Simy My-MOB Marine Transmitter User Guide

Simy My-MOB Marine Transmitter User Guide

Congratulations

You have just acquired a My-MOB emergency beacon by SIMY. We would like to thank you for your purchase and hope the product will be to your full satisfaction.

My-MOB is SIMY’s all-new “man overboard” emergency beacon. It comes in addition to the My-AIS beacon, and was developed in partnership with the SNSM (French sea rescue association). It is the smallest in the world in its category, and stems from cutting-edge technological research in the field of maritime safety. Fitted with compact and high-yield electronics, and with a long-range helical antenna, the My-MOB beacon sends your GPS position and distress message to your surroundings. It is used to alert other in-range ships fitted with “chart-plotter” AIS receivers, as well as any other ships fitted with marine VHF systems with DSC (Digital Selective Calling – Channel 70). In-range CROSS centres (operational surveillance and rescue centres) would also be alerted and informed of your distress and location, to organise a rescue mission.

Entirely designed and produced in France, My-MOB was created with the aim of becoming the smallest beacon in the world. It can be easily integrated in even the thinnest and lightest life jackets on the market, and does not hinder crew movement on board. It is also unique with its embedded electronics, as it has both an AIS-MOB transmitter, an ultra-precise GPS and a DSC transmitter/receiver. This new DSC function oered by My-MOB helps widen the extent of distress messages sent by wrecked ships, by communicating the MOB alert to all ships fitted with a VHF DSC system.

My-MOB meets all recent French and European standards in force, namely those of the 219 Maritime Aairs Division, pertaining to the use of AIS beacons with DSC transmitters/receivers.

It is simple and intuitive, with a robust design. My-MOB complies with international and maritime standards in force, including IEC 63269 and IEC 61108-1.

Syrlinks is one of the largest space telecommunication system designers and manufacturers (Rosetta-Philae space probe), and has been designing emergency satellite-operated beacons for several years now (Cospas-Sarsat, Argos). The company has put all its know-how and experience into making My-MOB very compact, high-performance and reliable. Integrated into your life jacket, My- MOB provides safety and serenity during your leisure and nautical activities. For further information and to discuss our products, our contact details can be found on  www.simy-beacons.co.uk.

Introduction

The contents of this user guide comply with the product and were updated prior to printing. Syrlinks reserves the right to make any required changes within this user guide, even partial ones, without prior notice. Previous versions of SIMY guides are available and can be downloaded from the following.
websites: www.simy-beacons.co.uk.

This guide was drafted with utmost care. Nonetheless, Syrlinks cannot be held liable should there be any mistakes or omissions.

This also applies for any damage resulting from the use of information contained in this guide. This guide cannot be reproduced or copied, in any form, without prior consent from Syrlinks.

COPYRIGHT 2022 Syrlinks. All rights reserved.
“SIMY” and “SYRLINKS” are trademarks registered by Syrlinks.

Warnings

Before integrating My-MOB into your life jacket, make sure you read through the entire guide carefully so as to become familiar with how the beacon works (Programming the craft’s MMSI into the beacon, Self-Test, integration into the jacket, placing the attachments on the jacket for automatic activation, deactivating the beacon in the event of mishandling or a false alert).

The My-MOB beacon is an alert device that must only be used in the event of a real emergency and imminent danger.

My-MOB contains magnetic components used to activate the beacon (a small magnet was fitted into the cap). To ensure the beacon works properly, keep it away from all magnetic field sources (powerful magnets, loud speakers, speakers, etc.).

My-MOB is a “man overboard” emergency beacon belonging to the M class. It includes three radio-frequency technologies:

• An AIS transmitter used to send a local alert within a range set between 5 and 10 nautical miles, depending on how rough the sea is. Ships fitted with AIS mapping (chart plotting) receptors alone, or coastal safety stations located within the beacon’s scope of operation will receive the AIS-MOB emergency signal emitted by the beacon.
• A DSC transmitter/receiver used to send a local alert via the 70 DSCchannel, with a range set between 5 and 10 nautical miles. This distress signal will be received by all ships fitted with a DSC VHF, or by CROSS surveillance and rescue centres located within the beacon’s range. The receiver shows users that their alert signal has indeed been acknowledged by rescue teams.
• A GPS receiver sends out the beacon’s precise geo-location when a distress signal is triggered. The ship’s coordinates (latitude, longitude and speed) are also included in the alert signal.

My-MOB is not a person or object lo calisation system, and must never be used as such.

My-MOB must only be used in the event of an emergency and real danger. Activating the beacon otherwise than in an emergency may lead to fines or a lawsuit against the user who voluntarily triggered a false alarm.

