Saturday, December 30, 2017

Locator beacon - saving lives for over 50 years

In the UK, by 1959 the first automatic beacon for liferafts had been produced by Ultra Electronics, and at the same time Burndept produced the TALBE (Talk and Listen Beacon Equipment) - VHF, and SARBE - Search-And-Rescue-Beacon Equipment (UHF) range of beacons which were used by the Fleet Air Arm and later, Royal Air Force
Later, SARBE beacons included a radio for voice communication by the survivor with the rescuing personnel. 
In the video : L/S of a man struggling from the sea into an inflatable dinghy.
We see a Wessex helicopter from RAF Acklington, Northumberland preparing to take after the crew climb aboard and set off to rescue the man.
The man in the dinghy takes out a Sarbe Beacon; a little battery pack with an aerial that sets off a signal.
Commentator in 1967 tells us Sarbe stands for 'Search and Rescue Beacon Equipment'.
Various shots at the Vidor Factory in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, show the Sarbe Beacons being made; the workers, mainly women, are seen putting the battery packs together.
A man tests the batteries by putting them in a tank of salt water.
Commentator gives us more of the technical details as a woman tests a battery on a voltmeter.
Cut back to the man in the dinghy as the helicopter approaches; several shots of the control dials on the helicopter control board.
A man is lowered from the helicopter; he picks up the man from the dinghy and they are both brought back up to safety

 Search and Rescue (SAR) operations involve locating and helping people in distress.
They can be carried out in a variety of locations including at sea, in mountains or deserts, and in urban areas.
With the launch of Initial Services, Galileo will help SAR operators respond to distress signals faster and more effectively while also lowering their own exposure to risk…
Search and Rescue service is Galileo’s contribution to the international Cospas-Sarsat network. Galileo is a EU programme, carried out in cooperation with the European Space Agency.

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