EPIRB & PLB Guide

Emergency Position Beacons (406 MHz)

EPIRB and PLB emergency position beacons transmitting distress signal from a vessel in distress

EPIRB vs PLB, how 406 MHz satellite beacons work, registration, mounting (Category I/II), and when to activate.

SAFETY DISCLAIMER

This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional maritime safety advice. In emergencies, contact the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 or call 911.

EPIRBs and PLBs are satellite-based distress alerting devices designed for one purpose: getting rescue teams to your location when you need them most.

Understanding EPIRB vs PLB

EPIRB (Vessel beacon)

  • Designed for vessels
  • Long runtime (often 48+ hours)
  • Category I can deploy automatically
  • Best for offshore abandonment scenarios

PLB (Personal beacon)

  • Compact personal device
  • Manual activation
  • Clips to PFD
  • Excellent offshore backup

Registering Your Beacon (U.S.)

  1. Visit beaconregistration.noaa.gov
  2. Enter beacon ID
  3. Add vessel + emergency contacts
  4. Submit (free)

When to Activate

  • Sinking / flooding
  • Fire out of control
  • Life-threatening offshore emergency
  • Unrecoverable man overboard

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