Personal Locator Beacons

[bsd]

going back to the original post...why are they illegal on land do you know?
cheers

[AJF]

I need correcting if I am wrong but it is to do with OFCOM owning about 70% of the frequencies in the UK and the Army own the other 30%. It is illegal to transmit a message using certain common frequencies (such as the PLB signal to the RAF base) without a specific license to do so.

So in short it is the choice of airwave frequency that they are using that is illegal for use on Land. Think the sea and air get round this as they are not OFCOM regulated. Remeber pirate radio stations get their name because they transmitted from ships therefore exploit the OFCOM laws. This is where many of the old R1 djs got their break (including Tony Blackburn and Dave Lee Travis)

How the other devices get round this law I am not 100% sure but again how and who they transmit to probably has a lot to do with it.

[jenniwren]

I'm not knowledgeable to the 'ownership' of frequencies. The sea and air do not get round it altogether (if at all) as the PLBs etc have to be OFCOM registered and I know that Amatuer Radio has to be OFCOM registered. Were pirate ships broadcasting on the airwaves outside the 3 mile national waters, hence the pirate name and getting round the transmitting laws?

[XRunner]

Lets raise this subject again.

Woman rescued in 3,700-mile alert

The alarm was raised...after Kimberley Warren, from Sway, Hampshire, fell from a horse and broke her leg.

Their personal locater beacon was picked up by satellites monitored by RAF Kinloss in Moray.

[wheezing donkey]

XR, impressive efficiency & performance; BUT I still don't want one! And I certainly don't want the Nanny State imposing legislation that forces me to carry one.

[Mud]

impressive efficiency & performance; BUT I still don't want one

I can't find mine.

[Guick Dotto]

I could have done with one on my way back from the pub tonight. Please make it stop raining!