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You have selected the Standard Location Protocol to code your PLB. An interactive diagram depicting the information which should be coded into the beacon is provided below. Click on the hyperlinked fields of the diagram for additional information concerning the format, structure and content of the coding for that field.

Final Step: Register your beacon.

Having purchased and coded your beacon, one of the most important actions that you must take to maximize its effectiveness is to register the beacon with the appropriate national authority. Click here for details regarding the organizations responsible for beacon registration in your country (Pro/Contact Lists/406 MHz Beacon Registers). Registering your beacon provides search and rescue authorities with access to vital information (e.g. telephone numbers for emergency points of contact, type of aircraft, etc.) that is absolutely critical for efficiently conducting any search and rescue operation.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons;
• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval.

You have selected the User Location Protocol to code your PLB. An interactive diagram depicting the information which should be coded into the beacon is provided below. Click on the hyperlinked fields of the diagram for additional information concerning the format, structure and content of the coding for that field.

Final Step: Register your beacon.

Having purchased and coded your beacon, one of the most important actions that you must take to maximize its effectiveness is to register the beacon with the appropriate national authority. Click here for details regarding the organizations responsible for beacon registration in your country (Pro/Contact Lists/406 MHz Beacon Registers). Registering your beacon provides search and rescue authorities with access to vital information (e.g. telephone numbers for emergency points of contact, type of aircraft, etc.) that is absolutely critical for efficiently conducting any search and rescue operation.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons;
• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval.

So far you have confirmed that your distress beacon will be used as a personal locator beacon (PLB) and that it is a location protocol beacon. Three coding options have been developed for this type of beacon. However, your selection should be restricted to those protocols which have been authorised by your country’s competent authority on distress beacon matters (additional information concerning the authority/responsibility of States in respect of beacon message protocol selection is described at step 1 of this tutorial).

It should also be noted that the beacon message protocols that have been verified during the type-approval testing are shown on the Cospas-Sarsat Type Approval Certificate issued by the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat.

In view of the above, the selection of protocol should be further limited to those which have been type approved for use with the beacon model selected.

Having satisfied the two overriding criteria detailed above, the coding option to be selected depends on the information that you would like programmed into the beacon and its intended use. To proceed, select the option that best suits your needs.

User Location Protocol: This option is formed by coding bits 1 through 106 of the PLB as a User Protocol, and providing the encoded location information to 4-minute resolution (approximately 6 miles or 10 kilometers) in the remaining bits. These protocols are only available in the long message format, and provide the lowest accuracy resolution of all long message format location protocols.

Standard Location Protocol: This option uniquely identifies the PLB using a unique serial number allocated by either the competent national authority or the beacon manufacturer accompanied with the Cospas-Sarsat beacon type approval certificate number.

The Standard Location Protocols allow for location information of 4-second resolution to be encoded in the beacon message (approximately 120 meters). These protocols are only available in the long message format.

National Location Protocol: This option uses a unique serial number allocated by the competent national authority to uniquely identify the beacon. The National Location Protocols allow for location information of 4-second resolution to be encoded in the beacon message (approximately 120 meters). These protocols are only available in the long message format.

Return to Beacon Coding Tutorial Flow Chart

PLBs can be divided into two categories: location protocol PLBs and non-location protocol PLBs.

A non-location protocol PLB does not have the capability to determine its own location, therefore, the distress position can only be determined by the Cospas-Sarsat System using Doppler location techniques.

A location protocol PLB is able to determine its own location, normally using an internal or external satellite navigation device (e.g. GPS), and transmit this location information in the beacon’s message. In addition location protocol beacons will also be located by the Cospas-Sarsat System using Doppler location techniques.

An approved beacon model that is a location-protocol beacon will show a “Nav Device” available in its TAC Report, which can be viewed on the Professionals website (Pro/Beacons/Beacon Information/Approved Beacon Models (TACs)). 

Click on the appropriate beacon category to proceed to Step 4:

• Location Protocol PLBs;
• Non-location Protocol PLBs.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval,
• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons.

Return to Beacon Coding Tutorial Flow Chart

You have selected the Radio Call Sign User Protocol to be coded with the vessel’s radio call sign. Note that this option supports radio call signs of 7 characters or less. An interactive diagram depicting the information which should be coded into the beacon is provided below. Click on the hyperlinked fields of the diagram for additional information concerning the format, structure and content of the coding for that field.

Final Step: Register your beacon.

Having purchased and coded your beacon, one of the most important actions that you must take to maximize its effectiveness is to register the beacon with the appropriate national authority. Registering your beacon provides search and rescue authorities with access to vital information (e.g. telephone numbers for emergency points of contact, type of aircraft, etc.) that is absolutely critical for efficiently conducting any search and rescue operation.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons;
• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval.

You have selected the Maritime User Protocol to be coded with the vessel’s radio call sign. Note that this option only supports radio call signs of 6 characters or less. An interactive diagram depicting the information which should be coded into the beacon is provided below. Click on the hyperlinked fields of the diagram for additional information concerning the format, structure and content of the coding for that field.

Final Step: Register your beacon.

Having purchased and coded your beacon, one of the most important actions that you must take to maximize its effectiveness is to register the beacon with the appropriate national authority. Registering your beacon provides search and rescue authorities with access to vital information (e.g. telephone numbers for emergency points of contact, type of aircraft, etc.) that is absolutely critical for efficiently conducting any search and rescue operation.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons;
• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval.

