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Y1-03-0250 Rev. B 

15 

STEP THREE - INSTALLING THE BEACON 

1. 

Marking battery and Hydrostatic Release Unit expiration dates 

NOTE

It is the beacon owner’s responsibility to record the expiration dates 

for  both  the  beacon  battery  and  the 

HydroFix™  hydrostatic  release  unit. 

This information must appear on the product itself. 

 

The left side of the battery housing indicates the battery expiry date. Space 
is  provided  for  the  beacon  owner  to  mark  the  date  the  beacon  was  placed 
into  service.  The  beacon  should  be  serviced  5  years  from  the  installation 
date but no later than the battery expiry date.  
 
The ACR HydroFix™ HRU has an expiration date of 2 years 

from the date 

of installation 

or 4  years 

from the date manufactured

,  whichever comes 

first.  Upon  installing  your  beacon  or  new  HRU,

  permanently  scratch  the 

new expiration date on the HRU date calendar 

as seen below. 

 

 

2. 

Mounting location 

The  selection  of  a  mounting  location  will  vary  from  vessel  to  vessel. 
Beacons  should  be  protected  from  outside  influences  while  being  readily 
accessible at all times in the event of an emergency. 
 
The  location  selected  must  be  sufficiently  rigid  to support  the  weight of  the 
total installation. 
 
Hazards to avoid when selecting a mounting location: 

// 

Vibration 

// 

Exposure to the elements 

// 

Possibility of impact from hatches, gear, or personnel 

// 

Harmful vapors 

// 

Exhaust 

// 

Harsh chemicals 

// 

Locations that can be obscured by foreign articles on a temporary or 
permanent basis. 

Date of Installation Example: 

Date of installation of New HRU or First 
Installation of EPIRB including new 
HRU: 

August 1, 2010. 

This unit will need to be replaced in 

August of 2012

. Scratch off “AUG 8” 

and “2011” on the HRU date calendar 
 

Date of Manufacture Example: 

On the bottom of the HRU a date of 
manufacture is pin stamped: 

0808. 

This unit will need to be replaced in 

August 2012

. Scratch off “AUG 8” and 

“2012” on the HRU date calendar 
 
 

Summary of Contents for RLB-38 2874

Page 1: ...OWNER VESSEL RADIO CALL SIGN UIN...

Page 2: ...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 please contact our Technical Service Departme...

Page 3: ..._____________________ 15 STEP FOUR MAINTAINING THE BEACON ___________________________ 20 APPENDIX A USING AND TESTING THE GPS SYSTEMS_________________ 25 APPENDIX B THE COSPAS SARSAT SYSTEM __________...

Page 4: ...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 ha...

Page 5: ...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...

Page 6: ...ww 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 sa...

Page 7: ...s message is sent to Cospas Sarsat satellites and in turn the distress message is relayed to SAR The distress message contains important information about the beacon and its owner Additional informati...

Page 8: ...in the future Activation switch with Witness Tab The activation switch embodies a special patented method of activating a beacon Refer to a subsequent section of this manual for how to activate the b...

Page 9: ...Y1 03 0250 Rev B 8 Top View Switch Positions Strobes Optional GPS Interface Antenna Green LED Red LED Activation Test Switch OFF READY Position TEST Position ON TRANSMITTING Position...

Page 10: ...Bracket Category 1 SeaShelter 3 Bracket Spring Release Knob HydroFix Hydrostatic Release Unit HRU Ejector Spring Antenna Hook Front cover hook detent Optional GPS Interface Cable Antenna Hook Water S...

Page 11: ...om the bracket Two conditions must be met for a Category II beacon to automatically activate It must be out of its bracket It must be wet NOTE Either condition by itself will not automatically activat...

Page 12: ...longer in its bracket and when continuity is created by water between two of the top cap screws an activation circuit is completed NOTE Transmission of the 121 5 MHz and 406 MHz signals will not occur...

Page 13: ...gory I or II beacon MANUALLY activates with the following sequence 1 Remove the beacon from its bracket 2 Activation method one Place beacon in water 3 Activation method two Lift the switch to a verti...

Page 14: ...e the EPIRB with you if abandoning ship provided there is time to get it Tether beacon using the lanyard to the life raft and let the beacon float if in a life raft Keep EPIRB upright for best signal...

Page 15: ...backwards in its bracket lanyard roll must face in Do not clean the beacon with a water hose and brush while out of its bracket Reporting Should there be for any reason an inadvertent activation or f...

Page 16: ...e calendar as seen below 2 Mounting location The selection of a mounting location will vary from vessel to vessel Beacons should be protected from outside influences while being readily accessible at...

Page 17: ...ruction to allow the beacon to automatically float free from the vessel in case of sinking The SeaShelter3 can be mounted on a vertical surface with the beacon antenna pointing skyward or a horizontal...

Page 18: ...ss Pull the beacon with steady pressure from the bracket It is not necessary to remove the HydroFix Hydrostatic Release Unit HRU to mount the bracket using four of the holes For extreme conditions a f...

Page 19: ...to a flat surface Remove the beacon from the bracket To do this while holding the assembly press the PUSH lever to release the beacon from the bracket Pull the beacon forward and down to remove The br...

Page 20: ...that must be aligned with the two notches on the Category II beacon bezel The connector is then gently inserted downward into place and turned 90 to lock the connector into the bezel If the external...

Page 21: ...be inspected for deterioration and or residue buildup that may affect the function of the beacon or automatic release Part of the visual check includes checking the antenna for tightness Clean the be...

Page 22: ...electronics com hazmat default htm In the case of the RLB 38 the product contains small batteries that are non hazardous However regulations can change Be advised that it is best to verify the shippin...

Page 23: ...your local authorities that the EPIRB has been lost or stolen Contact NOAA at 888 212 7283 212 SAVE or your national authority with the following information o Police department name o Police departm...

Page 24: ...will void your warranty and may cause the bracket to malfunction Check the date of manufacture on the new HRU Follow the instructions that accompany the HydroFix for marking the next expiry date and...

Page 25: ...n a once per month schedule Do not exceed sixty 60 Self Test cycles limit in the five year life of the battery to conserve the battery for emergency use The functional Self Test is initiated by moment...

Page 26: ...escue Authority and may lead to a faster rescue Since the last valid GPS position data may stay in the memory for up to 4 hours the user should take care to make sure that the GPS position data stored...

Page 27: ...are acquired the data is included in the digital message of the next 406 MHz transmission The LED blinks green when GPS coordinates are sent If a time period of 4 hours passes without the internal GPS...

Page 28: ...oordination Center RCC The RCC dispatches Search and Rescue SAR forces The addition of the GEOSAR satellite system greatly improves the reaction time for a SAR event This satellite system has no Doppl...

Page 29: ...TER Frequency 406 037 MHz Power output 5 W Digital message format Standard location protocol for the USA Beacon can be reprogrammed at a service center to other coded formats and to national location...

Page 30: ...ears for the following products EPIRB PLB S VDR SSAS 2 Useful Life Policy The typical service life of a properly maintained Product is limited to 12 years from date of manufacture Products that are 12...

Page 31: ...C Type Examination Module B Certificate No BSH 4612 5061677 10 EC Quality System Module D Certificate No BSH 4613 05102 1251 09 Regulations and IMO Resolution A 662 16 ITU R M 633 2 05 00 Standards IM...

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