Ocean Signal PLB1 User manual

© 2017 Ocean Signal Ltd
The technical data, information and illustrations contained in this manual were believed to
be correct at the time of print Ocean Signal Ltd reserve the right to change specifications
and other information contained in this manual as part of our continual improvement
process
No part of this manual may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form, electronic or otherwise, without the prior permission of Ocean Signal Ltd
No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions in this manual
Ocean Signal® and rescueME® are registered trademarks of Ocean Signal Ltd

PLB1 USER MANUAL
3 Version 01.03 23/10/2017
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
USE ONLY IN CASE OF GRAVE OR IMMINENT DANGER
•PULL THE ANTENNA OUT FROM THE
BODY TO ITS FULL EXTENT USING THE
BLACK TAB.
•LIFT THE FLAP UP
•PRESS THE ON KEY FOR ONE SECOND
TO ACTIVATE THE BEACON. THE GREEN
LED WILL FLASH TO INDICATE
ACTIVATION
•RELEASE THE ON KEY.
•ENSURE THE ANTENNA IS HELD
VERTICALLY WHILE OPERATING THE
PLB
•THE STROBE LIGHT WILL START
FLASHING TO INDICATE IT IS
ACTIVATED
NOTE: Refer to section 3 2 for deactivation instructions
Hold for 1sec

PLB1 USER MANUAL
4 Part No 912S-01260
Contents
1 GENERAL 5
1 1 Exposure to RF Electromagnetic Energy 5
1 2 Warnings 5
1 3 COSPAS/SARSAT System 5
2 PLB1 OVERVIEW 6
3 Operation 7
3 1 Activation 7
3 2 Deactivation 8
3 3 False Alerts 8
4 Testing 9
4 1 Beacon test 9
4 2 GPS test 10
5 Appendix 11
5 1 Maintenance and Troubleshooting 11
5 2 Batteries 11
5 3 Transport 11
5 4 Disposal 11
5 5 Specifications 12
5 6 Approvals 13
5 6 1 European Declaration of Conformity 13
5 6 2 Country of Intended Use (EU requirement) 13
5 6 3 Industry Canada Approval 13
5 7 Registration 13
5 8 Limited Warranty 14

PLB1 USER MANUAL
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1 GENERAL
1 1 Exposure to RF Electromagnetic Energy
This product also complies with EN62479 (EU) and RSS-102 (Canada)
1 2 Warnings
It is a legal requirement to register your PLB with your National Authority
Only use your PLB in a situation of grave and imminent danger Deliberately
misusing your PLB or setting it off accidentally may result in prosecution and a
fine
Your PLB contains small lithium batteries Please see section 5 for information
on safe transportation
The battery in your PLB should be replaced immediately if it has been activated,
or if the test indicator shows the battery as ‘used’, or if the expiry date marked on
the unit has been exceeded
THIS PLB WILL NOT FLOAT, unless fitted with a flotation pouch
The PLB1 is not designed and intended for operation while floating in water
Please hold above the water when activated
Please read these instructions carefully Failure to follow the guidance in this
manual may result in loss of warranty
1 3 COSPAS/SARSAT System
The COSPAS/SARSAT system utilises two satellite arrays to provide distress alert and
location data to search and rescue authorities The GEOSAR system can provide near
immediate alerting within the coverage of the receiving satellite The LEOSAR system
provides coverage of the polar region beyond the range of the GEOSAR system
Ground receiving stations, referred to as
Local Users Terminals (LUTs) receive and
process the satellite downlink signal to
generate the distress alerts, which are then
received by Mission Control Centres (MCCs)
which then forward the alert to Rescue Co-
ordination Centres (RCCs), Search and
Rescue Points of Contacts (SPOCs) and
other MCCs
LEOSAR Satellites
G
EOSAR Satelli tes
GEOSAR
-
Geostationary Earth Orbit
LEOSAR – Low-Altitude Earth Orbit

