Emergency beacon frequency change lauded

A worldwide frequency change for emergency locator beacons will sharpen the focus of Wairarapa search and rescue groups from Sunday.
A global and permanent switch from Sunday to 406 Megahertz frequency for emergency locator beacons will mean satellites will not hear signals from the older 121.5Mhz or 243Mhz beacons.
So from February 1 anybody needing rescue in land and marine playgrounds across the country needs to ensure they have made the Switch to 406.
Senior Sergeant Murray Johnston, Masterton police Search and Rescue co-ordinator, said the new frequency enables more precision in locating people in trouble and is an immense improvement on the old frequency beacons.
"There is no real impact on emergency services at all because the only change is the satellite and only passing aircraft will pick up the older beacons. But the 406 frequency gives vastly more accurate positioning.
Mr Johnston said he has been told about 50 registrations a week have been made for the new frequency in the lead-up to the changeover and the take up of 406 "appears to be pretty good".
"Besides, anyone with any common sense would change over anyway."
Neville Blakemore, Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand search and rescue officer, said the redundant beacons will need to be discarded and a switch made to the new frequency model.
"No matter how experienced you are, carrying a registered 406MHz beacon means RCCNZ can be quickly informed you're in trouble, which could help save your life. It's as simple as that.
"There have been numerous incidents where the person or group in trouble has had a 406MHz beacon and we've been able to rescue them and in many cases avert a real tragedy," he said.
"However, our concern is that there are still old 121.5MHz and 243MHz beacons out there, and if they are activated after February 1 they won't be heard."
Mr Blakemore said the new beacons are superior to the older models, which were responsible for a huge number of false alarms.
The new beacons also provide RCCNZ with a search area of approximately 20sqkm a huge improvement on the older-style beacons, which provided a search area of more than 1000sqkm, he said.
"If your 406MHz is GPS equipped it is even better, as this reduces the search area down to only a few square metres," he said.
Registration of 406MHz beacons with RCCNZ is also critical, as it provides rescuers with important contact information, which can assist greatly in an emergency, Mr Blakemore said.
Police Search and Rescue liaison officer sergeant Bruce Johnston said people need to recognise "that no matter how experienced they are, anyone can get into trouble at any time".
"The bottom line is, if you can't tell us you need help, we can't rescue you. And that's a realisation you don't want to hit you when you are lying at the bottom of a remote gully with a broken leg.
"Carry a 406MHz beacon, make sure it's registered, and if you need us, we can find you."
n Registration of the new frequency beacons is free with RCCNZ and can be done online, by phone, email or fax.