NSS-PLB 06
NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE SECRETARIAT PERFORMANCE STANDARD
FOR 406 MHZ PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON (PLB)

2.0 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

This section has been subdivided into COSPAS-SARSAT Type Approval Requirements, IC Radio Standard Requirements, Electrical, Operational, Mechanical, and Environmental Requirements and Radiated Output Requirements.

2.1 COSPAS-SARSAT Type Approval Requirements

To ensure PLB compatibility with COSPAS-SARSAT receiving and processing equipment, PLBs shall meet all the requirements specified in the documents identified in paragraph 1.3.2.

2.2 Industry Canada Radio Standards Requirements

PLBs must comply with all applicable requirements of the Radio Standards Specification: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT), Personal Locator Beacons (PLB), and Maritime Survivor Locator Devices (MSLD), RSS 287.

2.3 Electrical Performance Requirements

The PLB may have incorporated a 121.5 MHz auxiliary radio-locating device. If said device is incorporated, it shall meet the criteria found in the Radio Standards Specification: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT), Personal Locator Beacons (PLB), and Maritime Survivor Locator Devices (MSLD), RSS 287, [Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons, Emergency Locator Transmitters and Personal Locator Beacons, Section 8].

2.4 Operational Requirement

2.4.1 Activation and Deactivation

The PLB shall be capable of being activated by one person with mitts in thermal extremes, rain, ice, spray, packed snow, and dirt. Activation and deactivation of the unit shall be performed manually. The PLB shall not be accidentally activated by mechanical or electrical shock, thermal extremes, rain, ice, spray, packed snow, or storage in high humidity conditions.

2.4.2 Controls and Indicators

Manual controls shall be provided to operate the device in the following modes:

• "OFF" - In the "OFF" mode, the beacon is deactivated.
• "ON" - In the "ON" mode, the beacon is activated.
• "TEST" - In the "TEST" mode, the operational integrity of the PLB is tested.

The controls provided shall be clearly and indelibly marked. No additional controls shall be provided to the user; except for the operation of the voice transceiver if one is included within the beacon casing. A positive visual and/or audible indication that the PLB is activated shall be provided. Means shall be provided to protect the visual and/or audible indicator from damage due to dropping or contact with external objects. The "ON/OFF' controls shall be secured with a guard or similar mechanism to prevent any inadvertent activation and to ensure that activation is a conscious decision by the user. Activation shall require at least two distinct movements.

2.4.3 Built-in Test

The PLB shall be equipped with a manually activated test circuit which will verify the functioning of the code generator, modulator and RF circuitry. The test switch (or similar control) shall incorporate an automatic return to "OFF' mode after completion of the self test. A visual or audible indication shall be provided to indicate that the PLB has passed the self-test. It is desirable that no RF energy be radiated in any self-test mode used as a routine exercise to verify beacon operation. However, if this is not possible, then the RF test transmission must be limited to one burst of 440 ms (+1%) for the short message format and 520 ms (+1%) for a long message. If modulated, the signal shall have a frame synchronization pattern of 011010000. This bit pattern is the complement of the last 8 bits of the normal frame synchronization pattern so that the test burst will not be processed. The 121.5 MHz auxiliary radio-locating device should not radiate during the self-test. If it must radiate, the PLB should include a label noting that the self-test should be performed only within the first 5 minutes of any hour and should not exceed 3 audio sweeps or 1 second, whichever is greater.

2.4.4 Power Source

The PLB shall not depend upon any external source of power for its operation. The battery shall be replaceable by the manufacturer or by the user, and any interface connections required shall be such as to prevent reversed polarity or incorrect installation. Neither the PLB nor the battery shall not be hazardous to any person handling, using or performing manufacturer approved servicing or to any vehicle or equipment in which it is transported, housed or installed. The PLB or battery and its contents shall not react, or release toxic/corrosive products, in such a way as to cause injury to personnel or destruction of equipment, during use in the specified operating environment, or in storage at temperatures between -55°C and +75°C. All PLB batteries shall include measures to protect the batteries from reversal of polarity, shorting, and the effects of self-heating, cell(s)-to-cell(s) charging, and forced discharging. The battery and the PLB shall be shown to function safely under the following conditions:

• when the battery is subjected to a partial or full discharge at any rate;
• when the battery is returned to the storage temperature after a full or partial discharge; and
• when the battery encounters cell(s)-to-cell(s) charging or is forced discharged at low temperatures and returned to a normal storage temperature. The PLB battery shall be designed and produced to meet the above conditions and to be safe under all environmental criteria set out in this Standard.

