AS/NZS 4869.1:2006

The objective of this Standard is to provide the essential standards and minimum requirements for the design and construction of 121.5 MHz Maritime Survivor Locating Systems. The purpose of this revision is to advise users of AS/NZS 4330 that, from 1st January 2009, 121.5 MHz will cease to be monitored. This Standard includes both environmental and operational requirements and radio-frequency requirements. These specifications are required by both the appropriate national spectrum management authority and maritime safety authority in each country.

This Standard provides the minimum requirements for Maritime Survivor Locating Systems (MSLSs) intended for very short-range crew retrieval applications operating on 121.5 MHz commonly referred to as man-overboard systems. The MSLS is designed to allow for self-help from the vessel or organization where there is a risk of crew falling overboard by sounding an alert from the onboard receiver. MSLS transmitters are not meant to rely on alerting through the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system. From 1 February 2009 the frequency 121.5 MHz will cease to be monitored by Cospas-Sarsat as a primary distress beacon frequency and the Standard AS/NZS 4330, will then be withdrawn, as equipment covered by that Standard will no longer function as a distress beacon.These devices are not stand alone personal EPIRBs but are part of an integrated system that also includes a receiver and warning device on the vessel, and may include some form of localizing device such as, but not limited to, direction finding equipment. While this Standard does not cover the requirements for personal beacons given in AS/NZS 4330, personal beacons may be used in conjunction with an MSLS. MSLS receivers and locators should be designed to also operate in conjunction with EPIRBs or other distress beacons covered by AS/NZS 4280 using the frequency 121.5 MHz as a homing frequency.These minimum requirements encompass the physical characteristics of the devices, as they pertain to maritime use. For MSLS transmitters, both the radiated power and the length of time for operation are reduced to enable the equipment to be sufficiently small and light to be worn comfortably at all times when a person is operating in an open maritime environment. Some characteristics have been specified in order that MSLS beacons do not interfere with the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system. MSLS may also be developed and employed on other frequencies including those covered by the Australian Communications Authority’s Class licence for low interference impact devices or the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development’s General user radio license. Those systems are not within the scope of this part of the Standard. The technical requirements for short-range devices are contained in AS/NZS 4268.

Originated as AS/NZS 4869.1:2005.
Second edition 2006.