🔍 Key Concepts

• Purpose of an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) and when it should be transmitting • How an EPIRB signal reaches rescue authorities (satellites, range, line-of-sight) • The effect of being inside vs. outside the liferaft on radio signals and antenna performance

💭 Think About

• In a real emergency at sea, especially in a storm, when is the best time for your distress beacon to be actively transmitting? • Would the raft’s fabric, your body, or the sea surface help or hinder the EPIRB’s ability to reach satellites if it is inside the raft versus outside? • Think about whether an EPIRB is designed to be exposed to bad weather or needs to be protected from it to work properly.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify how an EPIRB is designed to be used: floating, waterproof, and able to transmit in severe conditions • Consider whether turning the EPIRB off at any time during an actual survival situation is consistent with its purpose • Check which option gives the EPIRB the clearest view of the sky and least obstruction for its antenna