numerous inquiries, comments and concerns centering on the reliability of the McMurdo Pains Wessex Fastfind Personal EPIRB (PEPIRB) ?" These concerns and comments were made, says the USCG "over the past two years".

The tests were run in coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on five McMurdo PEPIRBS to test three specific capabilities: To alert the COSPAS/SARSAT system within 90 minutes of activation; to produce a composite position within 3Nm and to remain operational for 24 hours after activation.

While all five units passed the tests, the USCG made it plain there were still concerns over the products.

"The PEPIRB attached to the boat crew members' helmet was the only one of the 2-hour duration in-water tests to provide sufficient transmission of data to obtain a composite solution during the test period" said the report. "The two PEPIRBS?. . left to float free did not generate a composite position until after the 2-hour test was complete."

Furthermore, the USCG says when allowed to float free, the PEPIRB case is submerged and water floods the antenna well.

"When any amount of water is allowed to collect in the antenna storage well the signal is degraded and may prevent the COSPAS/SARSAT system from receiving the transmitted signal."

As we went to press, BB managed to contact Gary Mullins, managing director of McMurdo, while he was on a boat in The Solent. He told BB the USCG is using McMurdo Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) and not its fully GPSequipped EPIRBS.

The US government now permits the use of a PLB on land in the United States.

Mullins told us: "We have kitted the Coast Guard with the standard PLB and they have tested that out in various scenarios. They've gone out to all their personnel to say the PLB is not designed to be floating in water when it's activated and should be mounted on the individual."

While the USCG has neither taken the McMurdo products out of use, nor returned them to the company, one informed American source suggested to BBthis may well have been due to political pressure.

Following the failure of its Precision EPIRB and Fastfind Plus PLB during tests run by the USA's Equipped to Survive Foundation, Chris Hoffman, technical director of McMurdo, confirmed to BB that both products have been withdrawn from worldwide sale while the product is upgraded.

However, the tests Mullins insisted in a press release published on April 16 "will be completed in the next 30 days" have yet to be finished and there is no indication of when the product upgrade will be available to the general public.