New Gear
The shorter the search phase of any search and rescue operation, the better the likely outcomes. The past few years have seen a number of welcome developments in the sphere of communicating distress that are aimed at all but eliminating the search aspect.
Much of the framework, including VHF radios equipped with DSC (Digital Select Calling) and 406MHz EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) has been in place since the implementation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in the late 1990s. While the essential framework remains the same, the latest advances in equipment makes it more effective than ever before.
The latest generation medium earth orbit MEOSAR satellites, for instance,
