3. DESCRIPTION
The EPIRB is a powerfull self-contained distress transmitter. It is powered by a light weight
Lithium battery that has a replacement interval of 5 years. An EPIRB is intended to be a one-
shot device; once activated it can operate for at least 48 hours. It operates best while floating
in water, but it can also be operated while on board.
Referring to the previous figure, the key components of your EPIRB are as follows:
Antenna
This is a flexible whip. It must e near vertical when operating.
If the antenna gets bent, gently straighten it out.
Strobe light
This is the glass U-tube visible through the clear lens dome.
When the EPIRB is activated this will falsh every few seconds.
Red lamp
Visible through the clear lens dome at the rear of the EPIRB.
This stays on or flashes to show you which mode you are in.
Program point
A dimple in the clear dome, through which your supplier can
optically input the coded message unique to your EPIRB.
READY button
Press this key once to de-activate the EPIRB. Hold it down to run
the
built-in
self-test,
which checks basic operation.
ON button
Press this key to activate the EPIRB manually. The key is
protected by a sliding door which is fitted with a tamper seal.
Sea switch
The two screw heads below the keys are sea switch contacts.
Submerge these in water to automatically activate the EPIRB.
Lanyard
Pull the lanyard spool down to free it. Use the cord to tether
the EPIRB to a survival craft.
Never
tie the EPIRB to your vessel.
3.1. Wall bracket
If you purchased the manually activated version (´m´ suffix), this is normally supplied with
a wall mounting bracket (see section 7). The bracket is made from white plastic so it will not
rust. Its top section is sprung loaded, so that one simple squeeze will quickly release the
EPIRB allowing it to be carried to a liferaft. The wall bracket should be sited in plain view
near an emergency exit. This bracket is more than just a stowage point, it contains a magnet
which disarms the EPIRB´s sea switch. If you do not slow the EPIRB in its bracket, there is a
risk of the EPIRB activating if it gets wet.
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