Can anyone clarify a 121.5 issue..

[kmacka]

I have heard that elts, emergency beacons and what not will cease to use 121.5/243.0. But will these two frequencies still be used as emergency air frequencies. I may be a little off base onto what equipment/services will NOT be using 121.5/243.0 but I just want to know about air emergencies.

 

[unitcharlie]

This page describes the Cospas-Sarsat program... This is the NOAA News Release about it.... as I understand the plan 121.5 will remain the aircraft distress freq but the beacons will be on 406 so they may be more accurately and quickly located in an emergency....

 

[N1SQB]

Interesting!
The direct uplink from the beacons will be in the range of 406-406.100 MHZ.
The direct downlink from the sats will be in the range of 1,544-1,545 MHZ. Looks like a more reliable system. This should cut down the false reports and the unessesary deployment of resources.

Manny

 

[KB1MZR]

As a CAP member I've heard a lot about this. Our non-distress ELT searches will be phasing out because ELT's and EPIRBS are switching to 406mhz. It will be much easier for the AFRCC to obtain information and a location. Now, we only get satellite hits that can be 5-10-20 miles off from where the beacon actually is. From what I've heard normal distress communications will still take place on 121.5

 

[ff-medic]

As a CAP member I've heard a lot about this. Our non-distress ELT searches will be phasing out because ELT's and EPIRBS are switching to 406mhz. It will be much easier for the AFRCC to obtain information and a location. Now, we only get satellite hits that can be 5-10-20 miles off from where the beacon actually is. From what I've heard normal distress communications will still take place on 121.5

Is is true that commercial aircraft can pick up 121.5 distress beacon and triangualte a general area of transmission?

FF-Medic - - -

 

[GrayJeep]

Triangulation

Is is true that commercial aircraft can pick up 121.5 distress beacon and triangualte a general area of transmission?

FF-Medic - - -

It is true they can hear it.

It is not true that they can direction-find on it. About all they can do is report where they gain it and lose it along their track so that someone can start searching in the area.

121.5 will live a long time if only to be used as a way to get aircraft back in communication with Center when they get lost in frequency switching (as I heard this morning).

NW0U

 

[billcroghan]

121.5 going away

I wouldn't count on 121.5 Beacons going away anytime soon. While the COSPAS SARSATS will not be monitoring them specifically, there are hundreds of thousands of such units in aircraft. Some will have to move to the 406 ranges by law but the vast majority may only move if they feel like it. As a result we will have many old and older 121.5 units still in aircarft to give us more false alerts as they start to break down. I've had over 70 ELT finds as a CAP member and many of them have been in rather old aircraft, poorly maintained or hanger queens that have been sitting around for a long time. Many have been out of aircraft completely. I've found them on home shelves, in the trunks of cars and in a trash can. Don't give up on your DF'ing skills to soon.
Lt. Col. BIll Croghan, CAP