Chris G.
June 28th 05, 03:21 PM
Worldwide, the 121.5/243.0 MHz ELT signals will no longer be detected by
the SAR satellites. The following references will explain it better
than I can, but here is the first line of the text from the URL: "The
International Cospas-Sarsat System will cease satellite processing of
121.5/243 MHz beacons from 1 February 2009."
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPage/121.5PhaseOut.htm
AIM Para 6-2-5 Emergency Locator Transmitter
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/Chap6/aim0602.html#6-2-5
I did not find a reference to whether there is any FAA mandate that all
ELTs be replaced/upgraded, but they strongly recommend it in the AIM.
For those who want to know more about how your ELT signal gets detected
and the SAR process begins, check out the following links
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/MainPages/indexEnglish.htm
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/
AIM Para 6-2-5 Emergency Locator Transmitter
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/Chap6/aim0602.html#6-2-5
Chris
(Note: Not cross-posted to rec.aviation.owning because I don't
subscribe to it.)
Peter wrote:
> N-reg planes have a mandatory ELT. AIUI, this may be a dual-
> (121.50/243MHz) or tri-band (121.50/243/406MHz) unit.
>
> Socata tell me they have only ever fitted the Artex ELT-200; a small
> dual-band unit which uses a small whip antenna for which a reinforced
> mounting point (with a doubler plate fitted internally) is provided
> near the front of the fin.
>
> Tri-band units cannot use a whip antenna; either two whips are needed,
> or a single rigid antenna like the VHF one, and the rigid antenna
> needs a larger reinforced area; specifically one has to remove
> (de-rivet) the existing doubler plate and fit a larger one, then
> repaint the whole lot.
>
> In Europe, dual-band units have arguably little search-and-rescue
> value as there are few if any real deserts, and the 243MHz satellite
> coverage is going, and I hear the FAA is making 406MHz ELTs mandatory
> c. 2009. I don't have a reference for this - does anyone have one?
> Anyway, fitting a dual-band ELT TODAY appears silly, unless one just
> wants to comply with FAA requirements and nothing more.
>
> Here in the UK, people who have had tri-band units fitted (Kannad 406
> http://www.adamsdirect.co.uk/proddetail.asp?modelno=406%20AP is a
> popular one, with an end user list price about US$3000) have usually
> paid about US$8000 total for the installation! This includes about
> $1000 fee for the DER paperwork which is *normally* required to get
> the larger doubler plate signed off. It also includes running extra
> wires to the instrument panel switch unit; the ELT-200 wiring in
> Socata's harness is at least 1 wire short of what is needed for every
> other ELT.
>
> When I went G-reg to N-reg, I tried to avoid paying this ludicrous
> amount, so I phoned Artex in the USA and asked if they have anything
> 3-band which would fit into the existing ELT-200 mounting points and
> use the existing ELT-200 wiring. They recommended a kit called
> 455-5005 which includes an H4K Artex 406 ELT and an Artex 110-338 rod
> antenna. This ELT, being larger than the ELT-200, required different
> mounting points but I was told it would use the same wiring; the
> latter info was incorrect as I found after I bought it. These issues
> were discovered at the last minute and, to get the aircraft into the
> air under its new N reg, I had to do something so I bought another
> ELT-200 which goes straight in and at $700 total costs less than the
> above DER fee!
>
> I've now come back to have another look at the Artex 3-band ELT I
> bought earlier. I've had a couple of quotes for installing this ELT,
> and the total again comes to best part of $8000! A real rip-off even
> by UK avionics standards.
>
> However, there is no rush. Safety-wise it's not an issue in Europe
> because in the most likely scenario the aircraft is likely to sink in
> the sea anyway.
>
> The good news is that I have found out from a local FAA IA that DER
> approval is not necessarily required if the new doubler plate is in
> the same place as the existing one.
>
> I can do metalwork easily and I am planning to make both the doubler
> plate, and a mounting adaptor plate, and issue them to someone who can
> install it. The latter plate will allow the larger ELT to be mounted
> in the existing ELT-200 mounting holes, eliminating the need to drill
> holes in the luggage compartment floor.
>
> Artex are now advertising a new ELT called ME-406 which is dual-band
> but does 406MHz (121.50/406MHz) and which looks very compact. They
> sure as hell didn't tell me about this even a few months ago. This
> might be another option, but as far as I can tell it doesn't avoid the
> need for a doubler plate for the rigid antenna.
>
> 1) Has anyone here had a tri-band ELT fitted to a TB20 (USA or
> anywhere)?
>
> 2) Would anyone be interested in sharing the cost of making some
> doubler plates and the mounting adaptor plates? Not every avionics
> shop will accept customer supplied metalwork, but this has the
> potential of saving a lot of money.
>
> 3) Does anyone know anything about this whole business? For example,
> is there another ELT that comes with an STC for a TB20? (I never found
> one).
>
> 4) Does anyone know how long the ELT-200 (121.50/243MHz) is going to
> remain legal?
>
> 5) If I cannot resolve this and decide to sell the new Artex ELT, how
> much is it likely to be worth? I paid $2400 for it. The battery life
> is now 4 months shorter.
>
> Any tips/suggestions would be much appreciated.
>
>
> Peter.
> --
> Return address is invalid to help stop junk mail.
> E-mail replies to but remove the X and the Y.
