Emergency Communications Plan
Edit on GitHubWho listens, on what, and when: making the beacon part of a realistic rescue plan
Emergency Communications Plan
Overview
A beacon that nobody monitors is a transmitter, not a rescue plan. Before relying on the Aegis-Beacon in the backcountry, agree with your group and your contacts on who listens, when, and on what frequencies.
The Listening Problem
The beacon transmits on 433 MHz ISM. Unless someone has a scanner, SDR or a compatible receiver tuned to your frequencies, the signal is only heard by chance. Plan the monitoring side before you need it.
Plan Components
| Component | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Frequencies | 433.500 MHz plus one backup (see Frequency Compatibility) |
| Who monitors | A contact with an SDR or scanner, or a mountain hut with radio |
| Schedule | How often the monitor checks |
| Timeout | When they should alert rescue services |
| Group protocol | What each member carries and monitors |
Home Base Monitoring
- Leave a second beacon or an SDR in SEARCH/monitor mode at base.
- Confirm the base unit hears a test transmission from the intended field area.
- Agree on the expected payload (name + GPS) so an anomaly is obvious.
Group Protocol
| Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Beacon carrier | Transmits SOS + name + GPS |
| Companion | Carries a receiver and knows the search patterns |
| Base contact | Monitors frequencies, calls rescue services on timeout |
Realistic Expectations
- The beacon is one layer. It is not a substitute for a PLB/EPIRB in life-threatening emergencies (see Regulatory Compliance).
- Test the whole chain - transmit, receive, decode, map the coordinates - before the trip, not during it.