSTALLING THE BEACON 1. Marking battery and Hydrostatic Release Unit expiration dates NOTE: It is the beacon owner’s responsibility to record the expiration dates for both the beacon battery and the HydroFix™ hydrostatic release unit. This information must appear on the product itself. The left side of the battery housing indicates the battery expiry date. Space is provided for the beacon owner to mark the date the beacon was placed into service.
CAUTION: Category I brackets must be mounted free from obstruction to allow the beacon to automatically float free from the vessel in case of sinking. The SeaShelter3™ can be mounted on a vertical surface with the beacon antenna pointing skyward or a horizontal surface with the beacon face up. Avoid mounting locations that subject the bracket to breaking waves. Avoid structures like dodgers or cabin tops that could trap the beacon upon deployment.
CAUTION: Keep this beacon a safe distance away from all magnetic sources. Magnet safe distance is 4.6ft or 1.4m, including the distance from stereo speakers. 3. Category I bracket The SeaShelter3™ Category I bracket has five pre-drilled screw holes to use for securing the bracket to a flat surface. Remove the SeaShelter 3™ lid by turning the spring loaded knob on the lid 1/4 turn counterclockwise and pull. The lid will lift away from the top of the base and disengage at the bottom of the base.
4. Category II bracket Category II brackets are designed to hold the beacon securely in place. The beacon must be manually deployed. The bracket can be mounted on a vertical flat surface with beacon antenna up or on a horizontal flat surface facing skyward. This location must be easily accessible in order to manually deploy the beacon or to perform the required maintenance and functionality tests. Typical locations include near the helm station or just inside the companionway door.
STEP FOUR - MAINTAINING THE BEACON 1.
Always refer battery replacement and any other beacon service to a factory authorized Service Center. Find a Center near you at http://www.acrelectronics.com/brc.htm. Battery replacement includes servicing the beacon by replacing all o-rings, testing the water seal and the electrical properties and doing a full functional test on the unit. NOTE: There are no user serviceable items inside the beacon. Do not open the beacon except to disable (in case of faulty or accidental activation).
6. Changing ownership or contact information As the owner of the beacon, it is your responsibility to advise the national authority of any change in the information on the registration form. If you are transferring the beacon to a new owner, you are required to inform the national authority. You can do this by using their online database or by letter, fax or telephone and informing the authority of the name and address of the new owner.
To remove the expired HRU When opening the SeaShelter3™ lid, note that the beacon is installed with the lanyard face in. Pull the beacon with steady pressure from the bracket. Do not get beacon wet while out of bracket. The HRU has a keying feature that locks it to the bracket. If you view the HRU rod as the center of a clock, a properly installed HRU will rest at the 7 o’clock position, as shown in the picture above. WARNING: The HRU holds down an ejection spring.
9. Servicing the LowPro3™ To remove a beacon from the Category II bracket, lift the latch and release the pressure from the beacon. The beacon will now be able to slide upwards out of the bracket. ™ It is not anticipated that the LowPro3 cleaning or, rarely, replacement. will require servicing other than Brackets are a key part of the overall beacon system. They hold a beacon ready for deployment while preventing false alarms.
11. Extended GPS test The beacon may be tested for GPS functionality, however, this may only be done once in the five-year lifetime of the battery due to the significant drain on the battery. This test is not necessary at any time in the life of the beacon, but is made available in the event that the beacon owner wishes to verify internal GPS engine viability. An extended GPS test may be invoked by holding the switch in test position for 10 seconds after Self-Test completes.
APPENDIX A - USING AND TESTING THE GPS SYSTEMS 1. Internal GPS position system The GlobalFix™ PRO is fitted with an internal GPS receiver that will determine the coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the beacon’s position on the globe, to be transmitted to the Cospas-Sarsat emergency system. When the beacon is turned on, the internal GPS is immediately turned on and it attempts to acquire positional coordinates. GPS coordinates can be acquired any time that the GPS is on, but only valid data is saved.
APPENDIX B - THE COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM 1. General overview EPIRBs transmit to the satellite portion of the Cospas-Sarsat system. Cospas-Sarast satellites are an international system that utilizes Russian Federation and United States’ low altitude, near-polar orbiting satellites (LEOSAR). These satellites assist in detecting and locating activated 406 MHz satellite beacons. Cospas-Sarsat satellites receive distress signals from EPIRBs transmitting on the frequency of 406 MHz.
APPENDIX C - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL/ ENVIRONMENTAL Beacon size (without antenna) 17.7 H X 10.67 W X 9.09 D cm (6.97 X 4.2 X 3.58 in) Beacon weight 581 g (20.
APPENDIX D - WARRANTY, USEFUL LIFE POLICY, NOTICES 1. 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. During the warranty period ACR Electronics, Inc. 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.
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION SHORE BASED MAINTENANCE The Maritime Safety Committee approved guidelines for shore-based maintenance (SBM) of satellite EPIRBs, for the purpose of establishing standardized procedures and minimum levels of service for the testing and maintenance of satellite EPIRBs to ensure maximum reliability whilst minimizing the risk of false distress alerts. (IMO MSC/Circ.