PLB1 USER MANUAL
6 Part No 912S-01260
2 PLB1 OVERVIEW
1) Antenna rewind knob
2) Antenna pull grip
3) Strobe light
4) Indicator LED
5) ON key (under flap)
6) TEST key (under flap)
7) Lift up flap
8) Lanyard fixing (on rear of case)
The PLB is supplied with a clear label to protect the UIN information on the rear of the
product Please fit this before use
The unique cradle mounting system
allows the PLB to be easily attached
to a belt, clothing or other
protective equipment Simply fit the
rubber strap around the mounting
point and attach to the cradle as
shown
The cradle then clips to the PLB at
the four fixing points
The PLB can also be carried in the
supplied flotation pouch Secure
the pouch to your clothing using the
belt loop on the rear of the pouch
Once affixed using the cradle or pouch, the PLB should be securely tethered to your
person or clothing using the supplied lanyard This will guard against accidental
loss if the PLB is unknowingly removed from its housing
1
7
8
2
3
4
6

PLB1 USER MANUAL
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3 OPERATION
WARNING: USE ONLY IN SITUATIONS
OF GRAVE AND IMMINENT DANGER.
MISUSE MAY RESULT IN A SEVERE PENALTY
Ensure that your PLB1 is always fitted with an unused battery that is within the marked
expiry date Failure to do so may result in reduced operating time is used in a real
emergency Please observe the recommendations on testing in section 4
3 1 Activation
Only activate your PLB1 in situations requiring emergency
assistance from the rescue authorities Deliberate misuse of
your PLB may result in a fine
•To activate your PLB in an emergency, pull the black antenna
tab out completely
•Lift the protective flap and press the ON key for one second
until the green starts LED flashing and then release the key
Do not force the flap through more than 180°, otherwise
the hinge may break
•During operation the green LED will flash once every five
seconds while the GPS is turned on and obtaining a fix Once
a fix is obtained, the green LED will flash quickly three times
•Each time a 406MHz transmission is made the LED will flash
quickly five times; green for transmission with a GPS position
and red for a transmission without a position
•The Red LED will flash every 2 5 seconds while the 121 5MHz
homing beacon is active
•When operating the PLB over water, tether the beacon to
your body or the liferaft Keep the PLB clear of water when
operating When operating on land, place the PLB flat on
the ground if possible
•Hold your beacon laying flat with the antenna standing
vertically Keep the area marked ‘GPS Antenna’ free from
obstruction, which would interfere with the GPS reception
The PLB does not transmit an alert until approximately 50seconds has elapsed
This allows time to deactivate the unit if accidentally turned on
Hold for 1sec

PLB1 USER MANUAL
8 Part No 912S-01260
3 2 Deactivation
To deactivate your PLB after use or if it is accidentally
activated, press the ON key for one second until the
indicator LED flashes red twice, then release Rewind the
antenna using the knob on the top of the PLB
Do not push the antenna back into the PLB as this
may cause it to be damaged
3 3 False Alerts
False alerts cause the rescue authorities unnecessary time
and expense To avoid false alerts make sure your PLB is
safely stowed with the protective cover closed and the
antenna fully wound in Make sure that there is no excessive
pressure applied to the protective cover Ensure that
anybody carrying the PLB is fully aware that this device is for
emergencies and should only be used in situations of grave
and imminent danger
If you accidentally activate your beacon or otherwise set it off when a rescue is not
required, contact your local emergency services as soon as possible and advise them of
your beacon’s 15 digit HEX code (UIN), your current location and the time the beacon was
first activated
The UIN is printed on the label on the rear of the PLB
For USA phone: [phone] (USAF Rescue Coordination Center)
For UK phone: [phone] (UKCG)
Wa
i
t for 1 sec

