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Buy and register a personal locator beacon

A personal locator beacon (PLB) sends a distress signal on 406 MHz to the international COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, which alerts rescue services. It works where there is no phone signal. It is the emergency level of the PACE plan (comms-2).

How

1. Choose a 406 MHz PLB with built-in GPS so your position is sent directly. NOAA notes GPS beacons can be located almost instantly.
2. Register it with your national beacon registry. In the US, NOAA registration is free and required by law.
3. Include a 24-hour emergency contact and any medical details in the registration.
4. Keep the registration current. NOAA contacts US owners every two years to check details, and you must update it if you sell the beacon.
5. Carry the PLB when working alone in remote parts of the land or travelling, and teach everyone how to activate it.
6. PLBs are manual only, so the user must be conscious to trigger one.

Safety: Activate a PLB only in a real, life-threatening emergency. False alerts divert rescue teams.

Sources

1. 406 MHz Emergency Distress Beacons. NOAA SARSAT, accessed 2026-11
2. Beacon Registration Brochure. NOAA SARSAT, accessed 2026-11
3. Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). US Federal Communications Commission, accessed 2026-11

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