EPIRB Programming Manual

10 10, 2017

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 1

WELCOME NOTE
Welcome to the programming manual for FPROG 3 and the new IrDA programming Pen. Information provided in
this manual will advise on the following:

• Which Beacons can be programmed with the new Software and Pen
• Required Hardware and Software
• How to install the new FPROG 3 software
• Installing the new Pen
• Connecting to the beacon
• Programming the Beacon
• Examples of printed documents
• Applying the newly printed labels

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 2

FOLLOWING CAN BE PROGRAMMED WITH NEW SOFTWARE AND PEN

These are just some of the models that can

be programmed. Please refer to the list in
the programming software for additional
models.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 3

REQUIRED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

• Computer (Windows 10 or
less)
• Free USB post on selected
computer
• New USB Ir/IrDA programming
Pen
• Pen Holder
• FPROG 3 Software
downloaded from McMurdo
Partner Portal
• Printer

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 4

INSTALLING FPROG 3 SOFTWARE

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 5

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE

• Once the program has been downloaded

from the partner portal, the installation
process can be launches via the two
options shown on the left.
• The .msi route will lead straight to
installing the programming software.
• The Welcome.htm route will lead straight
to a html style page with additional
information about the installation. Scroll
down to the bottom of the page to find
the “Install the FPROG3 software (MSI
Installer)” Link.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 6

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE
1. Welcome window will appear, 2. After reading through the
click Next. agreement, check the accept box
and click Next

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 7

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE
3. Make sure the destination folder is 4. To begin the installation
ok, or change…then click Next process click Install

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 8

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE
5. The following progress bar will 6. Once the Completed window is viewed
appear click Finish to complete the installation.
The program is now ready for use.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 9

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE
• Open the FPROG 3 program
with either way shown
• On first opening the Product
Access Check window will open
• Enter the provided 16 pin
product registration Key Code
• Once entered and accepted the
Beacon Programming Utility
window will open registering all
the programming plugins
• Please note the Beacon
Programming Utility window will
open every time FPROG 3 is
opened.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 10

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE

• Once the Beacon Programming

Utility has run its registration, the
following window will appear
• If it is not required for this window
to show on every start up, check the
“Do not show this welcome screen
again” box at the bottom of the
window
• Click closed

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 11

INSTALLING FPROG 3 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE

• The following window will open after

the Beacon Programming Utility has run

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 12

INSTALLING THE NEW IRDA PROGRAMMING PEN

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 13

IRDA PROGRAMMING PEN

• The IrDA programming pen is easy to install

and doesn’t really have any user interfaces
for reference.
• The driver for the pen will install
automatically.
• Connect to the pen to an available USB
port. This will be the dedicated port for this
pen on certain Windows platforms. On
Windows 10 for example the pen can be
plugged into any available USB port and
will maintain the allocated port number
• Make sure the green and red LED’s on the
pen flash for a second or so when
connecting. This will indicate the pen is
connected

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 14

IRDA PROGRAMMING PEN

• Once the pen has been installed open

the FPROG3 software to check that the
correct port is selected for the pen.
• Click on Options button on the right of
the user interface
• Select Programming COM port from the
array of tabs shown
• Select the correct port if required
• Make sure the hardware is on Multi IrDA
pen for the new E8/G8/G8-AIS EPIRB’s
or 82-950A Legacy IR pen for legacy
products including the E5/G5, older
EPIRB’s and PLB products

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 15

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 16

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB

• The new Multi Pen operates

on the old IR method for
programming legacy
products, as well as the new
IrDA programming protocol
required for the new range of
beacons.
• Ir point
• IrDA point
• IrDA point on the new
beacon

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 17

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB
• Position the EPIRB on its back with
the TEST button side on the table
• Make sure that the OFF and TEST
buttons are accessible. The easiest
way would be for the antenna to
point to the programmers left.
• Place the programming pen as
shown. Do not position further than
5cm from the beacon
• This will make sure the two IrDA
points on the Pen and on the EPIRB
have the best opportunity of
connecting.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 18

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB
• Once the pen and EPIRB have been lined up using
the pen holder as hown on previous slide, open the
FPROG 3 program.
• Select the correct EPIRB from the Brand drop down
list. The options for the new EPIRB is as follows:

➢ McMurdo Smartfind E8 Auto

➢ McMurdo Smartfind E8 Manual
➢ McMurdo Smartfind G8 Auto
➢ McMurdo Smartfind G8 Manual
➢ McMurdo Smartfind G8 AIS Auto
➢ McMurdo Smartfind G8 AIS Manual
➢ Kannad SAFE Auto
➢ Kannad SAFE Manual
➢ Kannad SAFEPRO Auto
➢ Kannad SAFEPRO Manual
➢ Kannad SAFEPRO AIS Auto
➢ Kannad SAFEPRO AIS Manual

