Weatherdock EASYRESCUE-PRO
€ 587 (£425)
Manufactured in Germany, the EASYRESCUE, which was one of the first AIS SARTS to be launched in Europe, has been updated and is now mainly intended for use in a lifejacket. The new-generation floating EASYRESCUE is rather big and pricy compared with the others we tested, but its size reflects its long battery duration (up to 96 hours on AIS only) and it can be ordered with manual or automatic activation. The latter has a magnetic rip-cord switch and/or optional water-sensing automatic activation.
We were supplied with the top-ofthe range model, the EASYRESCUEPRO, which not only has automatic activation but also offers a DSC VHF alert function. This transmits a distress alert on VHF Channel 70 if you pre-programme it with your own ship’s MMSI. For the first five minutes, the DCS alert goes only to your own vessel’s radio. However, if the activation isn’t acknowledged within that time, it then becomes a regular ‘all ships’ AIS MOB DSC alert. The registration process involves putting it into programming mode and then calling the beacon’s MMSI using DSC on your VHF radio. This effectively pairs the two, after which the EASYRESCUEPro sends a confirmation message to your radio. In test mode, it functioned perfectly.
VERDICT
The most expensive beacon on test, the EASYRESCUE-PRO has some interesting features such as fully automatic activation and targeted DSC alerts, but its size could prove off-putting. It also can’t be turned off if you lose the magnetic switch!
Contact Pinpoint electronics. Tel: 01392 823843. Web: www.pinpointelectronics.com