If the beacon is set of by accident (sound and light signal), deactivate it immediately and promptly inform the at-sea search and safety authorities who may have intercepted the false alert.

The beacon’s batteries can withstand an emergency signal lasting at least 12 hours, and will hold for 7 years after purchase. After the date marked on the label at the back of the beacon, stop using the beacon and take it to a recycling center for electronic waste.

My-MOB is a watertight product, with specific batteries that cannot be purchased in major retail stores. Never try to open the beacon up yourself. Any attempt to open up the beacon will cause the immediate forfeit of the warranty, and SIMY cannot be held responsible in such cases. Attempting to open up the beacon will also mean loss of watertightness and will damage the beacon for good.

Battery life and beacon operation can be tested by pressing the “self-test” button.

My-MOB contains a GPS receiver. Never obstruct the area marked on the beacon, so the GPS position can be detected properly

My-MOB works thanks to low-power radio waves, only when the beacon has been activated. Never touch the antenna when the beacon is activated.

My-MOB contains a helical spring antenna, folded up under the antenna cap. Once activated, be sure to keep the product about 30 cm away from your head and close/protect your eyes. Once deployed, the antenna measures about 14 cm high.

My-MOB is a beacon used only to send a local alert a few nautical miles away. This beacon is not an EPIRB, nor a PLB (Cospas – Sarsat), and does not transmit distress signals by satellite (only via AIS and DSC)

Overview of My-MOB

Beacon prior to activation

Beacon following activation (cap ejected, antenna deployed)

1. Strap clip
2. Mouthpiece clip
3. Gasket (small rope)
4. Arming button
5. Antenna cap
6. Off and self-test «T» button
7. LED (white/red/green/orange flashes)
8. GPS area
9. Rear label
10. Deployed antenna
11. ON bouton And this user guide
    

Installing the beacon in your life jacket

The My-MOB beacon can be attached to the life jacked in two diferent ways:

• using the “mouthpiece” clip
• using the “strap” clip

Attaching the beacon using the “mouthpiece” clip

The mouthpiece is pre-assembled in the factory and clipped to the beacon prior to packaging. Depending on where the mouthpiece is on your life jacket, you can attach the mouthpiece on the left or right.

Once the mouthpiece clip has been attached, check that the 4 attachment points are afxed to the beacon. Insert the beacon’s mouthpiece clip around your jacket’s mouthpiece. The beacon is now attached.

If you want to switch the clip to the other side, use a small tool such as a screwdriver tip to leverage it delicately. This will unlock the clip’s 4 attachment points from the beacon. Never try doing it by hand, for fear of breaking the mouthpiece.

Attaching the beacon using the “strap” clip

Detach the mouthpiece clip from the beacon. Take hold of the strap clip and slide the fastening strap b tween the strap clip’s attachment points. The strap can be placed horizontally or vertically compared to the clip, depending on your jacket’s design.

Then attach the strap clip to the back of the beacon. Check that the 4 attachment points on the strap clip are indeed afxed to the beacon.

Why register your boat’s MMSI number in your beacon?

Programming your boat’s MMSI will enable you to:

1. Run the full self-test During a full self-test, the beacon will systematically check AIS function. To check DSC function during a full self-test, you must register the boat’s MMSI number in the beacon, so the DSC test signal is only sent to your DSC VHF.
2. Select your beacon’s operating mode: either in open loop or closed loop (see detailed explanation below)

Regardless of the operating mode chosen for your beacon (open or closed loop), once activated it will transmit the AIS-MOB alert via an AIS frequency.

For DSC MOB alerts, your beacon will be configured in “open loop” by default. This means that as soon as the alert has been triggered, the DSC MOB distress message will be sent to all ships and rescue stations nearby.

When operating in “closed loop” mode, your ship’s MMSI will have had to be programmed beforehand. In this mode, the beacon will only send out a DSC alert to your DSC VHF for the first 12 minutes after activation. Without any DSC VHF acknowledgement, the beacon will send the DSC MOB alert to all ships via channel 70.

Note: If you are sailing alone, we recommend using the “open loop” mode, because if the beacon is triggered, the alert will be sent to all ships.

How to register your boat’s MMSI number in your beacon?

The MMSI number can be registered using a smartphone application developed by SIMY, available in the Google Store (for Android) and Apple Store (for iOS). Programming is done using the smartphone’s flash LED.

Caution: each MMSI registration in the beacon uses up part of its battery. Do not register more than 2 numbers per year to preserve battery life.

