mcmurdo 406 EPIRB User manual

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1. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SAFETY NOTICES................................................................................... 4
2. PURPOSE ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
3. DESCRIPTION................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1. Wall bracket ................................................................................................................................................ 5
3.2. Float-free enclosure..................................................................................................................................... 6
3.3. Manual EPIRB in enclosure........................................................................................................................ 7
4. Controls............................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.1. ON button.................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.2. READY button............................................................................................................................................ 7
4.3. Sea switch.................................................................................................................................................... 8
4.4. Lamps.......................................................................................................................................................... 8
4.4.1. Strobe................................................................................................................................................... 8
4.4.2. Red lamp.............................................................................................................................................. 8
5. OPERATING PROCEDURE........................................................................................................................ 8
5.1. Sinking ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
5.2. Abandon ship............................................................................................................................................... 9
5.3. Releasing EPIRB from a wall bracket......................................................................................................... 9
5.4. Releasing EPIRB from an enclosure......................................................................................................... 10
5.5. Manual activation...................................................................................................................................... 10
5.6. Deactivation .............................................................................................................................................. 11
5.7. Battery condition....................................................................................................................................... 11
5.8. Re-fitting EPIRB....................................................................................................................................... 11
5.8.1. Refitting into wall bracket................................................................................................................. 11
5.8.2. Re-fitting enclosure ........................................................................................................................... 12
6. FALSE ALARMS....................................................................................................................................... 13
6.1. Stand down rescue services....................................................................................................................... 13
6.2. De-activate the EPIRB.............................................................................................................................. 13
6.3. Dealing with a transmitting EPIRB........................................................................................................... 13
7. WALL BRACKET INSTALLATION.............................................................................................................. 14
7.1. Siting ......................................................................................................................................................... 14
7.2. Mounting procedure.................................................................................................................................. 14
7.3. Mounting instruction plate ........................................................................................................................ 15
8. ENCLOSURE INSTALLATION..................................................................................................................... 16
8.1. Siting ......................................................................................................................................................... 16
8.2. Mounting procedure.................................................................................................................................. 16
8.3. Mounting instruction plate ........................................................................................................................ 17
8.4. Marking HRU expiry................................................................................................................................. 17
8.5. Marking vessel name................................................................................................................................. 18
9. REGISTRATION.............................................................................................................................................. 18
9.1. Overview................................................................................................................................................... 18
9.2. How to register.......................................................................................................................................... 19
9.3. Warranty form........................................................................................................................................... 19
9.4. Radio licence............................................................................................................................................. 19
9.5. Sale or transfer .......................................................................................................................................... 19
9.5.1. Mandatory information for Oceania.................................................................................................. 20
10. MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................................................................... 20
10.1. Monthly self-test & inspection................................................................................................................ 20
10.2. HRU replacement.................................................................................................................................... 21
10.3. Battery replacement................................................................................................................................. 22
10.4. Servicing ................................................................................................................................................. 23
10.5. Trnasportation ......................................................................................................................................... 23
10.6. GMDSS inspections................................................................................................................................ 23
11. FULLY DISABLING AN EPIRB.................................................................................................................. 23
12. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION.................................................................................................................... 25
13. APPENDIX – SATELLITE SYSTEMS......................................................................................................... 26
UNITED STATES EPIRB REGISTRY SYSTEM............................................................................................... 27
McMurdo Limited Product Warranty ................................................................................................................... 28
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1. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SAFETY NOTICES
•This EPIRB is an emergency device for use only in grave and imminent danger.
•False alarms cost lives and money. Help to prevent them; understand how to activate and
disable your equipment.
•Read the complete manual before installing, testing or using the EPIRB.
•Ensure the EPIRB is registered with you local authorities (Flag State nation).
•The EPIRB contains no user serviceable parts. Return to your dealer for battery
replacement or other service. Do not open.
•Dispose of this device safely. Contenst include Lithium batteries; do not incinerate,
puncture, deform or shortcircuit.
•This device emits radio frequency radiation when activated. Because of the levels and
duty cycles, such radiation is not classed as harmful; however, it is advisable not to handle
the antenna while the unit is activated.
•It is advisable not to stare directly at the strobe.
2. PURPOSE
An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is used to alert search and rescue
services in the event of an emergency. It does this by transmitting a coded message on the 406
MHz distress frequency. This message is relayed via satellite and earth station to the nearest
rescue co-ordination centre.
