General Description
Most beacons are brightly colored and waterproof. EPIRBs and ELTs are larger, and would fit in a cube about 30 cm (12 in) on a side, and weigh 2 to 5 kg (4 to 11 lb). PLBs vary in size from cigarette-packet to paperback book and weigh 200 g to 1 kg (½ to 2½ lb). They can be purchased from marine suppliers, aircraft refitters, and (in Australia and the United States) hiking supply stores. The units have a useful life of 10 years, operate across a range of conditions (−40°C/°F to +40°C/+104°F), and transmit for 24 to 48 hours. The cost of radiobeacons varies according to performance and specifications.
Read more about this topic: Distress Radiobeacon
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