June 24, 2010 - Distress radio beacons, also known as emergency beacons, ELT or EPIRB, are tracking transmitters which aid in the detection and location of boats, aircraft, and people in distress.  

Most aircraft today are equipped with an ELT operating on a frequency of 406.0-406.1 MHz that interface with Cospas-Sarsat, the international satellite system for search and rescue (SAR). When activated, such beacons send out a distress signal that, when detected by non-geostationary satellites (A non-geostationary satellite is one where its position relative to the Earth is not fixed), can be located by trilateration.  

There are still a number of aircraft mostly older aircraft that have onboard their aircraft ELT?s that operate on a frequency of 121.5 MHz. Up until October 2000 Cospas-Sarsat had been monitoring this signal but because of accuracy and false alerts the signal was dropped. At present aircraft operating on 121.5 MHz are still being monitored by air traffic control and pilots. 

The FCC, after it had requested input from the general public, end-users, manufacturers, etc. a proposed rule (the rule has not become law as of yet) that states in essence that the use, certification, manufacture, importation, sale or continued use of 121.5 MHz ELTs will be prohibited.  

This rule will go into affect 60 days after the proposed rule is submitted to the Office of the Federal Register at which time it will be placed in the Federal Register (since March 14, 1936), is the official journal of the Federal Government of the United States that contains most routine publications and public notices.