TV Emits Distress Signal, Triggers Search

Yahoo! News ^ | October 19, 2004 | Reuters

[Dat Mon]

"I tend to find techno guys farfetched"

Go reboot your computer....its due!...lol

[ken5050]

Reboot?..when it makes funny noises I just get another one...

[Dat Mon]

"It was broadcasting on 121.5 MHz."

Interesting...I learn something every day here!

Wonder if it was a local oscillator shift, or a broadband noise emmission with enough spectral energy at that frequency to be above the satellites threshold.

[Chemist_Geek]

I thought the 121.5 mhz has been phased out in favor of the 406 mhz.

Not yet. In the year 2009, IIRC.

[Chemist_Geek]

Someone here on FR explained to me that it was inadequate suppression of a harmonic.

[Dat Mon]

"when it makes funny noises I just get another one..."

Let me guess...you're a DOS 5.0 sorta guy...overclocked CPU runnin at 8MHz?....lol

[Poohbah]

Wonder if it was a local oscillator shift, or a broadband noise emmission with enough spectral energy at that frequency to be above the satellites threshold.

The latter is my guess.

[lilylangtree]

Can visualize another Stephen King or John Grisham book on the horizon about this problem.

[ken5050]

Hz is short for a car rental company, right? Do I in a prize?

[sargunner]

That's right Pooh.

I am sure you know that you will gain equal attention transmitting on it's first harmonic (243.0Mhz).

[Dat Mon]

"inadequate suppression of a harmonic"

Sounds like either a very crappy design....(Chinese knock-off by chance?) or a mediocre design coupled with an oscillator frequency shift.

Shouda used a crystal for reference.

[Dat Mon]

You get a Kia...with 12 inch wheels. I think they're chrome plated though.

[ken5050]

I know..and the radio comes with a CD/Rom drive...

[Dat Mon]

Actually..its an 8-track.

You also get a tape of Joan Jetts greatest hits. Enjoy.

[ken5050]

Listen..in my attic, I actually have a record playerer for cars..it played only 45's..came out in 64, I think..just before the 8 track..the arm was spring loaded, to hold the needle to the vinyl...everytime you hit a bump, it jumped and skipped..

[Nowhere Man]

I thought the 121.5 mhz has been phased out in favor of the 406 mhz.

Not yet. In the year 2009, IIRC.

I haven't heard about 121.5 Mc being phased out but I know the 500 kc (600 meters) maritime distress frequency isn't in use anymore. Will they have to fit aircraft with gear that runs on 406 Mc?

[Dat Mon]

Amazing....I really do learn something new on this site every day!

[ken5050]

Did you hear the latest quote from John Edwards?......

"When John Kerry is elected president, people like Bill Clinton will get back INTO bed and start having sex again...."

[Chemist_Geek]

Well, the SARSATs won't be monitoring 121.5 after 2009 so ELTs and EPIRBs will have to be 406 MHz models, yes.

I believe that 121.5 (and 243.0) will remain as voice emergency frequencies.

As far as 500 kHz goes, yes, they stopped guarding that frequency a while ago. I believe that GMDSS still requires a watch on 2182 kHz, but I could be wrong - I know less about maritime radio than aeronautical.

[Nowhere Man]

Yeah, I did some googling since I read the thread and it seems that 121.5 and 243.0 Mc will still be voice. I was just wondering since those two frequencies are well ingrained in the aviation and maritime communities. I know the military also uses 282.8 Mc for voice comms in times of distress too.