5-15
Additional items (not shown) packaged with the transmitter include the antenna, a box kite, and
balloons for supporting the antenna. Hydrogen-generating chemicals for inflating the balloon and a signal
lamp that can be powered by the hand-crank generator are also included.
The equipment floats and is painted brilliant orange-yellow to provide good visibility against dark
backgrounds.
A transceiver is shown in figure 5-15. It is portable, battery powered, and has two channels. It
provides homing information and two-way voice communications between life rafts and searching ships
and aircraft. This transceiver is a microminiature, solid-state, hand-held radio that operates on the
121.5-megahertz and the 243-megahertz guard channels. The transceiver has four operating controls.
These are the volume (VOL) control, the two-position FREQUENCY SELECTOR, the PUSH-TO-
TALK/ CODE button, and the three-position MODE switch.
Figure 5-15.—Emergency portable transceiver.
The antenna is a rubber covered, omnidirectional, flexible whip antenna that is 7.74 inches long. The
batteries supplied with the radio set are lithium D cells. Each cell is fused to protect against damage from
external short circuits. Two cells are installed in the transceiver and four are packaged as spares.
OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT
An operational transceiver is shown in figure 5-16. It is watertight, lightweight, portable, and
operates in the vhf and uhf range. You can use any of 1,750 channels, spaced 200 kilohertz apart, in the
225-400 megahertz range. Its mode of operation is AM voice and it supplies an average output power of 3
watts. It was designed mainly for manpack (backpack) use, but it may also be used at a fixed station or in
vehicles when certain accessories are added. When not in use, the equipment is disassembled and stowed
in a special aluminum case similar to an ordinary suitcase.