1. Download the application on your smartphone
2. Run the application
3. Enter your boat’s MMSI number into the dedicated field
4. If you want, you can activate the closed-loop option by ticking the appropriate box
5. Take your My-MOB beacon and keep the “T” button pressed until the LED switches of (about 6 seconds) Your beacon is now in “programming” mode, awaiting the MMSI number transmitted by light flashes
6. Position your smartphone’s flash against your beacon’s LED zone
7. Press on the “Programme” button in the application. The camera’s flash will then send a light message containing your ship’s MMSI number

After a few seconds, the beacon will beep and flash green. These signals confirm that your MMSI number has been properly programmed into your beacon – congratulations

If the beacon switches off after 2 minutes, this means the operation did not work properly. Run through steps 2 to 8 again using another smartphone if you can, to make sure the problem does not come from your phone (incompatible LED flash)

Erasing the MMSI no.

The MMSI and “closed-loop” option can be erased from the beacon by pressing longer than 10 seconds on the T button. The red LED will flash 8 times to confirm the ship’s MMSI has been erased and that the open-loop mode has been activated.

How to activate your beacon?

Caution: never activate the beacon if you are not in distress.

My-MOB can be activated manually or automatically. When the beacon is activated manually, it is done so independently from the life jacket. The beacon user must activate it in the event of an emergency.

Manual activation

There are two stages to manual activation:

Initial state of the beacon
When the beacon is not being used, the arming clip must face the front so as to block the antenna cap and thus avoid any risk of accidentally activating it.

Arming the beacon
To arm the beacon, push the arming clip towards the back, to free the cap.

Activating the beacon
To activate/trigger the beacon, slide the antenna cap downwards. The cap is then ejected and the antenna is deployed. The beacon is activated and the emergency signal is sent out.

Important: Three seconds after activation, a continuous and piercing initial signal (buzzer) will sound for two seconds. The white signalling LED will then flash slowly for twelve seconds, without transmitting any radio alert yet. You can therefore switch the beacon of during this time if it was activated involuntarily or by accident. After those twelve seconds, the beacon will send out a radio wave emergency signal.

Use in “automatic trigger” mode

To use the beacon in “automatic trigger” mode, following the instructions below:

1. Attach the beacon to your life jacket using the strap clip or mouthpiece clip (see page 19-20)
2. Attach one end of the gasket in the hole provided on the beacon’s red antenna cap
3. Attach the other end of the gasket to a strap or fixed attachment towards the bottom of the jacket. The gasket must be taut and placed in vertical alignment ith the beacon
4. Arm the beacon and close the jacket

Caution: If your jacket is not being used or is in storage, position the arming clip facing upwards (cap blocked) to avoid accidentally triggering the beacon when you handle or transport your jacket. The gasket must be taut, but not too much to prevent it from being triggered at the wrong moment when you arm the beacon before going out to sea

In a man overboard situation, the jacket will inflate in just a few seconds. The gasket will become taut when the jacket is blown up, and will make the cap slide downwards, freeing the antenna. The antenna cap will be ejected after sliding for about one centimetre and the beacon will start to emit your distress signal and GPS location.

What happens when the beacon is activated (in open-loop mode)?
The buzzer emits a sound signal as soon as an AIS or DSC message has been sent by the beacon. The beacon transmits 8 AIS messages per second, and 1 DSC message every 5 minutes (then every 10 minutes after 30 minutes). After each DSC transmission, the beacon waits for potential acknowledgement from the on- board VHF for 2 minutes. Acknowledgement may come from:

• Either the boat’s VHF, programmed into the beacon for the first 12 minutes in closed-loop mode
• Or the CROSS surveillance and rescue centre in closed-loop mode, or after 12 minutes in open-loop mode

Once the beacon has been activated:

• The white LED flashes twice every 2 seconds
• The red LED flashes twice every 2 seconds, so long as the GPS position has  notyet been detected by the beacon
• Once the GPS position has been detected, the red LED will stop flashing and the white one alone will continue
• If the GPS position was lost, the red LED will flash again once every 2 seconds until the GPS signal has been recovered

Disactivating your beacon

Once activated, the My-MOB beacon can be stopped at any time by pressing on “T” for at least 3 seconds.

Important: Stay pressed down for at least 3 seconds, until the red LED flashes 5 times. As soon as the red flashing starts, you can remove your finger and the beacon will switch of. The distress signal will no longer be emitted, and the LEDs will stop working

Repositioning the antenna under the beacon’s cap

If the beacon was activated by mistake, and after having switched it of, please follow the instructions below to fold the antenna back and put the beacon’s cap back on.

