Just got back a little while ago from hunting down a PLB that did a semi decent job of giving it's databurst, but the homing signal on 121.5 was [darn] near nil except for a parking lot worth.
It was registered, but that party gave up the device a couple years ago and someone else never re-registered it, and the original registrar never un-registered it. So they got the call, and said "we don't have that anymore" and it's now a continent away.
When you do presentations, or any such related thing - take the time to educate people on the importance of registering the things.. and keeping it current. :)
Was this a "genuine" distress call or an accidental activation? In either case, did you thrash the survivors?
Major Lord
NOAA has discovered that not only do they have unregistered beacons (what?! the law says they have to be registered ::)), that there are mistakes with the ones that are registered.
According to a couple of NOAA presentations, only about 75% of beacons are registered. A check of about 3000 registrations in 2009 found that overall accuracy of the registration data was just under 84%. Changes in owners or contact information are problems as well as typos when entering registration numbers.
So yes, reminding people to register their beacons and updating their info for beacons that are registered are good things to do. New registrations and updates can all be done online at http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/
Mike
Heh, no actual distress other than those wondering what the converging of "people with lots of antennas" were doing so early in the morning before the work day started.
Quote from: sardak on June 15, 2010, 03:24:49 PM
NOAA has discovered that not only do they have unregistered beacons (what?! the law says they have to be registered ::)), that there are mistakes with the ones that are registered.
According to a couple of NOAA presentations, only about 75% of beacons are registered. A check of about 3000 registrations in 2009 found that overall accuracy of the registration data was just under 84%. Changes in owners or contact information are problems as well as typos when entering registration numbers.
So yes, reminding people to register their beacons and updating their info for beacons that are registered are good things to do. New registrations and updates can all be done online at http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/
Mike
I'm actually surprised that the registration and accuracy rates are that high. I thought registration was probably less than 50% and accuracy on registered beacons would be no more than 75%
Quote from: CAPSGT on June 15, 2010, 06:32:28 PM
I'm actually surprised that the registration and accuracy rates are that high. I thought registration was probably less than 50% and accuracy on registered beacons would be no more than 75%
Ditto - same goes for GMRS licenses.
People don't read or care about the rules or even common sense - just give me a big "HELP!" button.
http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/1087/
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/38/Lifecall-1.jpg/200px-Lifecall-1.jpg)