> Please do NOT copy usenet posts to email - it is NOT necessary.
the SAR satellites. The following references will explain it better
than I can, but here is the first line of the text from the URL: "The
International Cospas-Sarsat System will cease satellite processing of
121.5/243 MHz beacons from 1 February 2009."
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPage/121.5PhaseOut.htm
AIM Para 6-2-5 Emergency Locator Transmitter
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/Chap6/aim0602.html#6-2-5
I did not find a reference to whether there is any FAA mandate that all
ELTs be replaced/upgraded, but they strongly recommend it in the AIM.
For those who want to know more about how your ELT signal gets detected
and the SAR process begins, check out the following links
http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/MainPages/indexEnglish.htm
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/
AIM Para 6-2-5 Emergency Locator Transmitter
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/Chap6/aim0602.html#6-2-5
Chris
(Note: Not cross-posted to rec.aviation.owning because I don't
subscribe to it.)
Peter wrote:
> N-reg planes have a mandatory ELT. AIUI, this may be a dual-
> (121.50/243MHz) or tri-band (121.50/243/406MHz) unit.
>
> Socata tell me they have only ever fitted the Artex ELT-200; a small
> dual-band unit which uses a small whip antenna for which a reinforced
> mounting point (with a doubler plate fitted internally) is provided
> near the front of the fin.
>
> Tri-band units cannot use a whip antenna; either two whips are needed,
> or a single rigid antenna like the VHF one, and the rigid antenna
> needs a larger reinforced area; specifically one has to remove
> (de-rivet) the existing doubler plate and fit a larger one, then
> repaint the whole lot.
>
> In Europe, dual-band units have arguably little search-and-rescue
> value as there are few if any real deserts, and the 243MHz satellite
> coverage is going, and I hear the FAA is making 406MHz ELTs mandatory
> c. 2009. I don't have a reference for this - does anyone have one?
> Anyway, fitting a dual-band ELT TODAY appears silly, unless one just
> wants to comply with FAA requirements and nothing more.
>
> Here in the UK, people who have had tri-band units fitted (Kannad 406
> http://www.adamsdirect.co.uk/proddetail.asp?modelno=406%20AP is a
> popular one, with an end user list price about US$3000) have usually
> paid about US$8000 total for the installation! This includes about
> $1000 fee for the DER paperwork which is *normally* required to get
> the larger doubler plate signed off. It also includes running extra
> wires to the instrument panel switch unit; the ELT-200 wiring in
> Socata's harness is at least 1 wire short of what is needed for every
> other ELT.
>
> When I went G-reg to N-reg, I tried to avoid paying this ludicrous
> amount, so I phoned Artex in the USA and asked if they have anything
> 3-band which would fit into the existing ELT-200 mounting points and
> use the existing ELT-200 wiring. They recommended a kit called
> 455-5005 which includes an H4K Artex 406 ELT and an Artex 110-338 rod
> antenna. This ELT, being larger than the ELT-200, required different
> mounting points but I was told it would use the same wiring; the
> latter info was incorrect as I found after I bought it. These issues
> were discovered at the last minute and, to get the aircraft into the
> air under its new N reg, I had to do something so I bought another
> ELT-200 which goes straight in and at $700 total costs less than the
> above DER fee!
>
> I've now come back to have another look at the Artex 3-band ELT I
> bought earlier. I've had a couple of quotes for installing this ELT,
> and the total again comes to best part of $8000! A real rip-off even
> by UK avionics standards.
>
> However, there is no rush. Safety-wise it's not an issue in Europe
> because in the most likely scenario the aircraft is likely to sink in
> the sea anyway.
>
> The good news is that I have found out from a local FAA IA that DER
> approval is not necessarily required if the new doubler plate is in
> the same place as the existing one.
>
> I can do metalwork easily and I am planning to make both the doubler
> plate, and a mounting adaptor plate, and issue them to someone who can
> install it. The latter plate will allow the larger ELT to be mounted
> in the existing ELT-200 mounting holes, eliminating the need to drill
> holes in the luggage compartment floor.
>
> Artex are now advertising a new ELT called ME-406 which is dual-band
> but does 406MHz (121.50/406MHz) and which looks very compact. They
> sure as hell didn't tell me about this even a few months ago. This
> might be another option, but as far as I can tell it doesn't avoid the
> need for a doubler plate for the rigid antenna.
>
> 1) Has anyone here had a tri-band ELT fitted to a TB20 (USA or
> anywhere)?
>
> 2) Would anyone be interested in sharing the cost of making some
> doubler plates and the mounting adaptor plates? Not every avionics
> shop will accept customer supplied metalwork, but this has the
> potential of saving a lot of money.
>
> 3) Does anyone know anything about this whole business? For example,
> is there another ELT that comes with an STC for a TB20? (I never found
> one).
>
> 4) Does anyone know how long the ELT-200 (121.50/243MHz) is going to
> remain legal?
>
> 5) If I cannot resolve this and decide to sell the new Artex ELT, how
> much is it likely to be worth? I paid $2400 for it. The battery life
> is now 4 months shorter.
>
> Any tips/suggestions would be much appreciated.
>
>
> Peter.
> --
> Return address is invalid to help stop junk mail.
> E-mail replies to but remove the X and the Y.
> Please do NOT copy usenet posts to email - it is NOT necessary.