1. Push the antenna vertically downwards; To make this easier, turn the top of the antenna clockwise (the same way as the spirals) whilst pushing downwards.
2. Keeping the antenna flat and folded away, lift the cap towards the top of thebeacon so it goes back to its initial position
3. Disarm the beacon by blocking the cap with the arming clip

Caution: As there is an activation magnet in the beacon’s cap, it may reactivate once the cap is put back into place. If this happens, hold down the T button until the red LED flashes 5 times, then release the T button.

SELF-TEST

Remember to regularly test your My-MOB beacon using the T self-test button.

Short test

This test is used to check the battery’s power level. To run the test, press briefly on the beacon’s T button. It will beep continuously for a few seconds.

When the buzzer has stopped, the beacon will give off a flash that indicates battery life:

• Green flash: adequate remaining battery life;
• Orange flash: the battery is coming to the end of its life but has enough power to transmit for another 12 hours;
• Red flash: the battery is no longer functional, the beacon should not be used for going out to sea

Caution: do not run the test more than once a week to preserve battery life.

Full test

This test is run to check the battery’s status and whether the following are functional:

• GPS receiver
• AIS and DSC transmitters

To run the test, make sure the beacon is placed outside, with a clear view of the sky. The full test does not require the antenna to be deployed, it must be run with the antenna folded in. To run a full test, keep the T button pressed. The beacon will beep for a second and the LED will shine red, then orange. Release the T button once the LED has turned orange.

The full test sequence will then start:

• The red LED flashes every two seconds until the GPS position has been found. Finding the GPS position may take up to 5 minutes, depending on visible satellites;
• Once the GPS position has been found, the red LED will stop flashing;
• An AIS signal made up of 8 messages is then sent out, accompanied by 8 beeps. If you have an AIS receiver, “MOB-TEST” will appear on the mapping system, along with the beacon’s MMSI 972xxx number.

There are then 2 possibilities:

CASE no.1 – You have not registered your ship’s MMSI number in your beacon (via the SIMY App)

• The orange LED will flash twice and the test will end with a coloured flash corresponding to battery status (see Short test)

CASE no.2 – You have registered your ship’s MMSI number (via the SIMY App)

• A DSC signal is then sent, marked by 1 beep. If you have a VHF receiver with a DSC function on it, a “test” message will appear on the receiver, along with the beacon’s MMSI number.
• The beacon will then activate its DSC receiver and wait for potential acknowledgement from your marine VHF. The red LED will flash.

If the user wishes to test their beacon’s DSC receiver, they can send an acknowledgement from their VHF (to do so, please refer to the VHF’s user guide). If acknowledgement is received by the beacon, the green LED will flash twice and the test will end with a coloured flash corresponding to battery status (see Short test).

If the user does not wish to test the DSC receiver, they can press on the T button for 3 seconds to stop it. The red LED will flash 5 times, indicating the end of the self-test. In this last case, the beacon will not show the battery’s status. A short self-test can be run to test the battery’s power level.

The beacon can be switched of at any time during the full test by holding down the T button until the red LED flashes 5 times, then release the button and the beacon will switch of.

Caution: The full test must not be run more than once a month, so as not to deteriorate battery life.

SIMY warranty

Your My-MOB beacon is under warranty for a period of two years from the date of purchase, and is guaranteed for any manufacturing defects (parts and labour).

If you observe a malfunction in your beacon (namely during the SELF-TEST), please contact SIMY’s Customer Service department via the www.simy-beacons.com website. Proof of purchase may be required. During the contractual warranty period, SIMY may repair or replace your beacon, depending on  the type of failure observed.

Only send your product back to SIMY if requested to do so and once you have been provided with a return number by SIMY’s Customer Service department.

Postage fees for returning the product are to be covered by the customer. Fees for sending the fixed or replaced beacon back to customers are covered by SIMY

The warranty does not apply in the following cases:

• attempt to open the product;
• damage to the plastic casing proving unusual usage of the beacon;
• deterioration of the helical antenna caused by the antenna being deployed and folded back multiple times;
• loss of beacon parts (caps, arming clips, beacon attachment clips);
• any other abnormal use of the beacon, not recommended in this guide (deep immersion causing watertightness failure, etc.)

European declaration of conformity

Syrlinks declares that this My-MOB beacon complies with all essential standards and other applicable provisions set out in the RED 2014-53-EU standard. The declaration of conformity is available on  www.simy- beacons.co.uk.

References

• simy-beacons.co.uk
• simy-beacons.com
• simy-beacons.de
• simy-beacons.es
• simy.fr

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