Make yourself findable
Build a signalling plan using registered beacons, two-way communication, contrast, repetition and written movement records.
Critical caution: Activate a distress beacon only for grave and imminent danger. Do not leave the activation area unless remaining there is more dangerous.
- Time
- 15–30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Outcome
- Transmit location and distress while conserving energy
Survival lens: Ollerton’s preparation principle is decisive here: signalling equipment only works if carried, registered, rehearsed and accessible. Hudson’s goal is simple—make rescue easier than searching.
Before you begin
- Tell someone your route before travel
- Register the beacon with the authority for the country it is coded to, and check battery expiry
- Carry it on your person, not buried in a pack
What you need
- Registered GPS 406 MHz PLB where appropriate
- Whistle
- Torch or mirror
- High-contrast panel
- Notebook
Step-by-step procedure
- Use two-way communication first. Call or radio with your location, nature of distress, number of people, injuries and immediate hazards. Confirm the message was received.
- Activate the beacon for grave danger. If two-way communication is unavailable and life is threatened, activate the registered beacon and follow its deployment instructions. Beacons are coded for one country: in Australia register with AMSA; in the US with NOAA; in the UK with the UK beacon registry; in Canada with the Canadian Beacon Registry; elsewhere with your national authority.
- Improve satellite view. Move to a safe open area if possible. Keep the antenna vertical and away from metal or obstructions. Do not switch off until rescue authorities advise.
- Add visual contrast. Lay out a large, unnatural shape or bright panel visible from above without destroying essential shelter.
- Use repeatable audible signals. Use a whistle rather than shouting. Signal in deliberate groups, then listen.
- Document any forced movement. Leave time, names, direction, destination and reason in a protected visible note.
How to check it is working
- Beacon registration is current
- Battery expiry is known
- Signal location is safer than surrounding terrain
- Someone maintains a listening watch
Common mistakes
- Relying on a phone with no tested backup
- Carrying an obsolete 121.5 MHz-only beacon
- Using a beacon coded or registered for another country
- Activating multiple beacons unnecessarily
- Moving after activation without leaving information
Sources and further reading
- AMSA: Using your beacon
- AMSA: Correct beacon deployment
- AMSA: Buying a beacon
- NOAA SARSAT (US): beacon registration brochure
- UK Government: Register a UK 406 MHz beacon
- Government of Canada: Canadian Beacon Registry
How this guide was checked
Official-source aligned: Aligned with AMSA distress-beacon guidance (Australia) and national registries
Independent specialist review: not yet completed. How review works.
Last updated: Nov 2026 · edition 1.0.
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