RTCM 11010.4 Standard for 406 MHz Satellite Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) March 17, 2023 (NEWEST version) with Amendment 1

NOTE: This version of the RTCM PLB standard has not yet been incorporated into the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission. However, RTCM regards this standard as at least equivalent to the version cited in the regulations, so FCC authorization of PLBs built to this standard should be available through the FCC waiver process. 

Highlights of the technical changes from the previous RTCM PLB Standard numbered 11010.3 include additional detail on first and second generation PLB encoding, updated information regarding U.S. protocols, and updated labeling requirements.

The US SARSAT Program is authorizing RLS capable PLBs and EPIRBs to be sold and used with the US Search and Rescue Region upon publication of RTCM Standard 11010.4.  See the US Federal Register Notice 2022-04369 of March 2, 2022 for details.

Amendment 1 made the following necessary updates:

-  added test procedures for 406 MHz PLBs with multi-constellation GNSS receiver modules, and

-  aligned the AIS identifier, where relevant, to reflect that PLBs are types of EPIRB in accordance with ITU-R M.633, and

-  align AIS transmitted text, if fitted, to reflect that PLBs are types of EPIRB in accordance with ITU-R M.633, and

-  some minor editorial corrections.