Wireless Bureau Seeks Comment on Waiver for Personal Locator Beacon Device
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a request for waiver by ACR Electronics for the ACR SARLink Combined 2-Way Communicator Personal Locator Beacon, used to locate people in remote areas. ACR needs a waiver because the device doesn't conform…
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to FCC rules, the bureau said Tuesday. Rules require that emergency radio beacons transmit a distress signal on 406.0-406.1 MHz, to communicate with the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system and a lower-powered signal on frequency 121.5 MHz, used by search-and-rescue (SAR) personnel as a homing beacon. The SARLink doesn’t include the latter capability, the bureau said. Instead, the SARLink “incorporates two-way text messaging capability through the Iridium satellite system,” the bureau said. “ACR asserts that this capability will provide better distress alerting and locating assistance than a 121.5 MHz homing beacon because SARLink users will be able to text SAR personnel directly and provide location information in addition to the Global Positioning System data encoded in the COSPAS-SARSAT message, such as physical landmarks and obstacles.” Comments are due May 7, replies May 22.