H R Smith Group of Companies H R Smith Group of Companies - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

H R Smith Group of Companies H R Smith Group of Companies www.searchandrescue.com www.searchandrescue.com H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

H R Smith Group of Companies H R Smith Group of Companies TECHTEST LTD TECHTEST LTD H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Presentation Scope Presentation Scope Problems with Multiple Beacons Problems with Multiple Beacons • • Concept of ‘ ‘Smart Smart’ ’ Beacons Beacons Concept of • • Case Study – – Bond Ditching 2009 Bond Ditching 2009 Case Study • • The Multi- -beacon Dilemma beacon Dilemma The Multi • • Unravelling the Dilemma Unravelling the Dilemma • • Way Forward. Way Forward. • • First, a brief outline of First, a brief outline of Satellite Aided SAR Satellite Aided SAR H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

COSPAS-SARSAT System COSPAS-SARSAT System Lat Long Ident 406 MHz 406 MHz Beacon Beacon Local Local User User Terminal Terminal Homing Homing 121.5 & 243 MHz 121.5 & 243 MHz Rescue Mission Rescue Mission Co-ord Control Co-ord Control Centre Centre Centre Centre H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

SARSAT Benefits SARSAT Benefits SARSAT Improves SARSAT Improves rescue prospects by rescue prospects by providing: providing: • Rapid global alerting Rapid global alerting • • Doppler locating Doppler locating • • Unique identification Unique identification • Embedded position option. • Embedded position option. • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Comparing 406 & 121.5 Properties Comparing 406 & 121.5 Properties 406 MHz Digital Global Signal 406 MHz Digital Global Signal Can be uniquely identified Can be uniquely identified • • Can include embedded position (125 metres) Can include embedded position (125 metres) • • Transmitted at 5 Watts power. Transmitted at 5 Watts power. • • 121.5 MHz Analogue Localized Signal 121.5 MHz Analogue Localized Signal • Has no means of identification Has no means of identification • • Has no means of conveying information Has no means of conveying information • • Transmitted at 1/10 Watt power. Transmitted at 1/10 Watt power. • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Current SAR Practice Current SAR Practice Surprisingly… …. . Surprisingly SAR missions SAR missions still rely heavily on still rely heavily on analogue 121.5 MHz analogue 121.5 MHz homing and direction homing and direction finding technology. finding technology. H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Single Beacon Scenario Single Beacon Scenario Outbound Outbound Down Wind Down Wind Turn into Descent Turn into Descent wind wind towards towards beacon beacon Wind Wind Direction Direction Final Homing Run Final Homing Run Over fly Over fly H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Single Beacon Scenario Single Beacon Scenario Proving Turns Proving Turns ensure ensure confidence in confidence in steering advice steering advice H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Dual Beacon Scenario Dual Beacon Scenario Dual beacons REDUCE proving turn responses H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Dual Beacon Scenario Dual Beacon Scenario Potential Potential Pursuit Courses Pursuit Courses (Dual Beacons) (Dual Beacons) Constant Constant Extended Extended Bearing Bearing Flight Time Flight Time Course Course Increased Increased (Single Beacon) (Single Beacon) Uncertainty. Uncertainty. H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Multiple Beacon Scenario Multiple Beacon Scenario . . . . . . . How many Beacons are influencing my Homer Display And Where Are They? ? H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Comparisons: 406 & 121.5 MHz Comparisons: 406 & 121.5 MHz Herein lies the problem with Herein lies the problem with 121.5 when used alone.... 121.5 when used alone.... Many beacons Many beacons definitely do not definitely do not make light work make light work for SAR crews! for SAR crews! In fact, multiple beacons create a In fact, multiple beacons create a confusing wall of transmissions that confusing wall of transmissions that cannot be resolved into cannot be resolved into a clear tactical rescue picture. a clear tactical rescue picture. H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Mitigation Tactics Mitigation Tactics Standard SAR Operating Procedures can Standard SAR Operating Procedures can Mitigate but not Eradicate Multi- -beacon beacon Mitigate but not Eradicate Multi Situations..... Situations..... Proving turns Proving turns • • Reducing altitude Reducing altitude • • Manoeuvring for in- -line approach line approach Manoeuvring for in • • Swept tone audio discrimination Swept tone audio discrimination • • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Swept Tone Discrimination Swept Tone Discrimination Receiver Receiver H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Mitigation Tactics Mitigation Tactics Complex flight scenarios Complex flight scenarios demand a high degree of airmanship demand a high degree of airmanship and potentially extend mission duration and potentially extend mission duration with increased risk of failure with increased risk of failure Surely technology can do Surely technology can do better than this ! better than this ! H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Tactical SAR Options Tactical SAR Options 406 MHz 121.5 MHz 406 MHz 121.5 MHz Embracing Improving Embracing Improving Tactical Decoding & Homing & Tactical Decoding & Homing & Tracking Direction Finding Tracking Direction Finding Technology Capability Technology Capability Relatively Long- -term Goals term Goals Relatively Long H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Consequently Consequently Techtest decided to Techtest decided to tackle the Multiple tackle the Multiple Beacon problem at Beacon problem at source... source... that is, within the that is, within the beacon itself. beacon itself. H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Smart ELT (Survival) Smart ELT (Survival) 500- -12 ELT (Survival) 12 ELT (Survival) 500 • SARSAT & Aviation Certified SARSAT & Aviation Certified • • GPS option GPS option • • 406 / 121.5 / 243 MHz 406 / 121.5 / 243 MHz • • Two Two- -way Speech way Speech • • Auto Receive Auto Receive • • ‘ ‘Smart Smart’ ’ Function Function • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Smart Beacon Concept Smart Beacon Concept • Wasteful power utilization Wasteful power utilization • • Causes homing problems on 121.5 MHz Causes homing problems on 121.5 MHz • • Corrupts voice communications on 121.5 MHz Corrupts voice communications on 121.5 MHz • Smart Beacon: Smart Beacon: Inhibits 121.5 MHz from other local beacons Inhibits 121.5 MHz from other local beacons • • Effectively extends collective battery life Effectively extends collective battery life • • Second beacon automatically Provides single 121.5 MHz homing source Provides single 121.5 MHz homing source • • transmits when Master fails or PTT pressed. 406 MHz signal not affected 406 MHz signal not affected • • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

