Vox Maris simulates by software a satellite locator beacons (EPIRB). The EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) is designed for use in maritime emergencies and is approved for these contingencies. It should be used only in situations of grave and imminent danger. It has capacity to transmit a distress alert through the service of polar-orbiting satellites that works in the 406 MHz band or, if the ship is engaged only on voyages within Inmarsat coverage area, through the geostationary satellite service Inmarsat who works in the 1.6 GHz band.
Its operation is very simple and allows fast and efficient emergency communications, emergency or routine with other vessels. The operation and the graphical display of the equipment are simulated emulating the real equipment available in the market, achieving an unique realism by software allowing the user to operate in the same way that it would on the real equipment. Even the simulator is ready to operate with touch-screen, thereby increasing the realism achieved.
Among the most important simulated functions includes:
- Control of equipment functions
- Manual activation
- Test
- External view of battery due date
- External view of the hydrostatic float free.
- External View of ship name / MMSI / Hex Code
- View of Instructions for managing it
- View of red and green lights, and flashing lights
- Alarms: Acoustic and visual
.: Features of the real system :.
The COSPAS - SARSAT is a polar orbit satellite service by which receives and relays distress alerts from satellite-EPIRB and determining the location of these. An EPIRB (satellite beacon for emergency location) has the capacity to transmit a distress alert through the service of polar-orbiting satellites that works in the 406 MHz band or, if the ship is engaged only on voyages within the scope of coverage Inmarsat service through the Inmarsat geostationary satellite who works in the 1.6 GHz band.
An EPIRB should:
- be installed on the vessel in an easily accessible,
- be ready to be manually released and transported by one person into a survival craft
- has capability of floating free if the vessel sinks, and automatically activate when it is afloat
- be activated manually
.: Registration :.
The EPIRB should be registered with the appropriate national authority. Not registering the EPIRB can slow the recovery and may lead to loss of lives. Each EPIRB is pre-programmed from the factory with an unique identifier. This is done by the manufacturer or in his absence, the distributor. The identifier includes an identifier code 3-digit country. This country is taking the responsibility to store and record details of the EPIRB. In most cases this corresponds to the country of the flag. The country code programmed into the EPIRB can be viewed on the identification label and the EPIRB must be registered in that country.
The importance of registration is that, when activated an EPIRB in an emergency, the closest Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) will receive the message and decode the country code (eg, 701 Argentina). Then accessed the database of registrations in this country and look for details of ship radio equipment available and whom to contact. If there are problems to find this information by poor or no registration, the search can be delayed and fail.
.: How does the real system works? :.
The following figure shows the basis of the operation of the EPIRBs - COSPAS / SARSAT.
- In an emergency, the radio beacon EPIRB is activated manually or automatically.
- The EPIRB transmits an "emergency code" and activates the strobe (flash) indicating that it is operating.
- The signal is received by a COPAS-SARSAT satellite and sent to the nearest station.
- The station computes the location of the EPIRB and decodes the identification code.
- The rescue station uses the identification code to determine the type of vessel, its owner, size, and emergency contacts. Rescue Centers are contacted and alerted to start the rescue operation.
- SAR agencies locates the EPIRB using the position information accurate, the 121.5 MHz signal and the strobe light emitted from the beacon EPIRB.