Personal Locator Beacons in the UK
Created | Updated Oct 17, 2007
Rescue in the Hills
I was not aware of a vital piece of equipment that I, and others that enjoy the countryside, are denied the ownership of until recently after a fall off my horse.
I was lucky and had a companion with me as well as mobile phone reception and we got emergency help quickly. In many places in the Welsh hills and beyond Search and Rescue services (SARs) have a hard time locating the injured and sick because in the remote areas mobile reception is mostly impossible and also the population is sparse.
Personal Locator Beacons are about the size of a mobile phone and when activated send a GPS emergency signal via satellite to the marine emergency service who can then pinpoint your location. This can save lives by taking the Search out of Rescue.
On investigation I found that we could purchase them in Great Britain but could only legally use them for marine purposes, for example at sea or on land locked water and rivers. Recreational and sporting aircraft pilots can use them ten minutes from land since May 2007 indicating a relaxation in the licensing law. The unit has to be registered with the PLB registry and licensed for use with OFCOM. At present if you use one on land you can have the unit confiscated, be fined and even imprisoned for unlicensed use of a transmitter. An Australian friend cannot use hers when she comes to the UK.
So many people use the countryside to relax and get exercise. Accidents do happen and people do fall sick. It is amazing that the licensing laws haven’t been changed to assist the Search and Rescue services who are very often volunteers. A petition has been set up to change this by Jenni Miller to get this changed and needs as many signatures as possible.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/personal-beacons/
She would welcome emails to her [email protected] for adding to the web page below
http://www.equineramblersuk.co.uk/personal-locator-beacons.php
Please help.
I was not aware of a vital piece of equipment that I, and others that enjoy the countryside, are denied the ownership of until recently after a fall off my horse.
I was lucky and had a companion with me as well as mobile phone reception and we got emergency help quickly. In many places in the Welsh hills and beyond Search and Rescue services (SARs) have a hard time locating the injured and sick because in the remote areas mobile reception is mostly impossible and also the population is sparse.
Personal Locator Beacons are about the size of a mobile phone and when activated send a GPS emergency signal via satellite to the marine emergency service who can then pinpoint your location. This can save lives by taking the Search out of Rescue.
On investigation I found that we could purchase them in Great Britain but could only legally use them for marine purposes, for example at sea or on land locked water and rivers. Recreational and sporting aircraft pilots can use them ten minutes from land since May 2007 indicating a relaxation in the licensing law. The unit has to be registered with the PLB registry and licensed for use with OFCOM. At present if you use one on land you can have the unit confiscated, be fined and even imprisoned for unlicensed use of a transmitter. An Australian friend cannot use hers when she comes to the UK.
So many people use the countryside to relax and get exercise. Accidents do happen and people do fall sick. It is amazing that the licensing laws haven’t been changed to assist the Search and Rescue services who are very often volunteers. A petition has been set up to change this by Jenni Miller to get this changed and needs as many signatures as possible.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/personal-beacons/
She would welcome emails to her [email protected] for adding to the web page below
http://www.equineramblersuk.co.uk/personal-locator-beacons.php
Please help.
