PRODUCT SUPPORT MANUAL Y1-03-0127 Rev. D MINI B2TM Product No. 2762 MINI B2TM ILS Product No. 2763 Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB Class B) FCC Type Accepted Part 80 ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33312 +1(954) 981-3333 · +1 (954) 983-5087 Fax www.acrelectronics.com Email: Info@acrelectronics.com A Chelton Group company Foreword: Congratulations and thank you! You have just purchased the finest Class B personal EPIRB available on the market. Other brands merely attempt to meet the requirements established by authorities. By purchasing this EPIRB you have distinguished yourself as one of the safest persons in boating. To be a responsible EPIRB owner: · Read this manual. · Activate your EPIRB ONLY in an emergency. · Mount your EPIRB in an easily accessible spot or store it in your ditch/emergency kit. · Prepare an emergency evacuation plan and rehearse it. · In a grave and imminent situation, where you have exhausted all other means of rescue, activate your EPIRB and leave it "ON" until Search And Rescue forces arrive. Do not turn it off and on in the misguided belief that you are saving battery power. · NEVER set off a false alarm. Follow the instructions in section 5 to operationally test your EPIRB. Search And Rescue forces will respond to all known emergencies. This EPIRB will alert the authorities to an emergency if activated in most coastal waters, (excluding parts of Africa and Antarctica). The USCG reports that 99% of all Class A & B EPIRB activation's are false. The high number of false activation events places an unnecessary burden on the Search and Rescue system. Don' be guilty of causing a false or accidental t activation. Help educate others that irresponsible handling of EPIRBs risks lives by slowing the response to real emergencies and wastes tax payer dollars. Please call or write for answers to questions or for information on other safety products manufactured by ACR Electronics, Inc. ACR/MINI B2TM EPIRB TABLE OF CONTENTS PARA ------Figure 1 SECTION 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 Figure 2 1.4 1.5 1.6 SECTION 2 2.1 SECTION 3 3.1 3.2 SECTION 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 SECTION 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 TITLE Foreword Table of Contents TM ACR/MINI B2 Outline Drawing INTRODUCTION General Purpose Satellite Detection Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) Authorizations Characteristics Technical Data INSTALLATION General OPERATION General Manual Deployment MAINTENANCE General Battery Check Inspection Check Periodic Operational Check Packaging & Transportation TESTING General Operational Testing Operational Notes PAGE i ii 1 2-4 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5-8 5 6 6 7 7 7-8 7 7 8 FIGURE 1: ACR/M INI B2 TM EPIRB SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION 1.1 GENERAL TM and This manual provides installation, operation and maintenance instructions for the ACR/MINI B2 TM ACR/MINI B2 ILS Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB - Class B), hereinafter referred to as the Beacon. This section describes the characteristics and details of the Beacon (See Figure 1). An FCC Ship Station License is required to carry this unit aboard ship. PURPOSE The Beacon is an item of survival equipment and is designed to be carried aboard vessels at sea and in port, so as to be readily available in any emergency. It may be used on the deck of vessels, on survival craft, or may be attached to the latter with the provided lanyard, as well as attached to survival suits, etc. When turned "ON," it transmits tone modulated signals (VHF) so that rescue aircraft or vessels equipped with suitable direction finding receiving equipment can "home" to the transmitting unit. This Beacon meets FCC Rules for improved satellite detection. SATELLITE DETECTION EPIRB use is directly affected by the COSPAS-SARSAT System. SARSAT is an acronym for Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking. This international system has proven that satellites can be used to detect distress alerts and to determine position from Class A and B EPIRBs. COSPAS-SARSAT frequently plays a key role in many operational Search and Rescue decisions. Since the first recorded rescue in 1982, over 5,000 persons have been rescued as a direct result of SARSAT. These successes have brought more public awareness and an expanding growth in the use of EPIRBs. 