Personal locator beacon Fast Find 220 PLB 406 MHz with Galileo & GPS

FastFind 220 is the essential equipment to ensure the safety of individuals in outdoor activities

The personal distress beacon is the ideal companion for all outdoor adventures, and the FastFind 220 guarantees all outdoor enthusiasts a link to rescue services in case of an emergency. It is the solution for a responsible and sustainable leisure activity in natural environments.

An alert in one press: the simplicity of the FastFind 220 to ensure your safety

Easy to use, a touch of the button activates the beacon and the alert is launched… A distress message including your identifier and your geographical coordinates is transmitted on reserved waves (406 MHz) through a satellite network (COSPAS-SARSAT) the information is immediately received by the emergency services (SAR).

This free service is available to all, having as a prerequisite to have the appropriate equipment to communicate on the network.

COSPAS-SARSAT is an international organisation that is the result of cooperation between some 40 countries. His mission is the safeguarding of human life.

There are three types of beacons on the 406 MHz frequency:

• ELT: distress beacon for aviation
• EPIRB: distress beacon for ships
• PLB: individual distress beacon

The Fast Find 220 is a personal distress beacon. Like all operational tags, it must first be registered in the name of its holder in order to identify the person at the origin of the request for assistance.

Check-in is free and takes place online in minutes. The information provided during registration is valuable. They are essential for all teams involved in the chain of emergency services, thus providing assistance to people in danger in an effective manner.

• Internationally, the registration is done on the website of cospas-sarsat.org.
• In France there is a specific register managed by the CNES (National Center for Space Studies).

Global coverage by satellites

With the Fast Find 220 personal distress beacon, you can be assured of a worldwide coverage.

In any point globe and this 24/7, the beacon can emit a distress signal to get assistance urgently.

Fast Find 220 uses the COSPAS-SARSAT network to transmit distress signals, but it also has capabilities to calculate its position with GNSS satellite networks, including Galileo, and GPS.

COSPAS-SARSAT rescue mission

COSPAS-SARSAT is an international satellite system for search and rescue. This emergency alert service is a cooperation of countries initiated by the United States, Russia, Canada and France. Since its launch in the 1980s this program has proven effective in saving tens of thousands of lives around the world.

Its network of satellites circulating around the earth allows distress beacons to transmit 406 MHz coded messages to mission control centers and rescue coordination centers empowered to implement appropriate devices for rescues missions.

Upon activation, the Fast Find 220 transmits the distress message including its unique identifier. This identifier makes it possible to authenticate the owner of the beacon having previously registered in the database of cospas-sarsat.org or more specifically the register406 for French.

From the first transmission and without having to use the GNSS data, it is possible to determine a geographical area of ​​origin of the signal.

Since its activation the Fast Find 220 will constantly carry out communications and calculations operations with the COSPAS-SARSAT and GNSS networks.

In order to optimize the speed of rescue, accurate geolocation data is crucial for teams engaging in the field. Fast Find 220 is compatible with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Galileo and GPS.

New Fast Find 220, compatible with Galileo

Since 2019, the first personal distress beacons compatible with the new European satellite positioning system, Galileo, have been operational.

Performance for locating a person in distress is increased with the Galileo satellite network. For a situation or every minute of its importance Galileo makes it possible to establish a location more quickly, and this with more precision.

Search and Rescue (SAR) has been integrated into the heart of the European Galileo project, and is now the first GNSS network in the world to offer full compatibility for this mission.

The Fast Find 220 coupled to the Galileo network offers unparalleled reliability.

GNSS location with Galileo and GPS

Satellite positioning systems (Galileo or GPS) allow the Fast Find 220 to calculate its position.

Once the computation of the geographical position carried out the beacon transmits the coordinates latitude, longitude with the following sends of the distress message.

The Fast Find 220 will maintain a connection with the GNSS satellites to continue calculating a new position in case it is in motion.

Radiolocation of proximity

The Fast Find 220 also transmits on the 121.5 MHz ancestor frequency of the 406 MHz, it is also a frequency dedicated to security. It can still be useful in certain circumstances. In particular, many ships or aircraft keep watch on this frequency.