ACR Electronics PLB-350C User Manual

Y1-03-0244C i

CAUTION: Before proceeding to install, test or use your new
ACR Electronics’ product, please read this Product Support Manual
in its entirety.

If you have questions regarding the contents of the manual or
something not covered in the manual, please contact our Technical
Service Department at ACR Electronics, Inc., Telephone +1 (954)
981-3333. You can also visit our website at

www.acrelectronics.com and access the Frequently Asked

Questions (FAQs) section for further information. If in the future you
lose this manual, you may access and print a replacement on the
ACR website.

About Cobham Life Support, ACR Products

Cobham Life Support, ACR Products www.acrelectronics.com,
designs and manufactures a complete line of safety and survival
products including EPIRBs, PLBs, AIS, SARTs, Strobe Lights, Life
Jacket Lights, Search Lights and safety accessories. The quality
systems of this facility have been registered by UL to the ISO
9001:2008 Series Standards. Recognized as the world leader in
safety and survival technologies, ACR has provided safety
equipment to the aviation and marine industries as well as to the
military since 1956.

About Cobham plc

Cobham plc is an international company engaged in the
development, delivery and support of advanced aerospace and
defense systems for land, sea, air and space. The company has
four divisions that collectively specialize in the provision of
components, subsystems and services that keep people safe,
improve communications and enhance the capability of aerospace
and defense platforms.

Y1-03-0244C 2

PLEASE READ ALL WARNINGS, CAUTIONS AND

NOTES CARFULLY

Table of Contents

STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON ______________________ 4

STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS _______________________ 6

STEP THREE - MAINTAINING YOUR PLB ______________________ 15

APPENDIX A - ACCESSORIES _______________________________ 19

APPENDIX B - USER INTERFACE: SPECIAL ICONS ________________ 20

APPENDIX C - USER INTERFACE: DIGITAL DISPLAY- OPERATION ___ 21

APPENDIX D - USER INTERFACE: DIGITAL DISPLAY - SELF-TEST ____ 24

APPENDIX E - USER INTERFACE: DIGITAL DISPLAY -LONG GPS TEST _ 27

APPENDIX F - THE COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM ___________________ 28

APPENDIX G - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ____________________ 29

APPENDIX H - WARRANTY, USEFUL LIFE POLICY, NOTICES ________ 30

APPENDIX I – RESTRICTIONS ON USE and EC DOC ______________ 31

Y1-03-0244C 3

STEP ONE - REGISTERING YOUR BEACON

Your personalized ID code
programmed inside each beacon is
transmitted to Search and Rescue
(SAR). SAR forces use this code to pull
up your registration to find out valuable
information about who needs help.

YOUR RESCUE WILL

BE DELAYED IF YOUR

BEACON ISN’T PROPERLY

REGISTERED!

Why is registration important?
As the owner of this 406 MHz beacon, it is mandatory that you register it

with the PLB national authority of your country: It is the law. Please note

that all 406 MHz beacons are required to have their registration updated every
two years by the owner.

HOW REGISTRATION WORKS:
All 406 MHz beacons transmit a Unique Identifier Number (UIN) when

activated. This UIN is programmed into the beacon based on the country in
which the beacon is registered, thus authorities are able to determine which

country’s database will have your registration information. SAR forces will have

information as to who you are as the owner of the beacon, the name and type
of vessel that you have (if applicable), your address, and who to contact that
might know of your current situation - but only if your beacon has been properly
registered. Valuable search and rescue resources are wasted every year
responding to false alerts, and registering your beacon helps to resolve this
quickly.

Y1-03-0244C 4

What country should I register in?

The beacon must be registered in the country of the owner’s residence. If the
beacon is not programmed to that country’s code and protocol, and the

residence is outside of the USA, the beacon needs to be reprogrammed.
Additionally, the beacon must be reprogrammed if you, as the owner, move out

of the country where the beacon is registered. To verify the country for which a
beacon is programmed, see the label with the UIN (Unique Identification
Number) on the back of the unit.

How do I register?

Registration 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 ways to register:

1. The fastest and easiest way to register is online at

www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/.

2. Faxing a registration is also acceptable. Fax the registration form to the
fax number on the top of the registration form.

NOTE: Do not confuse the registration form with the ACR Electronics warranty
card.

3. If online or fax registration is not available, mail the registration form
with the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope to:

Registration NOAA/NESDIS
NSOF, E/SP3
4231 Suitland Road
Suitland, MD 20746

All registration forms will be entered in the 406 MHz beacon registration
database within 48 hours of receipt. The information you provide on the
registration form is used for rescue purposes only.

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, and then affix the decal

to your beacon in the area marked “BEACON DECAL HERE.” It is very
important that the proof of registration decal matches the UIN on the
beacon. If you do not receive confirmation back from NOAA within two weeks,

call toll free [phone] for assistance.

Y1-03-0244C 5

Registration in Canada
Canadian residents can register online at:
http://canadianbeaconregistry.forces.gc.ca/ or contact the Canadian Beacon
Registry by phone at: 877-406-7671 or by fax at: 877-406-3298. Canadian
registration forms can also be mailed to:

Canadian Beacon Registry
CFB Trenton, PO Box 1000 Stn Forces
Astra, Ontario K0K 3W0

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 may have assisted you in filling out the forms and sending them to
the country’s national authority. Alternatively, many countries allow online
registration in the International 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database (IBRD)
at www.406registration.com.

To verify that the unit is properly programmed for your country, view the UIN
label on the back of the unit. In the event that the beacon is not programmed for
your country, the sales agent (if properly equipped) can reprogram the unit for
the correct country.