The Smart Beacon The Smart Beacon ‘Smart Smart’ ’ also facilitates also facilitates ‘ clear speech on 121.5 clear speech on 121.5 MHz by removing the MHz by removing the overlay of the audio overlay of the audio swept tone. swept tone. H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies

Smart Beacon Concept Smart Beacon Concept First beacon 406 MHz Beacon Press to Talk Transmissions Activated remains 121.5 MHz Continue 121.5 MHz Uninterrupted 121.5 MHz Transmit Transmit Master 121.5 MHz 121.5 MHz Receive Receive Mode 121.5 MHz Mode Receive Mode H R Smith Group H R Smith Group H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies of Companies of Companies

Smart Beacon Concept Smart Beacon Concept Beacon Until they drift apart by > ½ mile remains 121.5 MHz Master 121.5 MHz Receive Mode 121.5 MHz Receive Mode H R Smith Group H R Smith Group H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies of Companies of Companies

Smart Benefits Smart Benefits In summary the ‘ ‘Smart Smart’ ’ beacon provides: beacon provides: In summary the • Auto reception of 121.5 voice transmission Auto reception of 121.5 voice transmission • • Clear, undistorted speech communication Clear, undistorted speech communication • • Close proximity multi Close proximity multi- -beacon suppression beacon suppression • • Unambiguous homing transmissions Unambiguous homing transmissions • • Extended battery life of multi Extended battery life of multi- -beacon group. beacon group. • H R Smith Group H R Smith Group of Companies of Companies