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| -Short Attention Span Theater- | |
| "USAF, sir. Did someone call for a rescue?" | |
| 2004-10-20 | |
Chris van Rossman's television came with a VCR, DVD player and CD player - plus a hidden feature that had a rescue team beating a path to his door. On the night of Oct. 2, the TV began emitting the international distress signal - the 121.5 megahertz beep emitted by crashed airplanes and sinking boats. The signal was picked up by a satellite, relayed to an Air Force base in Virginia, then to the Civil Air Patrol, then to officials in Oregon. Most signals are false alarms, but they're all checked out, and soon, men in Air Force uniforms, a police officer and Mike Bamberger, a Benton County Search and Rescue deputy, were at van Rossman's apartment door. The solution to the mystery was nailed when van Rossman turned off the TV before answering the door the second time. The signal stopped, too. An inspection of the television confirmed it was the source. Toshiba plans to replace the television and examine the offending one. "We have never experienced anything like this before at Toshiba," said spokeswoman Maria Repole.
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| Posted by:Bob |
| #7 I have a built-in ELT (emergency locator transmitter) in my plane, as well as a portable one (EPIRB) in case I go in the drink. They transmit on 121.5 mhz. The tone is sorta a siren going from high pitch to low, then high pitch to low, etc. like a sawtooth wave. IIRC, that system will be completely phased out in 2006. The new 400+ mhz systems will be on line. Each one is registered, so you know who has the distress. Location will be pinpoint within minutes, due to a new waveform, instead of a half hour to hours with the old system. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul In Nikolaevsk, Alaska 2004-10-20 7:39:42 PM |
| #6 This was circulated at my work by QC, with a note saying "This is why we test." |
| Posted by: Dishman 2004-10-20 7:24:10 PM |
| #5 I still think the feds are overreacting in this case. It's not like it's an actual transmitter that's being used to intentionally interfere with bona fide distress signals. That having been said, maybe the FCC and other similar foreign bodies should look into requiring a standardized coded signal instead of a simple beep. Seems to me an asymmetrical signal would be difficult for rogue TVs to duplicate..... |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-10-20 5:50:55 PM |
| #4 It's not his fault it happened the first time. After he knows the TV is emitting a errant signal, it is his fault if he doesn't get it fixed and keeps using it. $10K is the standard fine to keep people from being careless with the ELTs on their boats and planes. Think of it as a attention getter. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-10-20 3:55:05 PM |
| #3 What's rather stupid is that the FCC threatened to fine HIM $10K a day for something that really isn't his fault. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-10-20 10:51:55 AM |
| #2 I wonder . . . was he watching Lost or Gilligan's Island when the TV started emitting its signal? |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-10-20 9:38:40 AM |
| #1 I think the TV willfully sent that signal after seeing van Rossman's apartment. "Look at this dump--I gotta get outta here!" |
| Posted by: Dar 2004-10-20 8:47:21 AM |