The satellite system is run by COSPAS-SARSAT, and is described in the Appendix. Using
the characteristics of the received signal, the orbiting satellites can establish the position of the
transmitting EPIRB to within approximately 5 km.
The EPIRB transmits a message that identifies the exact vessel to which it was registered.
Knowing which vessel is in distress allows the rescue services to eliminate false alarms and
launch an appropriate rescue.
The EPIRB also has a secondary distress transmitter. This transmits on 121.5 MHz and is
used for „homing“ purposes. When the rescue services get close, this allows them to direction
find on the signal. To cater for searches at night, the EPIRB has a bright falshing light that
aids final visual location.
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3. DESCRIPTION
The EPIRB is a powerfull self-contained distress transmitter. It is powered by a light weight
Lithium battery that has a replacement interval of 5 years. An EPIRB is intended to be a one-
shot device; once activated it can operate for at least 48 hours. It operates best while floating
in water, but it can also be operated while on board.
Referring to the previous figure, the key components of your EPIRB are as follows:
Antenna This is a flexible whip. It must e near vertical when operating.
If the antenna gets bent, gently straighten it out.
Strobe light This is the glass U-tube visible through the clear lens dome.
When the EPIRB is activated this will falsh every few seconds.
Red lamp Visible through the clear lens dome at the rear of the EPIRB.
This stays on or flashes to show you which mode you are in.
Program point A dimple in the clear dome, through which your supplier can
optically input the coded message unique to your EPIRB.
READY button Press this key once to de-activate the EPIRB. Hold it down to run
the built-in self-test, which checks basic operation.
ON button Press this key to activate the EPIRB manually. The key is
protected by a sliding door which is fitted with a tamper seal.
Sea switch The two screw heads below the keys are sea switch contacts.
Submerge these in water to automatically activate the EPIRB.
Lanyard Pull the lanyard spool down to free it. Use the cord to tether
the EPIRB to a survival craft.
Never tie the EPIRB to your vessel.
3.1. Wall bracket
If you purchased the manually activated version (´m´ suffix), this is normally supplied with
a wall mounting bracket (see section 7). The bracket is made from white plastic so it will not
rust. Its top section is sprung loaded, so that one simple squeeze will quickly release the
EPIRB allowing it to be carried to a liferaft. The wall bracket should be sited in plain view
near an emergency exit. This bracket is more than just a stowage point, it contains a magnet
which disarms the EPIRB´s sea switch. If you do not slow the EPIRB in its bracket, there is a
risk of the EPIRB activating if it gets wet.
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3.2. Float-free enclosure
If you purchased the automatically activated version (´a´ suffix), also known as the „float-
free“ version, then your EPIRB is supplied in a plastic enclosure (see section 8). This is much
more than just a protective housing, it contains a sprung loaded lever which automatically
pushes the enclosure lid off and releases the EPIRB if your vessel sinks. This automatic
ejection is controlled by a device called a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU). If the enclosure is
submerged then before it reaches 4 metres (13 feet) deep the HRU cuts a plastic rod that holds
back the spring and the lid is ejected, releasing the EPIRB which floats to the surface and
switches on automatically.
The diagram below illustrates the automatic release sequence:
1. As the vessel sinks, the enclosure fills with water. The HRU contains a blade which is
released due to water pressure acting on a diaphragm. Before it reaches a depth of 4
metres, the HRU will operate and cut the plastic rod, releasing the coil spring.
2. The spring pushes the EPIRB and the enclosure lid outwards. As the lid pivots off it
disengages from the screw head that helped hold it in place. The lid is weigted so it rolls
over and falls away.
3. As the EPIRB floats away from the lid, it moves out of range of the magnet. Once away
from the magnet its sea switch becomes armed.
4. The sea switch activates. The EPIRB then floats on the surface with is strobe light
flashing. After 50 seconds it makes its first distress transmission.
you need to activate your EPIRB manually, it can be freed from the enclosure after pullingIf
out he R-shaped retaining pin and removing the lid.
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3.3. Manual EPIRB in enclosure
Customers who need to mount their EPIRB in an exposed position can select the protective
enclosure without a HRU fitted (´c´ suffix). This means that the EPIRB will not float free if
your vessel sinks. This is known as a category 2 EPIRB. You can tell which enclosure you
have by reading the category from the front of the enclosure:
E3a/Rescue 406a Category 1 HRU fitted Automatic float-free
E3c/Rescue 406c Category 2 No HRU fitted Will not float free
4. Controls
4.1. ON button
This is hidden behind a sliding door, which protects it from accidental
activation. The sliding door has a tamper seal to show if the EPIRB has been
activated.
