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Emergency in USA
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Author:  onewatchnut [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Emergency in USA
FYI the FCC has issued a notice that they are going to make it illegal for anyone in the USA to sell, purchase, install or use an emrgency transmitter that transmits on 121.5 MHz. :shock: Meanwhile, the FAA is not making the transition to the 406 MHz transmitters mandatory. They are perfectly content to let us continue to use the older 121.5 MHz units. :huh

This is obviously an ill conceived directive from the FCC. :guns:The aviation community is up in arms over this and the phone at the FCC hasn't stopped ringing. It will take effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. With all the complaints being submitted, I doubt that it will be published anytime soon; and it may well take a different form before publication. BUT, if it is implemented as written, getting your emergency serviced at BUSA could easily be problematic. :wowzers
Author:  avers [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
When will this directive be effective?
Author:  onewatchnut [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
It takes effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Nobody knows when that will happen, but with all the noise from the aviation community it could be quite a while. Ideally, it would die a natural death and never get published. There's been a lot of chatter about it in the aviation community, but apparently it was not known here so I thought I would post it for info.
Author:  Roffensian [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
So I know nothing about the details of these transmitters and their monitoring, and I know even less about US law, but............

This seems remarkably dumb. Making it illegal to buy / sell or use a transmitter that is still 'the standard' around the world (and effectively in North America) seems ridiculous. What's the downside of 121.5? I get that 406 is 'better', but is 121.5 so fundamentally flawed that it needs to be outlawed - I've never heard that?

This would effectively be the death knell for the Emergency in North America as well unless technology has figured out how to put a 406 in to the Emergerncy case.

I have to think that I'm missing part of the story because this makes no sense (even by the standards of US lawmakers).
Author:  onewatchnut [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
It's the government. It doesn't have to make sense!

The SARSAT satellites no longer listen on 121.5 MHz. The cone of uncertainty is so high that you could be anywhere within a radius of several miles and the sginal is hard to detect on the ground. You really need a SAR aircraft flying a search pattern to locate the transmitter (unless you spot the smoking hole first), which consumes resources and time.

Even though the SARSAT no longer listens, ATC and most pilots, who have more than one radio, monitor 121.5 continuously. And yes, I have heard and reported a transmitter broadcasting.

The 406 MHz transmitter sends a more precise location which increases the odds of you being found alive. Some are configured to input your postition from some panel mounted GPS units and transmit it to the satellite, which give your last known location within 100 yards, or so.

The system is far from perfect and that is why the FAA made the transition voluntary. What's your arse worth? Are you willing to spend the $1,000 to $2,000 to upgrade your aircraft just so you can be found quicker? Apparently, most pilots decided not to and the FCC seems to think they need to be prodded.

I'm sure the Breitling Emergency was the last thing on their mind. There are not enough 406 transmitters on all the shelves to upgrade all the aircraft in the USA within 60 days, not counting the amount of labor involved. Yes, it is terminally stupid!
Author:  Alan M [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Agree with you Roff.

Sounds like sillyness.
Author:  Palantas [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
I agree with what's been said, however...

Roffensian wrote:
...this makes no sense (even by the standards of US lawmakers).


...this is uncalled for.
Author:  mingoglia [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Palantas wrote:
I agree with what's been said, however...

Roffensian wrote:
...this makes no sense (even by the standards of US lawmakers).


...this is uncalled for.


I would think if you polled the citizens of the U.S. the vast majority would be of the opinion that U.S. lawmakers these days rarely do things that make sense... the reason they do "things" typically is politically motivated or has some sort of personal gain associated with it. Does it make "sense" that lawmakers would sign their name to a bill exceeding 1,000 pages with less than a day to review it? Nope, it's all politics.
Author:  Palantas [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
mingoglia wrote:
I would think if you polled the citizens of the U.S. the vast majority would be of the opinion that U.S. lawmakers these days rarely do things that make sense...


Assuming I accept your theory here as being true, I have two responses:
  • That's for Americans to comment on. It's the difference of you saying that your house looks like shit, and me coming over and saying it looks like shit. One's rude.
  • Is that what this thread's about? Based on the original post, it seems to me it's supposed to be about Breitling watches and a particular law affecting them, not an all-encompassing critique of the American legal system.
Author:  mingoglia [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
I run a local forum and as a result I spend the majority of my time on it. Since it's local I'm so used to assuming that who I'm talking about is from the US. I didn't realize he was Canadian.

As someone that moderates another forum I'll be the first to agree with your comment about being off topic so we'll put this to rest. :) Plus I think discussing politics is against the terms of service of this forum so I'll stop now before I get anyone's attention. :oops: :oops:

Palantas wrote:
mingoglia wrote:
I would think if you polled the citizens of the U.S. the vast majority would be of the opinion that U.S. lawmakers these days rarely do things that make sense...


Assuming I accept your theory here as being true, I have two responses:
  • That's for Americans to comment on. It's the difference of you saying that your house looks like shit, and me coming over and saying it looks like shit. One's rude.
  • Is that what this thread's about? Based on the original post, it seems to me it's supposed to be about Breitling watches and a particular law affecting them, not an all-encompassing critique of the American legal system.
Author:  Roffensian [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Wow, didn't expect this - if we are going to be strictly accurate then I'm an English expat Canadian (maybe I should be offended that you assumed that someone in Canada was Canadian - that shows a huge lack of awareness of Canada, but are we really all that sensitive?).

I am gobsmacked that anyone would find that offensive, but my apologies to anyone (American or otherwise) who was offended.
Author:  Palantas [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Apology accepted. Moving on...

EDIT:

I realize I didn't move to anything. Okay, what is the purpose of this law? Why does it make a difference if these older transmitters exist or not?
Author:  Sharkmouth [ Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
From Aviation Week (who are usually in the know)
Quote:
Owners of the Breitling Emergency Watch can breathe a sigh of relief since the FCC will leave intact the waiver granted to Breitling that permits marketing and use of the company’s Emergency Watch, which is considered a homing beacon and not an ELT, and was never dependent upon Cospas-Sarsat’s processing of 121.5 MHz distress signals. “The commission agrees that “Cospas-Sarsat’s termination of satellite monitoring of 121.5 MHz has no bearing on the utility of the Breitling Emergency Watch and has no impact on its functionality and safety benefits.”
Author:  Alan M [ Thu Jul 01, 2010 2:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Come on guys, a nice cup of (China) tea can sort all of this out (No, I'm not willing to discuss the Boston bay thing!)

Watches and a good sense of laughter...

Sugar?
Author:  onewatchnut [ Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Emergency in USA
Wow :wowzers I didn't mean to start a firestorm. Thanks Shark for posting that Aviation Week info. Now that this appears to be settled, can cooler heads prevail? 8)
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