Why register the 406 Mhz transmitter
When a 406 MHz transmitter (Epirb, Elt and Plb) activates and is detected by the Cospas Sarsat system, one of the first actions the SAR authorities take is to contact the owner of the transmitter or the emergency contact point indicated by the owner, in order to have confirmation of the dangerous situation.
In detail, the typical operational steps that follow in the event of a Cospas Sarsat alert are outlined:
- The 406 Mhz transmitter activates;
- The Cospas Sarsat system detects the transmitter, decodes the transmitted digital message, and forwards it with location data to the Rescue Coordination Center.
- At the same time, a request is sent to the Registration Database of the country, whose flag the transmitter flies. If, for example, the transmitter is coded with the country code Malta, a request is sent to the latter in order to obtain the data in the National Data Bank, relating to the owner of the transmitter.
- SAR authorities then contact the owner of the transmitter or the emergency point of contact to obtain information to help plan the response.
In the above steps, scenarios are presented that highlight the advantages of registering 406 Mhz transmitters in the database:
- When the Cospas Sarsat system, through the Geostationary satellites receives the alert message from a transmitter that does not support location data, the decoding system does not produce any location until the signal is detected by the LEOSAR system, i.e., low altitude orbiting satellites. During this period of time, SAR Authorities, having the owner's data, can immediately contact him or his emergency contact point to know the area of operation and begin search and rescue activities.
- When the LEOSAR satellite system detects the transmitter signal, two Doppler positions are generated: one represents the true position, the second represents an artifact of the first. In this scenario, contacting the owner of the transmitter or its emergency point of contact provides immediate confirmation of the transmitter's true position, without having to wait for the system to resolve the position.
- If the transmitter is accidentally activated, SAR authorities can contact the owner to ascertain whether it is a false alarm or a real alarm. In the former case, having an immediate feedback prevents the deployment of rescue means and manpower, resulting in the use of economic resources and endangering them.