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[quote=Edchris177][quote]Note: 121 & 243Mhz EPIRBS are no longer acceptable.[/quote]
These are the older style, (actually VHF 121.5 Mhz is what you dialed in, when frequency doubled to UHF gives 243). 
All high altitude commercial aircraft still monitor 121.5 Mhz, as it is still the defacto emergency voice freq, & they would hear the siren song of an active ELT(EPIRB), but my understanding is the newer satellites that listen for ELT's (Emergency Locator Transmitter, called EPIRBS when they are carried on person) are no longer listening on that frequency.
I don't remember the exact date of effectiveness, but all aircraft were also required to change ELT's to the new system. They broadcast on 406 Mhz. 
The big difference is the enhanced safety provided. The old systems merely transmitted the distress signal. Once reported,(via satellite or overflying aircraft), the location of the party in distress had to be fine tuned by a military search aircraft, which generally carried SARTECH personnel, who were ready & willing to jump out into almost any land/water conditions to aid survivors.
The newer systems are registered to an individual craft, & are able to determine their own position & liaise via satellite pertinent information to the authorities, (a branch of the military in Canada, probably includes Coast Guard in the USA). 
Search & Rescue would receive contact info, details of the vessel, be it land, sea or air they are looking for, along with the actual GPS co-ordinates of the transmitter. Hence the reason to carry an EPIRB on each sailor. It was always relatively easy to find a boat, this system makes it easy to effect a MOB rescue, before it becomes a recovery operation.<em>Edited by Edchris177 on Feb 05, 2014 - 04:39 PM.</em> [/quote]

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