ACR Electronics ResQLink PLB-400 Operational manual

ResQLink™400 & ResQLink™ View
406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons
Product User Manual
Y1-03-0343 Rev. A
Models: PLB-400 & PLB-425
Part Numbers: 2921 & 2922
THE SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL
Name of Owner/Organization:

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ACR Electronics, Inc.
5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Phone [phone], Fax [phone]
www.acrartex.com
Table of Contents
Beacon (406MHz) Registration
4
Anatomy of a Rescue
7
Anatomy of Your Beacon
8
Activating Your Beacon
10
User Interface: Digital Display during Operation
13
Turning Your Beacon Off
14
Testing Your Beacon –Self-Test
15
User Interface: Digital Display during Self-Test
16
Testing Your Beacon –GPS/GNSS Self-Test
17
User Interface: Digital Display during GPS/GNSS
Test
18
Satellite Testing Your Beacon
19
False Alarms
19
Beacon Maintenance
20
Product Specifications
22
Product Warranty
25
Appendix A - Accessories
26
This manual supports all configurations of PLB-400 and PLB-425 beacons. Depending on
country of registration, the beacon will have a unique country code identification in the
part number (for example, 2921.62 or 2922.64). As long as the first four digits are the
same as one of the part numbers on the cover, this manual is applicable. If you have
questions regarding the contents of this manual or something not covered in the

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manual, please contact our Technical Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc. +1
[phone].
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.
WARNING:
This transmitter is authorized for use only during situations of grave
and imminent danger. Deliberate misuse may incur a severe
penalty.
WARNING:
CAUTION:
Notice to the public, do not move beacon if found, report position
to authorities
False alerts endanger lives and cause expensive disruption to
Search and Rescue services. Deliberate misuse of the beacon could
result in a penalty and fine.
CAUTION:
Do not dismantle the PLB. It contains no user-serviceable parts.
CAUTION:
Contains lithium batteries. Do not incinerate, puncture, deform,
short-circuit or recharge.
Disposal:
Remove the Lithium battery. Dispose of the used battery in
accordance with local waste disposal regulations.
Air Travel:
Product contains small lithium metal batteries that comply with
IATA SP 188-PI 970 Air Cargo. Always check with air carrier
concerns for any additional restrictions.

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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).
Please note that in many countries all 406 MHz
beacons are required to have their registration
updated every two years by the owner. Please check
the requirements for your country of registration.
How Registration Works
All 406 MHz beacons transmit a Unique Identifier
Number (UIN) when activated. The UIN is identified as
the 15 digit Hex ID on the beacon (see enlarged label image below for location of Hex ID on
your beacon). This Hex ID/UIN is programmed into the beacon based on the country in which
the beacon is registered, thus authorities are able to determine which country’s database will
have your registration information. Information provided during registration is used only for
rescue purposes and provides Search and Rescue forces with information as to who you are as
the owner of the beacon, the name and type of vessel that you have (if applicable), your
address, and who to contact that might know of your situation, but only if your beacon has
been properly registered.
Valuable search and rescue resources are wasted every year responding to false alerts. Please
register your beacon immediately to help resolve this issue of wasted resources.
C/S 15 HEX: A4CC3 3FFA44 FFBFF
MFG: MMM YY C/S TAC: XXX
Cntry: USA (XXX) –S/N: XXXXX
Model: PLB-XXX P/N: XXXX

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User Tip
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. To verify the country for which a
beacon is programmed, see the label with the
Unique Identification Number on the back of the
unit.
For a complete list of all countries with
registration information visit www.406registration.com
Please check to make sure that your PLB is registered correctly.
How do I register?
Registration in the United States –The national authority that accepts registrations in the United States is
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A NOAA registration form is included with
U.S. coded ACR PLBs (Australian coded ACR PLBs include a registration card and New Zealand coded ACR
PLBs include a registration form).
If not registering online, hard copies of registration forms will be entered in the 406 MHz beacon
registration database within 48 hours of receipt. The information you provide on the registration form is
used for rescue purposes only.
A confirmation letter, a copy of the registration, and a registration decal (see sample image on the left in
the “User Tip” window below) will be mailed to you within two weeks by NOAA. When you receive these
documents, please check the information carefully, and then affix the decal to your beacon in the area
marked “Place Beacon Decal Here.”
It is very important that the UIN on the registration decal matches the UIN on the beacon label (see
sample beacon label on the right and sample registration decal on the left in the “User Tip” window
below). If you do not receive your registration decal back from NOAA within two weeks, call this toll free
number [phone] for assistance.
The fastest and easiest way to
register is online at:
www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/
Or send the original, signed form
by mail to:
NOAA SARSAT Beacon
Registration
NSOF E/SPO53
1315 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282
Or fax form to :
301-817-4565
C/S 15 HEX: A4CC3 3FFA44 FFBFF
MFG: MMM YY C/S TAC: XXX
Cntry: USA (XXX) –S/N: XXXXX
Model: PLB-XXX P/N: XXXX

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Beacon (406 MHz) Registration
Registration in Other Countries
In countries other than the United States and Canada, 406 MHz beacons are registered with
that country’s national authority at the time of purchase. The sales agent may have assisted
you in filling out the forms and sending them to the country’s national authority.
To verify that the unit is properly programmed for your country, view the UIN label on the back
of the unit. In the event that the beacon is not programmed for your country, the sales agent
(if properly equipped) can reprogram the unit for the correct country.
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.ca/
Or mail to:
Canadian Beacon Registry
CFB Trenton, PO Box 1000 Stn Forces,
Astra, Ontario K0K 3W0
Or fax to:
Fax registration form:
[phone]
International customers should visit
www.406registration.com
and view the Beacon Registration Contacts List
to find the proper location to register your
beacon.

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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 Cospas-
Sarsat system. This satellite system was
established by, and continues to be supported
by, its primary benefactors –the USA, Russia,
Canada and France. The Cospas-Sarsat system
has saved tens of thousands of lives, and
counting, since its inception.
When a 406 MHz beacon is activated, the
digital distress message is sent to Cospas-
Sarsat satellites and, in turn, the distress
message is relayed to SAR forces via a Rescue
Coordination Centre (RCC). The distress
message contains the beacon UIN and on some models, the GPS location of the beacon.
Additional information about the beacon is accessed by SAR forces from the beacon registration
database. At the same time the 406 MHz signal is activated, a 121.5 MHz signal is turned on.
The 121.5 MHz signal is used by SAR forces to home in on the beacon as they approach it.
The 406 MHz signal is detected by multiple satellites and from that information the location of
the beacon can be calculated. This data alone is sufficient for SAR to find persons or ships in
distress in a reasonable timeframe. However, as a further enhancement, some beacons have a
GPS engine on board (all ACR PLB’s currently manufactured include a GPS engine on board).
This feature allows the beacon to acquire current location coordinates from an internal GPS
receiver. The purpose of this feature is the send an even more precise location of the beacon to
the satellites (i.e., latitude and longitude data). This helps SAR to reach the location even
faster.
Learn more about the Cospas-Sarsat
satellite system: www.cospas-sarsat.org

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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.
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.
D. Red LED light –Visual indicator of beacon activity.
E. GPS Receiver –Location of GPS receiver, give clear
view to sky and do not obstruct.
F. ON/OFF button –Activates the beacon when
pressed for 2 seconds. Once activated, pressing the
on/off button for 2 seconds again turns the beacon off.
(Button is not accessible until antenna is deployed).
G. TEST button–Activate Self-test or GPS test.
H. Antenna –Wraps around product and protects
ON/OFF button.
WARNING: This transmitter is authorized for
use only during situations of grave and
imminent danger. Deliberate misuse may
incur a severe penalty.
PLB WITH
ANTENNA CLOSED
A
D
C
B
E
F
G
H
H
PLB WITH
ANTENNA
DEPLOYED
A

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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.
WARNING: This transmitter is authorized for
use only during situations of grave and
imminent danger. Deliberate misuse may
incur a severe penalty.
A
D
C
B
E
F
G
I

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Activating Your Beacon
Overview
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. Not under any sort of cover or canopy)
How to Activate Your Beacon
To activate your beacon in a distress situation, follow these steps:
1. Unclip the antenna latch from the case and rotate antenna
90 degrees into the upright position. (ON/OFF button will be
exposed on face of beacon once antenna is in upright
position)
2. Depress the ON/OFF button for 2 seconds.
When activated:
The strobe light will flash twice and the red LED will
flash once to let you know the beacon has been
activated. The strobe light and Infrared (IR) strobe light
will both then continue to flash once approximately
every 10 seconds for the entire time the beacon is
activated (Note: The IR strobe is not visible to the
naked eye). The red LED will flash approximately once
every 5 seconds prior to the beacon acquiring your GPS
coordinates.
Once the beacon acquires your GPS coordinates, the
flashing red light will be replaced by a flashing green
light which will flash approximately once every 5
seconds.
When the red light is replaced by the green light, this
indicates that your beacon has successfully acquired
your GPS coordinates and is transmitting them along
with your 406 MHz distress signal.