1.4 AUTHORIZATIONS The ACR/MINI B2TM Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon meets the requirements of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 80.1055 as a Class "B" EPIRB, for marine use. 1.2 1.3 FIGURE 2: SATELLITE DETECTION 1.5 CHARACTERISTICS TM The ACR/MINI B2 Beacon is an o-ring sealed battery operated unit. The beacon case, with its external antenna is waterproof. The semiconductor circuits are mounted within the case assembly, which also contains the battery power supply. An "ON-OFF" switch is installed on top of the Beacon, along with a light emitting diode (LED) operation indicator. The Beacon may be stowed in any convenient place, mounted in a special bracket aboard a vessel, or tied with its lanyard inside survival craft. The unit is completely waterproof. TM The ACR/MINI B2 ILS Product No. 2763 also has an in-line speaker which emits an audio warble whenever the Beacon is transmitting. The audio sound is identical to the signal being transmitted. This sound serves as an ALERT that the Beacon is on and directly indicates that the Beacon is functioning. TM ACR designed the MINI B2 ILS with an audible warble to help reduce the incidence of accidental activation. The audible warble also allows you to self test your beacon more effectively. NEVER operationally test your Class B EPIRB except as noted in Section 5.2 of this manual. 1.6 TECHNICAL DATA Pertinent technical data is listed below: ITEM Frequency Power Output Operating Life Battery Emission Modulation Frequency Stability Operating Temperatures Activation Size Weight Attachments Accessories CHARACTERISTICS 121.5 and 243.0 MHz (simultaneous) Minimum 75 mW on each frequency during 48 hours continuous operation 48 hours minimum at -20°, (-4°F) longer in temperate climates Lithium battery, 12 year shelf life, 6 year replacement interval (as per regulation) Type A3X Downward sweeping tone between 1600 and 300 Hz at 2 to 4 sweeps per second .005% (Crystal controlled) -20°C to +55°C (-4°F to +131°F) Manual " ON-OFF"switch 6.0" H x 2.6" W x 1.6" D (152mm x 66mm x 41mm) excluding antenna 9.9 ounces (280 g) Lanyards, Hanked and Wrist ACR/MINI B2TM Mounting Bracket, (Optional) PN 9321 SECTION 2 - INSTALLATION 2.1 GENERAL TM The ACR/MINI B2 Beacon has been designed for multi-purpose installation for survival use, personnel, rafts, floats and survival craft. It should be stowed where it will be readily available in an emergency, or mounted TM where easily accessible with the optional ACR/MINI B2 Mounting Bracket. SECTION 3 - OPERATION 3.1 GENERAL TM The ACR/MINI B2 Beacon is designed to be manually deployed and activated. It may be hand held on the deck of vessels or attached with the lanyard provided to survival suits, a raft or life vest. The beacon should be in a vertical orientation, (antenna "UP"), to transmit effectively. It should be operated in an area free of obstructions. MANUAL DEPLOYMENT Remove the Beacon from its mounting or storage position and ensure that the antenna is in an upright position. Flip the switch to the "ON" position. Red LED indicator will illuminate. The LED indicator will remain on for 5 seconds indicating that the batteries are functional. After 5 seconds, the LED indicator will begin flashing, indicating that the transmitter is functioning properly. The ACR/MINI B2TM ILS, Product No. 2763, will also emit an audio warble, again indicating that the transmitter is functioning properly. If operated from the deck of the vessel, choose the most advantageous position free of surrounding obstacles. If deployed in water, make sure that the antenna is positioned vertically and the antenna itself is out of the water. It is preferable to hold the unit above the water, as immersion reduces effectiveness. 3.2 SECTION 4 - MAINTENANCE 4.1 GENERAL The Beacon has been designed for use with a minimum of maintenance required. A check list is given in this section, and when accomplished periodically, should help to assure emergency operation and extended life use. CAUTION: Perform all maintenance operations and checks within a screen room, if available, to prevent inadvertent transmission of emergency signals. If a screen room is not available, use caution in handling the Beacon during servicing to prevent signal transmission. 