This part of IEC 61097 specifies the performance standards and type testing of marine radar transponders used in search and rescue operations at sea (SART), as required by Regulation 6.2.2 of Chapter III, and 7.1.3 and 8.3.1 of Chapter IV of the 1988 amendments to the 1974 International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and which is associated with IEC 60936 (Shipborne radar) and IEC 60945 (General requirements).

This standard incorporates the performance standards of IMO Resolutions A.530 (13) and A.802 (19) (Survival craft radar transponders for use in search and rescue operations) and the technical characteristics for such transponders contained in ITU-R Recommendation M.628-4, and takes account of the general requirements contained in IMO Resolution A.694 (17).

NOTE 1 The categories of SART operation which are applicable to the stated SOLAS Regulations, IMO Resolutions and ITU-R Recommendation are:

a) integral with a survival craft;

b) portable and capable of floating;

c) as part of an EPIRB.

NOTE 2 This standard does not include non-SOLAS options for instance those envisaged in ITU-R Recommendation 628-4 - Considering (b).

All text whose meaning is identical to that in IMO Resolutions A.530 (13), A.694 (17), A.802 (19) and ITU-R Recommendation M.628-4 is printed in italics.