The Coast Guard would like to remind commercial and recreational boaters that beginning Feb. 1, 2009, the Coast Guard and other search and rescue personnel will only receive distress alerts from digital 406-MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs). Because satellites will no longer process analog signals transmitting on 121.5 or 243.0 MHz, the Coast Guard urges mariners and aviators to upgrade their onboard analog equipment to include a digital 406-MHz EPIRB. The 406-MHz EPIRB's signal is 50 times more powerful than the 121.5 or 243.0 MHz beacons, allowing satellites to better detect its signal and provide a more accurate search area for rescue crews.