| Drifting
with a GPS |
The
first satellite supported Rescue System
for Divers
H2O presents the brand new Electronic
Rescue and Locating System. In
the last few years a lot of innovations
relevant to the diving community have
entered the market and made diving more
safe. But one danger has always been
overlooked and is omnipresent: surface
currents! |
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| Divers
worldwide are getting lost due to strong currents,
even when they are experienced and in a good
physical condition. Tragically, reports of
divers who have finished their dive in good
health but died after drifting into the open
ocean and have never been found, are known
all over the world.
This will hopefully change now because of
the new Electronic Emergency and Locating
System "ENOS" which was invented
by two German divers, Karl Hansmann and his
wife Christiane Linkenbach.
Karl
has been diving since 1986 and is CMAS "Gold"
licensed, whilst Christiane has been diving
since 1977 and worked as a CMAS Instructor
in Hurghada from 1986 to 1989. During their
dives all over the world, often with strong
currents, they often thought about a solution
for the ‘missing on the surface’,
problem - and came up with the idea for a
new rescue system. "We are really fond
of diving and have spent a lot of our lifetime
underwater", Karl said to H2O, "though
confident, we still have a great respect for
currents and the problems they cause”.
"ENOS" is the first rescue system
for divers which functions independently of
coast guards and international rescue organisations,
therefore can be used all over the world.
Rescue operations can be carried out quickly
and efficiently straight from the diving boat.
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The
system consists of two units, one, a
receiver aboard the diving boat and
the other, the transmitter - carried
by the diver(s) for the duration of
the dive. The receiver determines its
position (A) through GPS and is then
ready to receive emergency calls from
the transmitter(s). |
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The
transmitter(s) which are only to be switched
on in case of an emergency, thus determining
its/their position(s) (B) through GPS and
transmitting it via radio frequency to the
receiver. Using the positions (A) and (B)
the receiver can then exactly locate the missing
diver(s) and this position is displayed graphically
on the receiver's screen.
The radio frequency which "ENOS"
uses, is license-free and free of charge in
Europe and Costa Rica. With thanks to Dr.
Mohamed Saleh, Chairman of the Red Sea Association,
that radio frequency is also allowed and free
of charge in the Egyptian Red Sea since December
2003.
So, there are no additional costs involved
after switching on the transmitter to become
rescued. During an emergency,visible on the
receiver's screen is a map with the number
of every diver who is drifting on the surface,
the distance and the angle (course) to them
and how much time has elapsed since they have
transmitted their emergency call. Due to its
own power source the system can be used on
any vessel on the water.
Furthermore, the system is very helpful for
Windsurfing
centres, to keep control of their windsurf
boards. In case a windsurfer is surfing too
far away from the coast and not able to come
back, he can be located immediately after
transmitting his emergency call.
Sometimes
a mistake is programmed into the GPS satellites,
to transmit wrong information, because of
a world crisis.
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But
even though this programmed mistake changes
the data, it has no influence on the graphics
of the "ENOS"-system |
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(which
shows the position of the person in need to
the boat) because the receiver and the transmitters
of "ENOS" are supported by the same
satellites - with the same deliberate mistake.
That is the reason why the position of the
diver relative to the boat is still correct
and the captain can trust the information
he gets from the receiver's screen.
Within the receiver an internal antenna is
installed, which is able to receive emergency
calls for approximately five kilometres. With
an external antenna at the top of the boat,
connected at the receiver with a coaxial cable,
this distance to receive emergency calls is
doubled to ten kilometres.
To improve the safety as much as possible,
all "ENOS" receivers are able to
receive emergency calls from all "ENOS"
transmitters - no matter if the diver belongs
to that diving boat or to another one using
the same system.
The capacity of each receiver is big enough
to receive and to locate a lot of emergency
calls.
"ENOS"
works in all weather conditions and also at
night. It will be of great use in preventing
a lot of accidents at the surface. Easy to
install on all kinds of boats and without
huge costs, this system makes an immediate
rescue operation possible, independent of
Coast Guards, Navy and rescue organisations.
The
costs are approximately € 2.000 for the
receiver and € 500 for one transmitter.
"ENOS" is the short form from the
German product description "Elektronisches
Notruf und Ortungssystem" and has a patent
pending.
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Innovations: