The recommendations contained within MSC Circ 1309, Guidelines for Shore Based Maintenance of Satellite EPIRBs, ask that every care should be taken to avoid the transmission of false distress alerts. With the screened enclosures from Sartech, users can be confident that this will be the case. The EPIRB can simply be switched on and placed inside the screened enclosure. A test receiver is then connected to a special ‘sniffer’ socket in the box that allows the beacon signal to be detected by the receiver without it being transmitted externally. Because beacons transmit distress signals in bursts every 50 seconds, the person carrying out the test has time to open he box and switch off the EPIRB between bursts.

Model FC2 is a screened aluminium box with a hinged lid and internal microwave foam to reduce internal reflections. This gives the best performance and is easy to use hen testing a number of beacons in a service department.

Model QRT-101 is a lightweight portable version that uses two layers of a special conductive material in combination with a drawstring/Velcro closure. Although not as convenient to use and lacking the absorbent foam, its light weight and small size make it more suitable for testing in the field.