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 19

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB

• If a Manual EPIRB is selected, then the

Mounting drop down list will show
accordingly

• If an Automatic release EPIRB is selected,

the mounting drop down list will show
accordingly, however with an additional
selection window for the HRU expiry date

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 20

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB
• Confirm the correct model has been chosen
• click Connect

• The TX light on the programming pen will flash Red

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 21

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB
• After clicking Connect, the Beacon Connection Bar
will start to show progression

• As soon as this happens, press and hold the Test

and Off button for approximately 2 seconds, until
blue led luminates. Use right hand to hold beacon
in position when pressing the buttons.

• Please note that the above process cannot

happen the other way around. The FPROG
program needs to tell the beacon that it wants
to communicate first. This will then tell the
beacon that it needs to go into programming
mode when the selected buttons are pressed. If
the Test and Off buttons are pressed before the
Connect button on the program, the beacon
will just go into test mode.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 22

CONNECTING TO THE NEW EPIRB
• After the Blue LED illuminates, the Not
Programmed button changes to Beacon
Connected with a clear arrow. The program
is now try to connect to the EPIRB.
• Please note that this doesn’t mean that a
connection with the EPIRB has been
established

• When a connection with EPIRB has been

established, the arrow on the Beacon
Connected Button turns green. The other
additional information shown is the Serial
Number and the Unique CS number of the
beacon.

• If unit Serial number, CS number and

arrow on the button doesn’t turn green,
then the connection wasn’t successful.
Please reset data and try establish
connection again.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 23

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 24

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

• The first step is to select the Beacon

Registration Country

• Then select the relevant expiry date of the

battery by Month and Year. If this information
is not entered, then the Program and Print
buttons will remain disabled, not allowing the
EPIRB to be programmed or documents to be
printed after programming

• If the EPIRB is the Automatic release type,

select the relevant expiry date of the
Hydrostatic Release Unit

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 25

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

• With the Battery expiry date now entered, the

Program and Print buttons will now be
enabled

• Enter the relevant vessel information in the

following fields –
• Vessel Name
• MMSI number, or
• Radio Call Sign, or
• Coded Serial Number (will automatically be entered)
- Confirmation of preferred registration type for Flag can be
checked with either the flag administration of the country of
registry or on the COSPAS SARSAT website if not sure.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 26

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB
• Enter any further information into the tabs
Owner information, Contact Information
and Other information. Please note that this
information is not required to program the
beacon, if it is given this information will
appear on the printed warranty and
registration forms. The registration forms
must be sent to the Beacon registration
Authority for the relevant country.

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 27

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

• After all the relevant information has been

entered, please go over the entered
information to make sure all has been entered
correctly.
• Once the check has been done, click the
Program button

• The following window will appear to confirm

information on the beacon. Once confirmed
click program to continue

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 28

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

• After the programming button has been clicked, the

Beacon Connection block will change status to Start
Program. Once the beacon has been programmed the
Beacon Connection block will change status to
Finished Program

• The Beacon Connected button will change to

Programmed with a Tick when successful

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 29

PROGRAMMING THE EPIRB

• Once programming has been

completed, click the Print button

• The following window will provide

option for documents to be printed.
• If it is a new EPIRB, the following will
need to be printed: -
• Labels, Warranty Form, Registration Form and
Programming certificate
• If it is an existing EPIRB, the
following will need to be printed:
• Labels and Programming certificate only

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 30

EXAMPLES OF PRINTED DOCUMENTS

• Labels x 2 copies and Programming Certificate

• Automatic
Release
Housing Label

• EPIRB Labels Manual Label

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 31

EXAMPLES OF PRINTED DOCUMENTS
• Registration Form and Warranty Form

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 32

APPLYING THE LABELS

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 33

LABELLING THE EPIRB

• Remove the Lanyard Holder by pulling on the

bottom of the holder to release

• Affix a label which has been cut out of the

Labels print out with the provided clear
media. Make sure the label is aligned so that
clear media can make contact with the EPIRB
body all around the label. This will assist in
preventing moisture from getting to the label

• Attach the Lanyard Holder by inserting the

top first then push down on the bottom to
clip into position. Make sure the lanyard is
not in the way

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 34

LABELLING THE AUTO RELEASE HOUSING
• Cut out the Automatic Release Housing
label from the printed Labels

• Stick the Label on the side of the Auto

Housing with Clear Media

• Once in place, mark Hydrostatic Release

Unit replacement date as shown with a
fine tip permanent marker

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 35

Thank you!

EPIRB Programming Guide │Jan-18 36