4.2 BATTERY CHECK AND SERVICE 1. See Section 5.2 for battery check. Replace Battery Pack immediately after extended use or emergency. 2. The ACR/MINI B2 EPIRB has a dated battery life. The battery is dated at a six (6) year period or half the actual life of the battery, which is 12 years. Replacement must be done at six (6) years per FCC regulations. Read the date located on the side of the case as follows: Battery date of 0507 would be read "05/07" or "May, 2007." 3. All routine service or battery replacement must be carried out by factory authorized personnel at authorized service centers. Please call ACR for the location of your nearest authorized service center at least 30 days before expiration date. 4. Safety Precautions: a) Warning: To avoid possible fire, explosion, leakage or burn hazard, do not open, recharge, disassemble, heat above 71°C (160°F) or incinerate. TM b) DOT regulations require that minimum packaging standards be met when shipping certain materials. The original shipping container should be retained for this reason. If the original container is lost, please contact ACR Customer Service prior to shipment of unit. 4.3 INSPECTION CHECK The following checks should be made during the periodic servicing: 1. Check the antenna tip and spring for any signs of damage or corrosion. 2. Check the antenna for any signs of chafing, wear, cracks, or other damage, and signs of resultant corrosion beneath the covering. 3. Check the antenna socket at the cap surface for any sign of looseness or corrosion. 4. Check the Beacon housing for signs of damage or mishandling. Dents, or damage to the top end could result in an operational malfunction during an emergency. 5. Check the lanyards for chafing, fraying or any damage. Check the lanyard anchor points for chafing. Resecure the lanyards and check the knots for tightness. 4.4 PERIODIC OPERATIONAL CHECK 1. To ensure continued reliability, the unit should be checked for operation at least once every 90 (ninety) days, following the procedure of Section 5.2. 2. Rinse the outside of the unit with fresh water frequently to remove any salt build-up on case or exposed parts. 4.5 PACKAGING AND TRANSPORTATION The ACR/MINI B2TM contains lithium batteries (solid cathode, total 3.4 grams lithium). The original shipping carton may be used or consult your local transportation authority with regard to applicable regulations for transporting the EPIRB. SECTION 5 - TESTING 5.1 GENERAL The following paragraphs detail the Beacon testing procedures. 5.2 OPERATIONAL TESTING The Beacon can be tested by turning it ON. The test consists of the following steps: 1. Flip the "OFF-ON" switch to "ON." Switch "OFF" when finished with test. 2. Red LED indicator will illuminate continuously for 5 (five) seconds, indicating a functional battery. After the 5 (five) seconds, the LED will blink, confirming RF signal transmission. On the ACR/MINI B TM 2 ILS the LED will blink and an audible warble will sound, confirming RF signal transmission. NOTE: Tests of more than 5 (five) second duration must be conducted at designated times and duration unless special arrangements are made with the USCG, FCC and/or local FAA authorities. Operational transmission testing may be executed only during the first five (5) minute period of any hour and only for three tone or one operational transmission (LED light flashing/audio warble) second, sweeps of the audio modulating whichever is longer. The ACR/MINI B2TM ILS has a speaker fed by voltage from the microprocessor and the transmitter, which produces the audible warble. This EPIRB will emit a distinctive warbling sound when operationally tested. Any change in the audible warble, (a loss of sound or intermittent sound), is an indication that you should have your beacon serviced at an authorized service station. Conduct this test only during the first five (5) minutes of each hour as indicated above. You can verify that your EPIRB is actually transmitting by turning it "ON" near an FM radio tuned to 99.5 MHz. The radio will receive the signal and will broadcast the familiar "warble" through its speakers if the EPIRB is transmitting properly. Conduct this test only during the first five (5) minutes of each hour as indicated above. 5.3 OPERATIONAL NOTES The EPIRB is designed to operate best when placed on a flat surface or while over water at sea. An operational transmission ...