Guest Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Just read this in a report of a sinking in the Indian Ocean “These guys were yachtmasters but they didn’t know they had to put the EPIRB in the water,” said Doug. “While they’ve done ocean voyages they’re mainly dam sailors and didn’t know. I understood their reluctance because there’s nothing in the advertising that says to put it in the water. I didn't know that, can someone explain? Link to post Share on other sites
Mothership 6 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 They're designed to work best in the water; generally they give a better signal. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 possibly for the same reason you fill dive tanks in water, in the case of a dive tank if it goes pop the energy goes straight up so I'm picking the signal is channeled upwards but that's just a guess. Link to post Share on other sites
Murky 1 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Kinda assumes you are getting in the water, doesn't it i.e. how would it work in a situation where the boat is still afloat and all crew are staying on board but you are wanting to guide in a helicopter or Orion? Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 They're designed to work best in the water; generally they give a better signal. As long as the aerial isn't in the drink. That really reduces effectiveness. Which is why there's been debate about whether it's better to leave it in the water on a lanyard or keep it onboard (or bring it into the liferaft with you). Not sure where that debate has got to really... Link to post Share on other sites
Murky 1 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 [pause while we all search for EPIRB operating instructions] It operates best while floating in water, but it can also be operated while on board or in a liferaft. Possibly "Doug" in Squid's original post went a bit further than he had intended while being interviewed by the media? Link to post Share on other sites
Mothership 6 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Kinda assumes you are getting in the water, doesn't it i.e. how would it work in a situation where the boat is still afloat and all crew are staying on board but you are wanting to guide in a helicopter or Orion? Lanyard. The better ones are weighted to keep the right way up in all but the worst conditions, although even in these they'll right once they get the chance. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 think like most i'd be cuddling the living crap out of it Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 It is most likely that the EPIRB was a water activated one. Yes floating in the water helps the signal and the EPIRB is best in the verticle for best signal, but unless you are in a very fringe area of Satellite coverage, I would expect the signal to still be picked up. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Faced with a medical problem and, thinking I was out of VHF range with anyone, I activated my EPIRB on 29 March 2012 off Cape Maria van Dieman. I switched it on and left it in it's cradle, mounted on a bulkhead near the aft companionway. On raising Cape Reinga Radio, I then switched the EPIRB off. . I suppose the EPIRB was switched on for 10 to 20 minutes but , in that time, confirmed by messages from RCC on my mobile, its signal was picked up and identified. Soon after I switched the EPIRB off RCC advised me that they had noted that it was off. Seems a pretty straightforward system to me. Link to post Share on other sites
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