ACR Electronics PLB-300 User Manual Rev B

LIMITED WARRANTY

This product is warranted against factory defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 (one) year* from date of purchase or receipt as a gift. During the warranty period ACR Electronics, Inc. will repair or, at its option, replace the unit at no cost to you for labor, materials and return transportation from ACR. For further assistance, please contact our Technical Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc., 5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645. Email: service@acrelectronics.com, Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087, Telephone: +1 (954) 981- 3333. This warranty does not apply if the product has been damaged by accident or misuse, or as a result of service or modification performed by an unauthorized factory. Except as otherwise expressly stated in the previous paragraph, THE COMPANY MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY OTHER MATTER WITH RESPECT TO THIS PRODUCT. The Company shall not be liable for consequential or special damages.

To place the warranty in effect, register online at www.acrelectronics.com or return the attached card within 10 days.

part is permitted only with permission of ACR Electronics, Inc. Ongoing product improvements may change product specifications without notice.

Trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH YOUR

NEW 406 BEACON, DO NOT RETURN IT

TO THE STORE!

CALL ACR ELECTRONICS AT

+1 (954) 981-3333. WE WILL HELP YOU RESOLVE ANY PROBLEMS YOU MAY BE EXPERIENCING. MANY QUESTIONS CAN

BE ANSWERED OVER THE PHONE.

* * * WARNING * * *

THIS TRANSMITTER IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE

ONLY DURING SITUATIONS OF GRAVE

AND IMMINENT DANGER

DELIBERATE MISUSE MAY INCUR A SEVERE PENALTY

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Foreword

Thank you for purchasing from ACR Electronics, Inc. We design, manufacture and distribute quality products knowing they are used to save lives. Many of our products are required to be tested and approved by regulatory bodies worldwide. We believe in going beyond those specifications to insure our products work when needed in real world conditions. With proper care and maintenance your ACR product will last for years. It is important that you thoroughly read this product support manual to understand the proper care and use of your ACR product.

ACR is proud to be certified to ISO 9001:2000, the International Standard for Quality. ACR Electronics diligently works to provide a high quality Product Support Manual, however, despite best efforts,

information is subject to change without notice, and omissions and inaccuracies are possible. ACR cannot accept liability for manual contents. To ensure that you have the most recent version of the Product Support Manual, please visit the ACR website at www.acrelectronics.com.

Table of Contents

SECTION 1 – PRODUCT FEATURES ....................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Getting To Know Your Beacon................................................................................................................................... 3

SECTION 2 – REGISTRATION OF 406 MHZ BEACONS ......................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Registration Importance (Registration is FREE and can be updated as many times as you want) .................... 3

2.2 Where to Register ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

2.3 Registration in the United States ............................................................................................................................... 4

2.4 Registration in Canada ............................................................................................................................................... 4

2.5 Registration in Other Countries ................................................................................................................................. 4

2.6 Change of Ownership or Contact Information.......................................................................................................... 5

2.7 Lost or Stolen Beacons .............................................................................................................................................. 5

SECTION 3 – FALSE ALERTS .................................................................................................................................................. 5

3.1 Prevention of False Alerts .......................................................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Reporting of False Alerts ............................................................................................................................................ 5

SECTION 4 – OPERATION ........................................................................................................................................................ 6

4.1 Activation (406 MHz and 121.5 MHz).......................................................................................................................... 7

4.2 406/121.5 Antenna Position ........................................................................................................................................ 7

4.3 Activation with GPS .................................................................................................................................................... 7

4.4 GPS Receiver Orientation ........................................................................................................................................... 8

4.5 Deactivation ................................................................................................................................................................. 8

4.6 Self Test........................................................................................................................................................................ 8

4.7 Battery Witness Seal Life............................................................................................................................................ 8

4.8 GPS Testing ................................................................................................................................................................. 8

SECTION 5 – ACCESSORIES ................................................................................................................................................... 9

5.1 Multi-Function Belt Clip .............................................................................................................................................. 9

5.2 Attachment Clip ......................................................................................................................................................... 10

5.3 Flotation Pouch ......................................................................................................................................................... 10

SECTION 6 – CARE AND MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................................................. 10

6.1 Routine Maintenance ................................................................................................................................................ 10

6.2 Battery Replacement ................................................................................................................................................. 11

SECTION 7 – THE SEARCH AND RESCUE SYSTEM ........................................................................................................... 11

7.1 General Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 11

7.2 Satellite Detection ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

7.3 Global Positioning System (GPS) ............................................................................................................................ 12

SECTION 8 – TECHNICAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................................ 12

8.1 Characteristics........................................................................................................................................................... 12

8.2 Applicable Documents .............................................................................................................................................. 12

8.3 Specifications ............................................................................................................................................................ 13

WARNING: Contains Lithium Battery

To avoid possible fire, explosion, leakage or burn hazard, do not open, recharge,

disassemble or heat beacon above +70ºC (+158ºF) or incinerate.

