CTWG: Civil Air Patrol Says 'Don't Trash The Beacon!'

Last night, Lt Col "Sandy" Sanderson warned our members to "not trash the beacons in a garbage dump" and so this article says...

Civil Air Patrol Says 'Don't Trash The Beacon!'
Fri, 27 Feb '09
Accidental Signals Distract Responders From REAL Emergencies
Boat and plane owners upgrading their emergency beacons to the newer technology may be tempted to toss their old ones in the nearest dumpster. But emergency beacons -- also known as ELTs in aircraft and EPIRBs in watercraft -- were not meant to be discarded like common trash.

The Civil Air Patrol, in partnership with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, has kicked off a communications initiative -- a "Don't Trash the Beacon" campaign -- to inform boaters and airplane owners about proper disposal of obsolete emergency beacons. CAP squadrons across the nation are supporting this initiative by displaying posters about proper disposal in their communities.

When discarding the older 121.5/243 MHz analog frequency emergency locator beacons in favor of the stronger, more reliable 406 MHz frequency digital emergency beacons, it is important to first remove or disconnect the battery from the device so it cannot be accidentally activated. Then, contact a local electronics waste facility for proper disposal.
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