Question 1

What should be done with a liferaft's VHF radio (if equipped) to maximise its usefulness in a survival situation?

Accepted Answer

Conserve battery power by keeping it switched off except during scheduled listening/transmitting periods or when a vessel or aircraft is detected nearby, since liferaft survival time can extend well beyond the radio's continuous battery life if left running constantly Liferaft survival situations can last hours to days, while a portable VHF radio's battery, even a good one, has a limited continuous transmit/receive life — managing power use (scheduled listening windows, transmitting only when a target is detected or at standard distress intervals) significantly extends how long the radio remains useful throughout the survival period, rather than being exhausted in the first hour.

Question 2

What does EPIRB stand for, and what is its basic function in a survival situation?

Accepted Answer

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon — once activated (manually or automatically by water immersion), it transmits a distress signal with the vessel's identity and position via satellite to search and rescue authorities, continuing to transmit for an extended period to aid location An EPIRB is one of the most important pieces of GMDSS distress equipment carried aboard — once it activates, satellites pick up the signal and relay position and vessel identity to rescue coordination centres, often within minutes. Knowing it must be physically taken into the liferaft (it is not always automatically released with the raft on every vessel type) is a critical PST knowledge point.

Question 3

What is the key difference between an EPIRB and a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)?

Accepted Answer

An EPIRB is typically registered to the vessel and often mounted/stowed for the whole crew, while a PLB is a smaller, individually registered device that a single person can carry on their body — useful if separated from the main group or liferaft A PLB's key value is individual portability — a crew member separated from the liferaft or from others in the water still has a working distress beacon on their own person. Many maritime safety authorities now recommend or require individual PLBs for certain roles or operations precisely because relying solely on a single vessel-registered EPIRB leaves a gap if people become separated.