PLB1 USER MANUAL
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4 TESTING
Routine testing of your PLB is recommended to ensure it is in good working order if
needed, but please follow the guidance notes below on the frequency that tests should be
carried out Please remember that each test will reduce the battery capacity slightly and
reduce the operation time of your PLB during an emergency
4 1 Beacon test
Pull antenna out fully before commencing the test Retract the antenna after the
test
To test your PLB1 is functioning correctly, press and hold the TEST key The red LED will
come on to indicate the switch is depressed, followed by the red LED flashing rapidly The
switch may now be released After a delay, the strobe light will flash once and the
indicator LED will flash to show the pass or fail status Note: This status indication is
repeated a second time after a short delay
The number of green/amber flashes in each group indicates the battery status as shown in
the table below
Gree
n / Amber
Indicator
Changes to Amber after 1
hour of use
Red
indicator
No of
Flashe
s
No of
Hours Used
Type of
Failure
1 Flash
0 to 1hr
(Green) 121 5MHz
homer
1 to 2hrs
(Amber)
2
Flashes
2
to
4
hrs
(Amber)
406MHz
generation
3
Flashes
4
to
6
hrs
(Amber)
406MHz
power amp
4
Flashes
6
to
8
hrs
(Amber)
Replace
battery
5
Flashes
8
to
10
hrs
(Amber)
Other failure
6
Flashes
Over
10hrs
(Amber)
Because the test transmits a short burst on the
aircraft distress frequency of 121 5MHz, please
only carry out this test in the first five minutes of
each hour
It is recommended to test your PLB once a
month
The amber test result is an electronic witness
that indicates the battery has been used for over
one hour or the allowed number of tests has been
exceeded The PLB will still operate normally in
distress, but the battery should be replaced to
ensure the full operating life when your PLB is
needed

PLB1 USER MANUAL
10 Part No 912S-01260
4 2 GPS test
WARNING: AS TESTING THE GPS RECEIVER EXPENDS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
BATTERY ENERGY DO NOT TEST THE GPS OPERATION MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR.
TESTING THE GPS RECEIVER IS LIMITED TO10 TESTS OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE
BATTERY, AFTER THIS THE GPS TEST WILL FAIL TO ACTIVATE.
THIS TEST MUST ONLY BE PERFORMED WHERE THE PLB HAS A CLEAR AND
UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE SKY. THIS IS REQUIRED TO ALLOW THE GPS RECEIVER TO
ACQUIRE A SIGNAL FROM SUFFICIENT SATELLITES TO ALLOW IT TO DETERMINE A
POSITION. MAKE SURE THE AREA MARKED “GPS ANTENNA” IS NOT OBSTRUCTED.
Press and hold the TEST key The LED will illuminate red to indicate the key has been
pressed, then start flashing Shortly after, the LED will cease flashing and become a steady
red light The TEST key can now be released
During the GPS test the LED will repeat a long red flash followed by a short green flash
until either a postion fix is obtained or the GPS test fails A successful test will be indicated
by the strobe flashing and the green LED flashing The number of green flashes indicates
one more than the number of GPS tests remaining (eg 8 flashes = 7 tests remaining) A
failure is indicated by the red LED flashing The test can be ended by holding the TEST key
for five seconds

PLB1 USER MANUAL
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5 APPENDIX
5 1 Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Your PLB will require little maintenance except periodic cleaning, if required Always use
a damp cloth to clean the case and dry thoroughly Do not use solvents or other cleaning
fluids as this may cause the plastics to deteriorate Ensure the antenna is free to unwind
5 2 Batteries
The PLB1 contains Lithium batteries for long operating life Your battery must be replaced
either after the expiry date or after the PLB has been activated, even if only for a short
period of time Battery replacement must be done at an Ocean Signal authorised battery
replacement centre
5 3 Transport
When shipping your PLB the following guidance and regulations should be followed, but
you are advised to contact your nearest battery replacement centre or Ocean Signal prior
to shipping as regulations may have changed The PLB1 battery contains <2g of lithium
•Always pack your PLB securely in a stout cardboard carton Ocean Signal advises that
you keep the original packaging in case of return for service
•For surface transport the PLB may be shipped ‘excepted’ under special provision 188
•For air transport the PLB should be shipped as category UN3091 and packed under
IATA packing instruction 970 section II If you are hand carrying your PLB on an aircraft
please contact your airline for advice
5 4 Disposal
Care should be taken when disposing of your PLB when it is no longer required It is
recommended to remove the battery from the PLB by removing the case lid The case
screws are covered by the top label Dispose of the battery in accordance with local waste
regulations Please note that the PLB1 is not user serviceable and removing the lid will
invalidate the warranty

