[JonBoy]

I’ve had an email from the “Beacon Registry” inviting me to re-register my 406 MHz emergency locator beacon onto their new system.

It looks very official and pukka but I’m always very cautious about giving details to email links like this (never!). I wondered if others have had the same request and if people think it’s genuine or one of these phishing scam things?

[johnm]

Nope we've seen nothing....

[GrahamB]

@JonBoy Coincidentally I bought a new PLB* this week, and as a result of the blurb it came with found the new site. It’s pukka, and the basic details of my existing PLB were already loaded into it, so I took the opportunity to provide the remaining details for that as well as the new one.

* £169.99 plus postage was the best price I could find for a replacement battery for the existing one, which expires next June. At £260 for a new one, half the size and weight with RLS as well, it seemed like a no-brainer.

Top-tip - if you are unhappy that a link in an email may not be genuine, just do a search for the site instead. It was the top hit for me when I searched on ‘Register 406 beacon’ (or something like that )

[RisePilot]

We can't really give feedback without more detail on what you have been sent. Show us the email sender details.

That said, if a group implements new database software it is very simple for them to use the details already on their existing system. If it's just an update, yes I get reminder emails every couple years on mine.

[mr spog]

I got the same email this morning.

[patowalker]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new- ... line-today

[Shoestring Flyer]

Yes I got the same email. All looks kosher to me via the government website ...But the website doesn't work...or at least I can't get it to work!
I tried rininging the helpline but it is permanently engaged!

[IainD]

Got the same this morning but website crashed as I was registering. cant get back now.

[PeteSpencer]

I’m registered ‘owner’ for our PLB but haven’t received anything yet

[Flyingfemme]

I got an email too.

[patowalker]

Just finished registering. All quite straight forward. They found my beacon, but details needed to be re-input.

What happens next
The Maritime and Coastguard Beacon Registry team will check the received application and will be in contact if more information is required.
A registration certificate and proof of registration labels to attach to the beacon, will be sent in due course to the registered beacon owner. If the beacon is activated before receiving these, Search and Rescue will still be able to identify and locate the person(s) in distress.

[Shoestring Flyer]

Well I can't sort it...Tried four times today and it either crashes or I get a 504 Gateway error.
Just tried again and I get:-
'A user with the specified ID already exists. Please choose a different one'.
Tried calling and managed to get through but the nice lady said she couldn't help me and didn't know why it said the above.
She could only suggest I try again another day!...rubbish!

[RisePilot]

The above comments reinforce my opting to use the US registration agency for mine as opposed to registering here in UK.

NOAA/SARSAT Beacon Registration
http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov

Should I ever have to activate the device; being patriotic and waving the Union Jack is irrelevant. I want a well-funded system that works.

[MikeW]

I get stuck in a loop on the new site. Registered ok, it finds my existing device, takes me through confirming its details and uses, then the continue button takes me back to inputting name etc. There's no finish or complete button. Anyone else had this? Doing it in chrome on Android tablet.

[patowalker]

It is still working properly. I can log into my account and start the process of opening a new one.