EPRIBS
By Tim Gotts
Epirbs or emergency-position-indicating-radio-beacons are tools that are used to signal maritime distress i.e. they will alert coastguards and rescue teams that someone is in distress at sea, the radio beacon will also give the rescuers an indication of where the boat might be located.
These tracking transmitters are used in many safety situations, sea, air and personal. The beacons send out a distress signal that when it is detected by satellites and many such beacons also have a GPS position encoded into the distress signal. These can then be located by search and rescue aircraft and ground search parties on their way to aid whoever or whatever is in distress.
The main idea behind beacons such as the Epirb is to locate people within twenty four hours of receiving the distress signal as this is the time when they are most likely to be recovered alive. As time goes beyond that first twenty four hours; so the likelihood of the distressed being rescued will diminish.
ACR electronics make a range of equipment that is designed to help search and rescue teams locate aircraft, seacraft, and individuals who may be in distress. ACRs Global Fix 406 is designed to update a boat or ships position every twenty minutes. It transmits on 406 MHz and contains a unique, digitally coded distress signal and 121 MHz SAR homing frequency. This instantly alerts search and rescue forces in the area that you are in distress and need help immediately. The Global Fix also contains a built in strobe which makes it easier for search and rescue teams to locate when visibility is poor.
The unit can be manually activated and is self buoyant which means that it does not need an external float collar. The casing is made from high impact plastic which is meant to be able to withstand UV rays, oil, sea water and raft packing. The set is battery operated and comes complete with a five year limited warranty. This unit weighs four and a half pounds and is operated by lifting up the switch, sliding it to the left and pushing it fully back and down breaking the tab, the unit becomes water activated once it is out of the bracket.
Epirbs are designed for different uses, the ACR float free 406 memory capsule is designed to be carried onboard with a record of a ships data, rather like the little black boxes that are now carried by every aircraft. The 406 memory capsule is a lightweight object that has undergone testing in all kinds of conditions to assess its usefulness in real life situations.
Tim Gottschalk is a lifelong boater and writes about the value of an EPRIB
and Blue Sea Systems.
The Reincarnation Of The Phone
By Daniel Millions
With cell phone technology changing on an almost daily basis you might think the landfills would be loaded with the older models by now. However, a quick examination of phones provided by most cell phone providers will show a rise in both the supply and demand for refurbished cell phones. Given a second life through upgrading the internal components, the refurbished cell phones are obtainable at prices much lower than new models. The reworked phones are virtually indistinguishable from new “fresh from the factory” models.
As case in point, Motorola is the most in demand manufacturer of refurbished phones. Their high quality instruments have proven themselves as tough and reliable long past ordinary phone life expectancy. This manufacturer obtains these old phones through a direct purchase program as well as by storefront trade-in. Whether a customer’s phone has been water or sun damaged or accidentally dropped hard enough to break connections on the circuit boards the company welcomes them back. A quick diagnostic test will show what components need replacing and, once tested for function and appearance, the old phone is returned to the market.
Increasingly, refurbished cell phones are being offered for sale on eBay and other online outlets. Particularly popular are the older iPhones and Palm Treo’s. Even refurbished, the manufacturer is confident enough to offer year long warranties on operation. As this market has increased people have become aware that even corded land line phones are frequently refurbished. Economy minded customers have begun to realize that this market has already proven the quality of refurbished equipment and are less inclined to consider the reworked item as somehow inferior.
The market for new phones will never be replaced by refurbished models as there are those who will always want only the newest models available. However, refurbished cell phones are made up of new components that replace the broken or damaged parts and perform just as well. Saving money is the important factor in choosing to obtain a reincarnated cell phone. Listed prices on these models generally range from 30% to 70% less than the price of a comparable new model. As with any electronic device, be it new or rebuilt, make sure of the details of the manufacturer’s warranties and file your receipt in case it is needed in the future.
While most refurbished phones will only have the same features as when it was originally produced, there is a trend toward upgrading the components in some of the older phones to include technological abilities that did not exist when the older phone began its life. For cell phones that are capable of these upgrades there is the aesthetic element in ownership as well. Retro seems to be an enduring fashion statement and the old phone will fit right in to that look without causing you to sacrifice function.
Refurbished cell phones are here to stay so be sure that the next time you upgrade your communication device you do not just trash the old one. While it fluctuates from one region to the other, you can usually obtain around $10 for your old phone. Giving that old phone a new chance at life is not only economically advantageous but you are reducing the danger to the environment by not having that old battery sitting in the landfill eventually poisoning the earth as it decays.
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How To Cut Cost On Repairing Electronic Items
By Ajeet Khurana
As you all know that pace of our life has increased and we want everything to be done quickly. In olden days may be time did not play an important role as much as I does today. Everybody is in a hurry to reach somewhere, to see something… to do something. Thanks to our nature of curiosity, we’ve been and are always finding ways to make things easier for us. This is also making our life better in some ways.
You don’t need to go anywhere to see how technology has influenced us. If you enter your kitchen you’ll see a number of electronic items around… and which I’m sure some of the husbands may not even know what they are used for or may be how to operate them. So you see, at least one member of the family knows the purpose and knows how to use them. You may not be aware, but this person is dependent on it everyday to make life easy.
Let’s take a simple example of a bread toaster. Your wife uses it every day and will be using it for a number of years till one day it stops working. Likewise, there are many more examples like your washing machine, water heater, iron, television set, refrigerator, oven, even your coffee-making machine, etc.
Lisa recently shifted to a new location. She’s a single mother busy with her life and career. She’s got with her all the possible electronic items that she could think of because they make her life more comfortable and manageable. Everything’s new for her so she’ll take time to adjust to the new place. She has to find out if there’s a bakery nearby, a restaurant, medical shop, hospital, and yes of course she also has to know if there are electricians around… what if on day the heater stops working!
The last one will be difficult to find… you should either be very good at fixing things or should be a technician yourself. But don’t be upset about that because we can still work on it. Well, repairing electrical appliances will of course pinch your pocket even if the fault is a small one. If we take care to choose the right product from a right source it will to a certain extent save us from unnecessary repairs.
To explain it further, if you buy a branded product it will cost you more at the beginning but it will be of worth. First of all, the product will be of good quality which will minimize the risk of not working. Also, you’ll get free service for certain period which can be a year or two. Even after the period is over they might only charge you a minimum fee for any repair work undertaken. This way you save money and you also know where to contact if the problem persists.
Maintenance is also very important. Always wipe clean the appliance as per the instructions after usage, especially items such as oven, toaster, blender etc. When you keep them in good condition you increase their life and the damage done is less.
You can also follow some simple steps like to unplug the appliance after use, wipe it properly with dry cloth, make sure that the wire doesn’t touch water and any electrical appliance is not kept near water. Check if the cords are well connected and use a proper socket for the cord. You can also refer to the appliance brochure when you’re going wrong.
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