ALCOAST 231/08
COMDTNOTE 16130
SUBJ: COMMERCIALLY-BASED DISTRESS ALERTING DEVICES
1. ISSUE. PUBLIC USE OF COMMERCIALLY-BASED DISTRESS ALERTING
DEVICES (E.G., SPOT AND TRACME) IS BECOMING A POPULAR WAY TO ALERT
AUTHORITIES OF A DISTRESS SITUATION.
A. SAR MANAGERS AND COMMAND CENTER CONTROLLERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT
THESE DEVICES ARE BEING MARKETED COMMERCIALLY, HOW THEY OPERATE AND
HOW THEIR DISTRESS ALERTS WILL BE RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED.
B. AT LEAST TWO COMMERCIALLY-BASED DISTRESS ALERTING DEVICES ARE
SIMILAR TO EMERGENCY POSITION INDICATING RADIO BEACONS (EPIRBS),
EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTERS (ELTS), AND PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACONS
(PLBS) THAT ALERT THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL COSPAS-SARSAT SYSTEM.
C. TWO TYPES, SPOT AND TRACME, ARE INTENDED FOR INDIVIDUAL USE AND
CAN EASILY BE CONFUSED WITH PLBS.
2. BACKGROUND. COMMERCIALLY-BASED DISTRESS ALERTING DEVICES ARE NOT
COSPAS-SARSAT DISTRESS BEACONS AND DO NOT NORMALLY MEET NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL COSPAS-SARSAT MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS
REQUIRED FOR EPIRBS, ELTS AND PLBS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
A. SPOT. THE SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER IS ADVERTISED AS A MULTI-
PURPOSE SATELLITE MESSAGING TOOL THAT CAN BE USED AS A DISTRESS
BEACON AS WELL AS FOR SATELLITE MESSAGING.
B. TRACME. THE TRACME DISTRESS ALERTING DEVICE IS A NON-SATELLITE
BASED LOCATION BEACON THAT EMITS A SIGNAL TO ASSIST IN LOCATING A
LOST OR INCAPACITATED PERSON. THE TRACME LOCATOR BEACON IS LICENSED
BY THE FCC AS A FRS (FAMILY RADIO SERVICE FREQUENCY) DEVICE,
OPERATING ON FRS CH.1 (462.5625 MHZ) IN THE U.S. AND CANADA.
3. COMMAND CENTERS MAY RECEIVE TELEPHONE NOTIFICATIONS FROM
REGIONAL CALL CENTERS NOTIFYING THE COAST GUARD THAT A DEVICE HAS
SENT OUT A DISTRESS ALERT. THESE ALERTS MUST BE CAREFULLY EVALUATED
AND RESPONDED TO IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL SAR CASE EVALUATION
PROCEDURES (UNCERTAINTY, ALERT, DISTRESS).
4. THIS ALCOAST AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE INCLUDED IN
CHANGE (2) OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD ADDENDUM TO THE UNITED STATES
NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE SUPPLEMENT (NSS) TO THE INTERNATIONAL
AERONAUTICAL AND MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE MANUAL (IAMSAR),
COMDTINST M16130.2D (SERIES).
5. OFFICE OF SEARCH AND RESCUE COMDT (CG-534) POCS:
A. MR. RICH SCHAEFER, RICHARD.R.SCHAEFER(AT)USCG.MIL, 202-372-2079.
B. LCDR KATHY NILES, SARSAT LIAISON OFFICER, KATHERINE.M.NILES(AT)
USCG.MIL, 202-372-2089.
6. RDML J.R. CASTILLO, DIRECTOR, RESPONSE POLICY SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.