EPIRB or PLB: Start With the Rescue Scenario
How NOAA describes maritime EPIRBs and personal locator beacons, plus the registration step both require.
Choose Vessel Or Personal Association
NOAA's Cospas-Sarsat overview identifies EPIRBs as maritime beacons and PLBs as personal beacons used across wilderness activities. Registration data for an EPIRB describes the vessel; PLB registration describes the person and intended use.
That makes the operating scenario the first comparison. Consider who carries the beacon, whether it stays with one boat, and how it can be reached after an unexpected entry into the water.
Compare Activation And Mounting
EPIRB categories and mounting arrangements can include manual or float-free deployment. PLBs are portable and manually activated. Read the official approval and manufacturer instructions for the specific device rather than assigning every model the same behavior.
Mount or wear a beacon where the intended user can reach it during the emergency being planned. Equipment trapped inside an overturned or sinking boat may be unavailable.
Register And Maintain It
NOAA registration for U.S.-coded 406 MHz beacons is free and required. Accurate contact, vessel, and trip information can help search-and-rescue personnel understand an alert and contact the owner or emergency contacts.
Update the registration after an ownership, vessel, address, or emergency-contact change. Inspect and test the beacon only as the manufacturer directs, and observe battery replacement and service dates.
Keep The Radio Plan Too
A beacon is a distress-alert tool, not a routine communications service. A VHF radio can carry the voice details of the emergency and receive instructions when another station is in range.
Build a layered plan appropriate to the route instead of asking one device to perform every task. Include a float plan and make sure the crew knows where the equipment is and how it activates.