EPIRB = Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. PLB = Personal Locator Beacon. Each is a radio device that uses radio frequencies monitored by aircraft, or satellites or both. It is mandatory equipment on yachts in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race to have one 406 mHz EPIRB for each liferaft carried to provide accurate plotting and boat identification. Each crew member must also have a personal EPIRB.

A PLB is a smaller, more compact version of an EPIRB, but it also has a more limited range and typically has a shorter lifespan due to the small battery sizes used to power the signal. A small PLB, even a miniature one, can be very useful for inshore rescue, where search and rescue teams are more likely to pick up the distress call and be on the rescue scene in a very short time. However, an EPIRB is definitely recommended if you are planning an offshore cruise or an open ocean race where the signal needs to travel a longer distance to be picked up and search and rescue teams may take longer to arrive on the scene. EPIRBs may be more expensive than PLBs, but are definitely worth the additional cost whenever safety is a concern.

Both EPIRBs and PLBs must be registered after purchase or transfer of ownership to make it easier to locate you in an emergency, but the registration is a simple process and can even be done online. Just remember to register your unit before you leave on a trip, because it can take up to 24 hours for the registration to be accepted into the search and rescue system. www.sarsat.noaa.gov