PLB1 USER MANUAL
12 Part No 912S-01260
5 5 Specifications
406MHz Transmitter
Frequency 406 040 MHz ±1KHz
Output Power 5W Typical
Modulation Phase ±1 1 Radians Pk
(16K0G1D)
Encoding Biphase L
Rate 400 bps
121 5MHz Transmitter
Frequency 121 5 MHz
Output Power 25-100mW PEP
Modulation Swept Tone AM (3K20A3X)
Modulation Depth ~97%
Frequency Stability ±50ppm
Duty Cycle ~35%
Low Duty Cycle Strobe
Light Type High Intensity LED
Light Colour / Intensity White / 1candela (typ)
Flash Rate 20-30 per minute
Battery
Type Lithium Manganese Dioxide
(LiMnO2)
Operating >24Hours @ -20°C
Replacement Interval 7 years
GPS Receiver
Satellites Tracked 66 Channel
Sensitivity -148dBm
Cold Start Re-acquisition -163dBm
GPS Antenna Microstrip Patch
General
Height of Body 76mm
Width of Body 52mm
Depth of Body 32mm
Weight 116grams
Environmental
IEC60945 Category Portable
Operating Temperature Class 2 -20C to +55C
Storage Temperature Class 2 -30C to +70C
Waterproof 15m depth

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5 6 Approvals
5 6 1 European Declaration of Conformity
Hereby, Ocean Signal Ltd declares that the radio equipment type rescueME PLB1 is in
compliance with Directive 2014/53/EU
See http://oceansignal com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/PLB1_RED_DofC pdf
5 6 2 Country of Intended Use (EU requirement)
5 6 3 Industry Canada Approval
This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s) Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2)
this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device
5 7 Registration
To register your beacon, contact you national registration authority via post, email or
online Provide your 15 digit HEX ID (UIN), 5 digit checksum if required, your contact
details and emergency contact information Some countries also require additional
information such as boat type and identification or alternative emergency contacts
For UK registrations go to:
www gov uk/406beacon
For USA registrations go to:
www beaconregistration noaa gov/
Austria

Germany

Netherlands

Belgium

Greece

Poland

Bulgaria

Hungary

Portugal

Cyprus

Ireland

Romania

Czech Republic

Italy

Slovakia

Denmark

Latvia

Slovenia

Estonia

Lithuania

Spain

Finland

Luxembourg

Sweden

France

Malta

United Kingdom


PLB1 USER MANUAL
14 Part No 912S-01260
5 8 Limited Warranty
Your Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1 is warranted against manufacturing defects in
materials and workmanship for a period of 7 years from the date of purchase and in
accordance with the following conditions
Ocean Signal will at its discretion, repair or replace faulty product free of charge excluding
the cost of shipping Proof of purchase shall be required in order for a warranty claim to
be valid from the original purchaser All claims shall be made in writing to Ocean Signal or
an approved service dealer
Ocean Signal shall not be liable to the buyer under the above warranty:
•for any repairs or modifications carried out on the PLB using parts that are not supplied
or approved by the manufacture Ocean Signal including batteries and for work carried
out other than by Ocean Signal or approved service dealers,
•for any part, material or accessory that is not manufactured by Ocean Signal the
consumer will be covered by the guarantee / warranty offered to Ocean Signal by the
manufacturer or supplier,
•for product which has not been fully paid for,
•for any product supplied by Ocean Signal to a customer under an alternative warranty
agreement,
•for the cost of shipping product to and from the customer
The Battery is only warranted until the date of expiry and provided the unit is tested in
accordance with the information in the user manual This warranty does not apply to a
used battery as indicated by the electronic witness (see page 8)
The following specific items are excluded from this warranty:
•lift up flap and associated mechanism,
•retractable antenna
This warranty does not affect your statutory rights This warranty is to be interpreted
under English law
For further assistance please contact our Technical Service Department
Email: service@oceansignal com

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