Save your life now

INTREPID spoke to Duncan Ferner about the new 406 MHz frequency beacons, and how the old 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz frequency beacons will become obsolete in February 2009. Ferner is the Search and Rescue Secretary Manager who works to organise New Zealand Search and Rescue at the strategic level. For the last three years, Ferner has been heading a project to inform the public of the new beacons. He is pleased with how well people has responded to the key message, finding them more than ready to change their beacons to the new 406 MHz versions. It is estimated over 30,000 old beacons were in use in New Zealand, which by February 2009 will no longer be monitored by satellites.

The new digital 406 MHz beacon frequency is superior for many reasons, and has a far more accurate success rate in a rescue. They’re faster, with instant response from satellite, whereas the old frequencies could take up to six hours or more to determine your location. They’re also more accurate, to within 20 square kilometres, as opposed to 1260 square kilometres with the old ones. The biggest difference, however, is that all 406 beacons will be registered and logged by computer, so when a beacon goes off the response team can determine who owns it, and contact the owner/family to prevent a false call out. With the old frequencies, in the last 1200 callouts only nine percent were a real emergency.

The new 406 MHz frequency is built into all new beacons that come in a range of sizes and prices, depending on manufacturer and your requirement of use. www.beacons.org.nz has lists of distributors and manufacturers. Some beacons include extra features like built in GPS, which further improves the opportunity to pin point your location to within metres - especially in difficult terrain or in the ocean. All aeroplanes are required by law to be fitted with the 406 frequency beacons, and will be grounded come 1 July this year if they have not been fitted with the new beacons. Some boats that regularly travel long distances or carry passengers commercially are also required by law to carry 406 MHz beacons. All rescue organisations including the Coastguard, Police and the Rescue Coordination Centre recommend 406 MHz beacons as essential items for boats, and trampers doing more than a day walk. If you’re in trouble these could save your life. A new beacon would cost anywhere above $400, and like all electronics the more lightweight and the more features it has, the more expensive it will be. However, of course, it’s impossible to put a price on safety.