These products may contain lithium in the form of a battery. Shipping of hazardous materials requires special handling

and documentation. MSDS sheets, along with shipping information, can be found on our website at

http://www.acrelectronics.com/hazmat/default.htm.

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Product

Model Number

Product Number

Attachment

Clip

Multi-Function

Belt Clip

Flotation

Pouch

ResQFix™

PLB-300

2897

X X

MicrOFix™

PLB-300

2898

Multi Language Label: This optional label may be applied for ease of use.

FRONT BACK

GPS Antenna Location

Figure 1

Antenna: Wrapped around beacon.

Keypad: (discussed in section 4)

UIN Label: Applied at the factory, the 15 character hexadecimal number is unique to each beacon.

Registration Decal Supplied By Some Countries: Once the beacon is registered, the label goes here.

Activation Button Cover

Battery expiration label with the month/year the battery needs to be replaced.

SECTION 1 – PRODUCT FEATURES

The PLB-300™ (referred to as “beacon”) is available in various configurations, as shown in the table below.

The ResQFix™ includes accessories oriented for marine/boating use and the MicrOFix™ includes accessories

more commonly used in outdoor and aviation activities.

1.1 Getting To Know Your Beacon

NOTE: The appearance of your beacon may vary slightly from this picture.

SECTION 2 – REGISTRATION OF 406 MHz BEACONS

2.1 Registration Importance (Registration is FREE and can be updated as many times as you want)

It is mandatory that the owner of this 406 MHz beacon registers it with the national authority*. All 406 MHz beacons transmit a Unique Identifier Number (UIN) when activated. This UIN is programmed in the PLB based on the country in which the beacon was purchased. Registration provides the Search and Rescue (SAR) forces with emergency contact information, and will speed the launch of a rescue operation. The National Authorities use the information to verify if an actual emergency exists. Valuable Search and Rescue personnel are put at risk and resources are wasted every year responding to false alerts. For beacons that are not registered, SAR authorities will not know who you are, or who to contact regarding additional information about your current situation. This could delay the launch of a rescue operation.

*The national authority is the governmental body that is responsible for Beacon Registration Database administration in the country for which the beacon is programmed.

2.2 Where to Register

You must register your beacon with the national authority of your resident country. Verify that your beacon’s UIN is programmed for your resident country, regardless of where you do your adventuring. To verify the country for which a beacon is programmed, see the label with the UIN on the back of the unit. Units that do not have a country specified on the UIN label are programmed for the United States. If you should move to a new country, you must register your beacon with the national authority of that country and have the UIN

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For the fastest service, register online!

In the United States:

www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov

NOAA SARSAT Beacon Registration

NSOF, E/SP3 4231 Suitland Road Suitland, MD 20746

National Search and Rescue Secretariat

400-275 Slater Street

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K2

reprogrammed for that country (if necessary). For a list of the national authorities in your area, please view them at http://www.cospas-sarsat.com/Management/listOfParticipants.htm

2.3 Registration in the United States

It is your responsibility to register your 406 MHz beacon(s) that are programmed for and purchased in the United States. The national authority that accepts registrations in the United States is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There are three options by which the beacon can be registered:

A. The fastest and easiest way to register your beacon with NOAA is to use the online registration database.

B. If the internet is not accessible to you, complete the enclosed registration form. Do not confuse this with

the ACR Electronics warranty card. Mail with the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope to:

C. Faxing your registration is also acceptable. Fax the registration form to fax # +1 (301) 817-4565. Note that the information you provide on the registration form is used only for rescue purposes. Complete and

send the registration immediately. All registration forms will be entered in the 406 MHz beacon registration database within 48 hours of receipt.

A confirmation letter, a copy of the actual registration and a proof-of-registration decal will be mailed to you within two weeks. When you receive these documents, please check the information carefully, then affix

the decal to your beacon in the area marked “BEACON DECAL HERE.” If you do not receive confirmation

back from NOAA in the expected timeframe, call toll free +1 (888)-212-7283 for assistance.

2.4 Registration in Canada

The national authority in Canada is the NSS (National Search & Rescue Secretariat). Canadian residents can register online at http://beacons.nss.gc.ca/. For more information please contact the NSS at +1 (613) 966-1504 or +1 (800) 727-9414.

2.5 Registration in Other Countries

In countries other than the United States and Canada, 406 MHz beacons are registered with that country’s national authority at the time of purchase. The sales agent should assist in filling out the forms and sending to

that country’s national authority. To verify that the unit is properly programmed for that country, view the UIN

label on the side of the unit. In the event that the beacon is not programmed for the country it has been purchased in, the sales agent, (if properly equipped) can reprogram the unit for that country.

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