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EPIRBs are a reasonable means of summoning assistance, for a diver in a real emergency. The SAR folks do not take misuse and frivolous use kindly. They fine you lots of money if you "check the system." My Apelco VHF DF has an EPIRB position. If you see a turnstyle looking antenna with four vertical elements, you are, probably, looking at a VHF DF capable of aquiring EPIRBS. Look at most USCG vessels, commercial and charter fishing boats. Some words of questionable, miniscule, wisdom were given: > 121.5 MHz is used primarily as THE aviation >distress frequency and EPIRBs only intermittently transmit a signal so as >not to crap out the frequency for any real emegencies. Droll, but misleading: if your life ( or your vessel ) is in immediate peril and you cannot summon aid or help cannot find you, activate the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. There is no rescue agency worth the name which does not consider loss of human life a real emergency. The quoted material is ignorant and dangerous crap and is amazing evidence that some idiots ( like the ***deep air*** gang ) will offer stuff to others which could kill them. They are shit. About the West Marine Company's ad / web page - they sell a good variety of marine safety gear. They sell the higher frequency, registered and licensed EPIRB, and they sell the much less expensive, often called 'near coastal,' ( I don't have catalogs in front of me ) EPIRBs. Airliners and satellites do not need "DF" gear, they just need to know where they were while they heard the alarm. FCC and USCG web pages are really good starting points for FACTS. You could also search GMDSS. I have a strobe on my BCD and carry at least one in a pocket for anchor marking. And a DiveAlert, and whistle, and rockets. I have lots of strobes and a small EPIRB on my boat. If I haven't convinced you that small EPIRBs work, consider the frequent SAR log reports wherein FAD activations have been tracked down, usually in marinas, and the jerks really hammered financially. For Truth and Fair Winds Bill Howell (DIVER!) Mansfield MA, USA -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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