The EPIRB can be activated manually by sliding the door to the left (breaking the seal) and
then momentarily pressing the ON button.
When activated the EPIRB will start to flash immediately. It will not make any distress
transmissions for 50 seconds. This gives you a chance to turn it off if you activated it
accidentaily. When the lamp starts to flash, the 50 seconds delay has passed and distress
transmissions have started.
4.2. READY button
This button de-activates the EPIRB and also tests the EPIRB.
Ready Pressing and releasing this button quickly will de-activate the E
PIRB and return it to its „ready“ state. When the button is released the
elf-test
strobe and the red lamp will stop flashing.
SPressing and holding the ready button (for about 10 seconds) will allow the e
the
built-in self-test to run. When the button is held down the red lamp will com
on for 4 seconds, then go off. During this time both the 121.5 MHz homer
and the 406 MHz satellite transmitter make „safe“ transmissions. If both
of these test transmissions arrive at the antenna with sufficient power then
strobe light will falsh 3 times to tell you that all is well. If the red lamp does
not come on, or the strobe light does not flash within 10 seconds, then there
is a fault; the EPIRB should be taken to a service agent.
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4.3. Sea switch
It is important to realise that the only time the EPIRB is completely off is when it is fitted in
its mounting bracket or enclosure. As soon as you take it out, a magnetic switch activates and
puts the EPIRB into its „ready“ state. It will not drain the battery in this state, but it will turn
on automatically if the sea switch contacts are bridged by water. The sea contacts are the two
exposed screw heads beside the rear switches.
Although you can control the EPIRB manually with the READY and ON switches, the sea
switch overrides any manual settings. For the manual switches to operate properly the EPIRB
must first be dry so that the sea switch is de-activated.
To ensure the sea switch operates properly in rough seas, it has a built-in time delay. It has
to be wet for at least 2 seconds before it will activate and it has to be dry for a least 8 seconds
before it will de-activate.
4.4. Lamps
4.4.1. Strobe
The strobe is the visual means of locating the EPIRB. When activated, the strobe flashes 23
times per minute, with a pause during the time when the EPIRB is transmitting.
The strobe is also used to indicate the result of a self test (see section 10.1.).
4.4.2. Red lamp
The red lamp is used to indicate transmissions by the EPIRB. When activated, it flashes
alternately with the strobe to indicate a good transmission on 121.5 MHz. Every 50 seconds it
illuminates for 2 seconds to indicate a good transmission on 406 MHz.
When the EPIRB is first activated the red lamp is illuminated continuously until the EPIRB
begins to transmit, when it begins to flash.
The red lamp is also used to indicate the result of a self test (see section 10.1.).
5. OPERATING PROCEDURE
An EPIRB is a piece of life saving equipment. Its sole purpose is to call for help.
It must only be used in situations of grave and imminent danger.
Misuse can involve a severe penalty.
5.1. Sinking
If you have a category 1 „float-free“ enclosure (see marking on enclosure label), then if
your vessel sinks, the EPIRB will automatically release itself from its enclosure before it
reaches a depth of 4 metres. The EPIRB will float to the surface and start to operate because
its sea switch is activated.
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If possible, the EPIRB should be recovered and tied
(using its lanyard) to one of the liferafts. An EPIRB is
meant to mark survivors, not he accident scene. For
best operation leave the EPIRB floating in the sea
near the liferaft.
5.2. Abandon ship
If the vessel is sinking and there is time to fetch the EPIRB then this should always be done.
Release the EPIRB from its mounting bracket as described in section 5.3 or 5.4 and carry if to
one of the liferafts. Once the liferaft is in the water, uncoil the lanyard and tie it to the liferaft,
then throw the EPIRB overboard so that is floats next to the liferaft. The EPIRB will operate
because its sea switch will activate.
5.3. Releasing EPIRB from a wall bracket
If you have and EPIRB fitted into a wall bracket then follow the instructions below to
release it from the bracket:
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5.4. Releasing EPIRB from an enclosure
If your EPIRB is fitted inside a full enclosure then follow the instructions below to release it
manually from its enclosure.
5.5. Manual activation
If the vessel is not sinking, but there is imminent danger, then remove the EPIRB from its
nce to
bracket and activate it manually as shown below. Note that once activated it will flash
immediately, but it will not transmit a distress call for 50 seconds. This gives you a cha
turn it off if ou activated it in error.
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