US Coast Guard goes digital

SAILORS TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH with the US Coast Guard using analogue radios will be all washed up as the service will only will receive distress calls in digital format.

For years the US Coast Guard has been processing analog signals transmitting on 121.5 or 243.0 MHz but now it will only take your SOS from digital 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons.

It is calling on mariners and aviators to upgrade their onboard analog equipment to include a digital 406 MHz EPIRB before they hit a rock or iceberg and want rescuing from Celene Dion. µ

L'Inq
AP