How does an EPIRB differ from a SART in terms of signaling?

• A. An EPIRB transmits distress signals via satellite networks globally, while a SART responds to radar interrogations within range.
• B. A SART transmits distress signals via satellite networks globally, while an EPIRB responds to radar interrogations within range.
• C. Both EPIRB and SART use satellite networks to broadcast continuous distress messages.
• D. EPIRB is a handheld beacon; SART is fixed.

Answer: (B)

The signaling methods are fundamentally different: an EPIRB broadcasts distress signals through satellite networks worldwide, so the alert and location data can reach rescue authorities anywhere on the globe. A SART, however, does not use satellites at all; it responds to radar interrogations from nearby ships. When a ship’s radar interrogates it, the SART emits a radar beacon that appears on the radar screen as a distinctive pattern (often a circle of dots), guiding the rescuers toward the vessel. So the correct distinction is that EPIRB is satellite-based global distress signaling, while SART is radar-interrogation-based localization aid for nearby vessels.