ACR Electronics PLB-350B Installation instructions

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PRODUCT SUPPORT MANUAL
PLB-350B
406 MHz Personal Locator Beacons
Product No.: 2882 (AquaLink™)
2883 (SARLink™)
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About Cobham Beacon Solutions, ACR Products
Cobham Beacon Solutions, ACR Products
www.acrelectronics.com, designs and manufactures a complete
line of safety and survival products including EPIRBs, PLBs, AIS,
SARTs, Strobe Lights, Life Jacket Lights, Search Lights and safety
accessories. The quality systems of this facility have been
registered by UL to the ISO 9001:2000 Series Standards.
Recognized as the world leader in safety and survival
technologies, ACR has provided safety equipment to the aviation
and marine industries as well as to the military since 1956.
About Cobham plc
Cobham plc is an international company engaged in the
development, delivery and support of advanced aerospace and
defense systems for land, sea, air and space. The company has
four divisions that collectively specialize in the provision of
components, subsystems and services that keep people safe,
improve communications and enhance the capability of aerospace
and defense platforms.
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 or
something not covered in the manual, please contact our Technical
Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc., Telephone +1 (954)
981-3333. You can also visit our website at
www.acrelectronics.com and access the Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) section for further information. If in the future
you lose this manual, you may access and print a replacement on
the ACR website.
PLEASE READ ALL WARNINGS, CAUTIONS AND NOTES
CAREFULLY

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Table of Contents
STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON _____________________ 3
STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS ______________________ 5
STEP THREE - MAINTAINING YOUR PLB______________________ 13
APPENDIX A - ACCESSORIES _______________________________ 17
APPENDIX B - THE COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM___________________ 18
APPENDIX C - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ____________________ 19
APPENDIX D - WARRANTY, USEFUL LIFE POLICY, NOTICES ________ 20
APPENDIX E –RESTRICTIONS ON USE ________________________ 21
NOTE re: Applicable products
This manual supports all configurations of PLB-350B beacons. In addition
to the part numbers listed on the cover page, other configurations of these
products may be available, thus you may have purchased a product
configuration with a different version of the part number (for example,
2880.63). As long as the first four digits are the same as one of the part
numbers on the cover, this manual is applicable.

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STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON
Why is registration important?
As the owner of this 406 MHz beacon, it is mandatory that you register
it with the PLB 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.
HOW REGISTRATION WORKS:
All 406 MHz beacons transmit a Unique Identifier Number (UIN) when
activated. The UIN is programmed based on the country in which the
beacon's owner resides, thus authorities are able to determine which
country‟s database will have your registration information. SAR forces
will have 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 current situation - but only if your
beacon has been properly registered. Valuable search and rescue
resources are wasted every year responding to false alerts, and
registering your beacon helps to resolve this quickly.
Your personalized ID code
programmed inside each beacon is
transmitted to Search and Rescue
(SAR). SAR forces use this code to pull
up your registration to find out valuable
information about who needs help.
YOUR RESCUE WILL
BE DELAYED IF YOUR
BEACON ISN‟T PROPERLY
REGISTERED!

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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 outside of the USA, the beacon needs to be
reprogrammed.
The beacon must be reprogrammed if you, as the owner, permanently
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 UIN
(Unique Identification Number) on the back of the unit.
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).
There are three ways to register:
1. The fastest and easiest way to register is online at
www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/.
2. Faxing a registration is also acceptable. Fax the registration form to
the fax number on the top of the registration form.
NOTE: Do not confuse the registration form with the ACR Electronics
warranty card.
3. If online or fax registration is not available, mail the registration form
with the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope to:
SARSAT Beacon Registration NOAA
NSOF, E/SP053
4231 Suitland Road
Suitland, MD 20746
All 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 actual registration and a proof-of-
registration decal will be mailed to you within two weeks. When you
receive these documents, please check the information carefully,
and then affix the decal to your beacon in the area marked “BEACON
DECAL HERE.” It is very important that the proof of registration
decal matches the UIN on the beacon. If you do not receive
confirmation back from NOAA within two weeks, call toll free (888) 212-
7283 for assistance.

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Registration in Canada
Canadian residents can register online at:
http://canadianbeaconregistry.forces.gc.ca/ or contact the Canadian
Beacon Registry by phone at: 877-406-7671 or by fax at: 877-406-3298.
Canadian Beacon Registry
CFB Trenton, PO Box 1000 Stn Forces
Astra, Ontario K0K 3W0
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. Alternatively,
many countries allow online registration in the International 406 MHz
Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) at www.406registration.com.
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.
STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS
NOTE: Please be aware that, throughout your user manual, reference is
made to the beacon „BEEPING‟. Please note that the „beeps‟ are of a very
high pitched tone that some people are unable to hear. Be aware that the
beeps are not the indication of a fully functional beacon but only a guidance
to Technicians and Engineers to troubleshoot the unit.
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 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 over 28,400 lives - and
counting - since its inception. See Appendix or the Cospas-Sarsat
website for more information about the system at www.cospas-
sarsat.org.
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. The distress message contains the beacon UIN and on

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some models the GPS location of the beacon. Additional information
about the beacon is accessed by SAR 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 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 onboard. This feature allows the beacon to
acquire current location coordinates from an internal GPS receiver. The
purpose of this feature is to 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.
2. Internal GPS position system
The PLB-350B 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 activated, the internal GPS immediately attempts to
acquire positional coordinates. GPS coordinates can be acquired any
time that the GPS is on, but only valid data is saved. Once the beacon
acquires valid coordinates, the data is included as part of the next
transmitted 406 MHz digital message.
The internal GPS operates on a schedule during a beacon activation.
The GPS is on for a time, actively acquiring coordinates, and off for a
time, in a standby state. The schedule is designed to conserve battery
but, at the same time, assure that navigational coordinates are regularly
updated.

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3. Anatomy of your beacon
NOTE: The appearance of your beacon may vary from this picture.
Figure 1
Antenna
Latch
FRONT BACK
GPS antenna
location
Antenna:
Wrapped
around
beacon
UIN Label: Applied at
the factory, the 15
character hexadecimal
number is unique to
each beacon.
Activation
button cover
Battery expiration label
with the month/ year
the battery needs to be
replaced.
Keypad
Multi-language label:
This optional label may
be applied for ease of
use.
Registration decal
supplied by some
countries: Once the
beacon is registered,
the label goes here.
Antenna
latch

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4. Distinguishing PLB Features
The distinguishing features available on your PLB vary with the
particular model that you selected. The following table summarizes the
similarities and differences in models.
PLB-350B
Product
names
AquaLink™ 406 GPS PLB
SARLink™ 406 GPS PLB
ACR
Product
Number
2882
2883
Unique
features
LED strobe, 12 GPS acquisition tests
GPS engine
Internal, 66-channel GPS receiver
Top case
Clear
Buoyant
Yes
No
Included
Accessories
Multi-Function Belt Clip
Optional
Accessories
Flotation pouch (ACR P/N 9504)
5. 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
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.

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NOTE: The appearance of your key pad may vary from this picture.
NOTE: If you notice the PLB is flashing the red or green LED and
“beeping” periodically on its own, this likely means it has accidentally
been activated and needs to be shut off and reported as a false alert see
section on false alerts.
When activated:
(Flashing Red LED)
transmitting 406 MHz
during activation
(Flashing Green LED)
406 MHz includes GPS
data
(IR LED) Programming
Interface
(Not owner accessible)
Self-Test Button
Activation diagram
ON / OFF Button
(visible only when
antenna is deployed)
GPS Self-Test Button
Figure 2 - Key Pad Functions
PLB-350B