So far you have confirmed that your distress beacon will be used as a maritime Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and that it is a non-location protocol beacon. Four coding options have been developed for this type of beacon. However, your selection should be restricted to those protocols that have been authorised by your country’s competent authority on distress beacon matters (additional information concerning the authority/responsibility of States in respect of beacon message protocol selection is described at step 1 of this tutorial). From the protocols approved for use by your country’s designated authority on distress beacon matters, the option to be selected depends on the information that you would like programmed into the beacon and its intended use. To proceed, select the option that best suits your needs.

Maritime User Protocol Coded with the Vessel MMSI: This option uses the vessel’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity number (MMSI) to uniquely identify the beacon.

Maritime User Protocol Coded with the Vessel Radio Call Sign: This option uses the vessel’s Radio Call Sign to uniquely identify the beacon. This option can only be used if the Vessel’s Radio Call Sign is comprised of 6 or fewer characters.

Radio Call Sign User Protocol: This option also uses the vessel’s Radio Call Sign to uniquely identify the beacon, however, this option can accommodate call signs of up to 7 characters.

Serial User Protocol Coded with a Unique Beacon Serial Number: This option uses a serial number, allocated by either the competent national authority or the beacon manufacturer, to uniquely identify the beacon. A feature of this protocol is that it does not include information which directly identifies the vessel in which it is installed, consequently, the EPIRB can be moved to another vessel without necessarily requiring recoding. When this protocol is used, SAR services are 100% dependent upon beacon registration for obtaining any information concerning the vessel or the operator of the beacon. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the beacon is properly registered and that registration information is updated if the registration information changes or the beacon is moved to a different vessel.

Return to Beacon Coding Tutorial Flow Chart

So far you have confirmed that your distress beacon will be used as a maritime Emergency Position Radio Indicating Beacon (EPIRB) and that it is a location protocol beacon. Three coding options have been developed for this type of beacon. However, your selection should be restricted to those protocols which have been authorised by your country’s competent authority on distress beacon matters (additional information concerning the authority / responsibility of States in respect of beacon message protocol selection is described at step 1 of this tutorial).

It should also be noted that the beacon message protocols which have been verified during the type approval testing are shown on the Cospas-Sarsat Type Approval Certificate issued by the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat.

In view of the above, the selection of protocol should be further limited to those which have been type approved for use with the beacon model selected.

Having satisfied the two overriding criteria detailed above, the coding option to be selected depends on the information that you would like programmed into the beacon and its intended use. To proceed select the option that best suits your needs.

User Location Protocols: This option is formed by coding bits 1 through 106 of the EPIRB as a User Protocol, and providing the encoded location information to 4-minute resolution (approximately 6 miles or 10 kilometers) in the remaining bits. These protocols are only available in the long message format, and provide the lowest accuracy resolution of all long message format location protocols.

Standard Location Protocols: This option uniquely identifies the EPIRB using either:

• the vessels maritime mobile service identity number (MMSI); or
• a unique serial number allocated by either the competent national authority or the beacon manufacturer accompanied with the Cospas-Sarsat beacon type approval certificate number.

The Standard Location Protocols allow for location information of 4-second resolution to be encoded in the beacon message (approximately 120 meters). These protocols are only available in the long message format.

National Location Protocols: This option uses a unique serial number allocated by the competent national authority to uniquely identify the beacon. The National Location Protocols allow for location information of 4-second resolution to be encoded in the beacon message (approximately 120 meters). These protocols are only available in the long message format.

Return to Beacon Coding Tutorial Flow Chart

EPIRBs can be divided into two categories: location protocol EPIRBs and non-location protocol EPIRBs.

A non-location protocol EPIRB does not have the capability to determine its own location, therefore, the distress position can only be determined by the Cospas-Sarsat System using Doppler location techniques. A short explanation of Cospas-Sarsat Doppler location principles is provided here.

A location protocol EPIRB is able to determine its own location, normally using an internal or external satellite navigation device (e.g. GPS), and transmit this location information in the beacon’s message. In addition, location protocol beacons will also be located by the Cospas-Sarsat System using Doppler location techniques.

An approved beacon model that is a location-protocol beacon will show a “Nav Device” available in its TAC Report, which can be viewed on the Professionals website (Pro/Beacons/Beacon Information/Approved Beacon Models (TACs)).

Click on the appropriate beacon category to proceed to Step 4:

• Location Protocol EPIRBs,
  
• Non-location Protocol EPIRBs.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval,
• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons.

Return to Beacon Coding Tutorial Flow Chart

You have selected the Serial User Protocol to be coded with the aircraft 24-bit address assigned by the competent national authority. An interactive diagram depicting the information which should be coded into the beacon is provided below. Click on the hyperlinked fields of the diagram for additional information concerning the format, structure and content of the coding for that field.

Final Step: Register your beacon.

Having purchased and coded your beacon, one of the most important actions that you must take to maximize its effectiveness is to register the beacon with the appropriate national authority.  Registering your beacon provides search and rescue authorities with access to vital information (e.g. telephone numbers for emergency points of contact, type of aircraft, etc.) that is absolutely critical for efficiently conducting any search and rescue operation.

For further details concerning beacons refer to the following documents (available for downloading):

• C/S T.001, Specification for Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz Distress Beacons;
• C/S G.005, Cospas-Sarsat Guidelines on 406 MHz Beacon Coding, Registration and Type Approval.