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Seawork2004 Review

'SARfinder' Locates seawork Press Office

01 Aug 2004

New products are always on show at seawork , witness the record 53 entries to the Innovations Showcase this year, and one so new it was still in prototype form appeared in the seawork press office in the hands of its developer, Marine Rescue Technologies chairman David Marshall.

Marine Rescue Technologies chairman David Marshall shows the first Sea Marshall SARfinder hand portable direction finder in the seawork2004 press office.

Marshall's company is perhaps best known for its Sea Marshall Emergency Response Man Overboard Recovery Systems, which are so effective that they have been featured on the BBC's Tomorrow's World TVprogramme. His new product, the 'SARfinder' handheld portable direction finder for marine and aviation applications, has a 360º display which covers the marine and aeronautical wave bands, including those for EPIRBs and marine VHF. Suitable for deployment in the most severe environments aboard FRCs, the unit has eight hours continuous battery use with recharge facility/ connection to a 12V DC supply.

A major breakthrough in terms of its portability, the unit will enable search & rescue craft to pinpoint any craft in distress, EPIRB or MOB beacon which is capable of transmitting.

A handheld three antenna, phased array receiver gives a bearing to target and received signal strength indicates distance to target. The unit operates from a detachable 0.6 Volt rechargeable battery pack and can be operated directly from a marine 12V or vehicle 12V DC supply. A facility for beacon identity is provided.

The locator employs a large backlit LCD display (110 by 100mm) with an angular resolution better than +/- 8º.

The centre of the display flashes when the target is very near as an indication for the rescue craft to slow down. The eight digit numeric display variously shows channel number/ frequency, bearing and ID (for beacons fitted with unique ID transmission). Volume and squelch levels are software controlled and the unit has a 5W loudspeaker.

David Marshall told MJ theSARfinder was through the prototype stage and his company intended to manufacture a significantly smaller production model themselves.

MJ Information No: 19713

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Marine Rescue Technologies Ltd