For each approved battery pack, the battery manufacturer shall establish a useful life and a battery expiry date and clearly indicate the expiry date on the battery, battery pack or on the PLB. The useful life is defined as the length of time after its date of manufacture that the battery may be stored under normal environmental conditions (+20°C) without losing its ability to allow the PLB to meet the applicable performance standards in Section 2 of this document. The battery expiry date is the date of the battery manufacture plus one half of its useful life.

2.5 Mechanical Requirements

2.5.1 General Construction

The PLB shall be packaged in a container that allows operation of the unit and is watertight to a depth of 1 meter. Upon replacement of the batteries or battery pack the watertight integrity of the PLB shall be maintained. The PLB housing and internal circuitry shall be resistant to mechanical shock and vibration. The electronic module itself shall be protected to prevent malfunction under prolonged conditions of high humidity, including condensation.

2.5.2 Exterior Finish

The PLB housing shall be resistant to deterioration from prolonged exposure to sunlight and water. The exterior shall be finished with a highly visible yellow or orange coloured material.

2.5.3 Labelling

IC and NSS have certain requirements with regard to information contained on the label. The label shall comply with requirements of RSS 287. A unique identifier number shall be displayed on the PLB casing. The unique identifier number shall be a right justified hexa-decimal representation of bits 26 to 85, 1 character per every 4 bits, of the beacon digital message coding. In addition, concise, unambiguous operating, storage and testing instructions including information regarding the expiry date of the battery shall be displayed and shall be understandable by untrained personnel. The following caption shall also be displayed:

All of the above information, including the operating instructions, operating duration at - 40°C to +55°C or -20°C to +55°C, the operating temperature range, shall be permanently and conspicuously displayed on the exterior of the PLB. The display information shall be weather resistant, waterproof and abrasion resistant.

In the event that labelling requirements cannot be met because of the size of the PLB, the NSS may waive certain of its requirement on request from the manufacturer.

Class 2 PLBs shall have a warning label that states "This PLB may not operate below -20°C".

Category 2 PLBs shall have a warning label that states "This PLB will not float".

All labelling shall be in English and French.

2.5.4 Buoyancy

• Category 1 must float in fresh water
• Category 2 is not required to float.

2.6 Environmental Requirements

2.6.1 Temperature

A thermal shock test from the cold storage extreme to room temperature back to the cold storage extreme and from the hot storage extreme to room temperature back to the hot storage extreme.

Note: Transport by Air: If transporting the PLB by air, with batteries which are considered as dangerous cargo, then the applicable dangerous goods labels and marking required by International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions will be placed on the shipping packaging. (Consult the local transportation authority for shipping instructions.) Following the thermal shock test the PLB shall meet the thermal environmental requirement detailed in C/S T.001 including the temperature gradient test, between -40°C to +55°C and -20°C to +55°C measuring frequency stability. The PLB shall perform to the specification for a continuous operation of 24 hours at the minimum temperature (-40°C or -20°C), and at the maximum temperature of +55°C.

2.6.2 Humidity/Rain/Salt Fog

The PLB shall perform to the specification during and after an exposure to constant high humidity environment (>95% RH) while the temperature is cycled between 60°C and 20°C for 10 days, as specified in MIL-STD_810 F Method 507 Aggravated Humidity Cycle. The PLB shall perform to the specification during and after an exposure to 40 minutes of simulated driving rain on each surface as specified in MIL-STD_810 F Method 506 Procedure II. The PLB shall perform to the specification during and after an exposure of 24 hours to a 5% Salt Fog atmosphere as specified in MIL-STD_810 F Method 509.

2.6.3 Vibration

The PLB shall perform to the specification after being subjected to a vibration cycle that simulates loose cargo transportation. The loose cargo environment includes conditions experienced by packaged and unpackaged items transported as unsecured cargo on a vehicle traversing irregular surfaces. The cargo has the freedom to bounce, scuff, or collide with other items or the sides of the vehicle.

2.6.4 Drop

The PLB shall perform to the specification after being temperature conditioned at -40ºC or -20°C and then dropped six times, one drop minimum on each possible face, from a height of 122cm to a non-resilient surface.

2.6.5 Submersion

The PLB shall perform to the specification after being submerged completely in water to a depth of 1 meter for one hour. See details in Appendix A.

2.6.6 Low Pressure (Altitude)

The PLB shall operate normally to an altitude of 30,000' above sea level.