ACR GlobalFix V5 GPS EPIRB with AIS and RLS, Cat I Auto
- Brand:
- ACR
- Part no:
- 2851
Image: Fisheries Supply
Where to buy
Specifications
- Type
- EPIRB category 1
- Positioning
- GPS, Galileo, Glonass
- Return Link Service
- Yes
- AIS alert
- Yes
- Battery replacement
- 10-year replaceable lithium
- Hydrostatic release
- Cat I automatic release
This is the Cat I automatic deployment version of the ACR GlobalFix V5 GPS EPIRB. It takes its position from GPS, Galileo and Glonass, accurate to within 100 meters, and it also sends an AIS safety message on VHF. Return Link Service brings a confirmation back through the Galileo network. It carries a 121.5 MHz homing signal, visible and infrared strobes and a replaceable 10-year lithium battery. NFC lets a smartphone read diagnostics.
Our take
Return Link Service means the beacon can tell you the distress message got through, using a signal back from the Galileo network. The AIS safety message on VHF also reaches nearby AIS vessels directly, so they can respond without waiting for the satellite relay.
From our buying guide
Only 406 MHz beacons alert by satellite. An EPIRB is designed to be mounted on a vessel and a PLB is a portable, handheld beacon for personal use, and registering either with NOAA is mandatory.
Check before you buy:
- It's coded for the US, since a beacon must be registered in the country it is coded for.
- It has a GPS receiver, which the Coast Guard prefers, since a position then goes out at once.
- You know how its battery gets replaced, since ACR and Ocean Signal say the owner must not do it for their models.