STEP TWO - HOW THE BEACON WORKS

1. How your beacon summons help

406 MHz beacons are a type of portable emergency equipment that transmits a
distress signal to search and rescue (SAR) organizations. The purpose of these
beacons is to aid SAR teams in tracking and locating ships or individuals in
jeopardy as rapidly as possible.

The 406 MHz frequency is a worldwide dedicated emergency frequency that is
detected by a network of satellites called the Cospas-Sarsat system. This
satellite system was established by, and continues to be supported by, its
primary benefactors - the USA, Russia, Canada and France. The Cospas­Sarsat system has saved over 28,400 lives - and counting - since its inception.
See Appendix or the Cospas-Sarsat website for more information about the
system at www.cospas-sarsat.org.

When a 406 MHz beacon is activated, the digital distress message is sent to
Cospas-Sarsat satellites and, in turn, the distress message is relayed to SAR.
The distress message contains the beacon UIN and on some models the GPS
location of the beacon. Additional information about the beacon is accessed by
SAR from the beacon registration database. At the same time the 406 MHz
signal is activated, a 121.5 MHz signal is turned on. The 121.5 MHz signal is
used by SAR to home in on the beacon as they approach it.

Y1-03-0244C 6

The 406 MHz signal is detected by multiple satellites and from that information
the location of the beacon can be calculated. This data alone is sufficient for
SAR to find persons or ships in distress in a reasonable timeframe. However,
as a further enhancement, some beacons have a GPS engine onboard. This
feature allows the beacon to acquire current location coordinates from an
internal GPS receiver. The purpose of this feature is to send an even more
precise location of the beacon to the satellites, i.e., latitude and longitude data.
This helps SAR to reach the location even faster.

2. Internal GPS position system

The PLB-350C is fitted with an internal GPS receiver that will download the

coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the beacon’s position on the globe, to be

transmitted to the Cospas-Sarsat emergency system.
When the beacon is activated, the internal GPS immediately attempts to

acquire positional coordinates. GPS coordinates can be acquired any time that
the GPS is on, but only valid data is saved. Once the beacon acquires valid
coordinates, the data is included as part of the next transmitted 406 MHz digital
message.

The internal GPS operates on a schedule during a beacon activation. The GPS
is on for a time, actively acquiring coordinates, and off for 20 minutes, in a
standby state. The schedule is designed to conserve battery but, at the same
time, assure that navigational coordinates are regularly updated.

3. Optional beacon management and testing services

Additional features and through satellite testing services are available for this
beacon when you subscribe to the SafeLife System. When you sign up for this
optional service you can test your beacon and have confirmation messages
sent to your cell phone or email. Expanded services also will include friends
and family contact information for check in messaging. Visit 406Link.com for
complete details. (This service is not required for your beacon to function as a
Personal Locator Beacon.)

Y1-03-0244C 7

4. Anatomy of your beacon

Figure 1

Antenna
latch

Digital display

FRONT BACK

GPS
antenna

Antenna:
Wrapped
around
beacon

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

Activation
button cover

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

Keypad

Multi-language label:
This optional label may
be applied for ease of
use.

Registration decal
supplied by some
countries: Once the
beacon is registered,
the label goes here.

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

Y1-03-0244C 8

5. Distinguishing PLB Features

PLB-350C

Product
names

AquaLink™View 406

GPS PLB

SARLink™ View 406 GPS PLB

ACR Product
Number

2884

2885

Unique
features

Digital display, LED strobe, 60 GPS acquisition tests

GPS engine

Internal, 66-channel GPS receiver

Top case

Clear

Buoyant

Yes

No

Included
Accessories

Multi-Function Belt Clip

Optional
Accessories

Flotation pouch (ACR P/N 9504)

PLB

ON

GPS √

The distinguishing features available on your PLB vary with the particular model
that you selected. The following table summarizes the similarities and
differences in models.

6. Digital Display

The digital display in the beacon is used as a secondary visual aid, supporting
the green/red LED and the audio tone, which indicate the status of the beacon
during testing and during emergency operation.

The messages on the digital display typically appear as one or two words at a
time, until the entire message has been displayed.

When the beacon is
activated, the display will
show the message PLB ON.
The beacon will begin to
send 406 MHz emergency
signal bursts, at which time
the display provides other
messages including 406
SENT, 121.5 ON and GPS
coordinates, provided the
data was acquired. If GPS
data has not been
successfully downloaded
into the beacon, the digital
display will give you tips like

“GIVE CLEAR VIEW TO
SKY.”

Y1-03-0244C 9

In Self-Test, the display illustrates the test result of each step with “√” indicating

Warning: This transmitter is authorized for use only during
situations of grave and imminent danger. Deliberate misuse may
incur a severe penalty.

a pass and “X” indicating a failure. There are a total of five tests, including a
battery check. If all tests pass, SELF-TEST PASS will be displayed at the end
of the Self-Test mode. In the GNSS Self Test mode, the digital display will
show the letters “GPS Test” moving left to right while the internal GPS receiver
is acquiring the coordinate data. Once the data is acquired, the coordinates will
display as a confirmation that the data was successfully acquired. This will be
followed by the GPS coordinates horizontally scrolling through the display,
provided the beacon has successfully downloaded an external GPS location.
See Appendixes B through E for details about display messages.

7. Activating your beacon

Overview
Personal Locator Beacons are designed to be manually activated. They are
only to be activated when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted.
When properly registered as required, the activation of the beacon tells Search
and Rescue who you are, where you are, and that you are facing a life
threatening situation.

Y1-03-0244C 10