ELT replacement: Options?

On 3/26/2007 10:39:47 PM, "me" wrote:

Just today I ordered the ACK E01 121.5 ELT $215.00 from sky geek to
replace the pointer 3000 installed in my plane.

That unit was brought to my attention during my research, but I find it hard
to believe that a unit powered by D batteries is certified for install in a
Bonanza. It does seem that it is, though, and I agree with you that the price
difference between this unit and the 406Mhz is dramatic.

I, too, carry a PLB unit that transmits GPS coordinates but of course this
security is only as good as the hope that I or a passenger will be conscience
after a crash to activate it.

--
Peter

Peter R. wrote:
On 3/26/2007 10:39:47 PM, "me" wrote:

Just today I ordered the ACK E01 121.5 ELT $215.00 from sky geek to
replace the pointer 3000 installed in my plane.

That unit was brought to my attention during my research, but I find
it hard to believe that a unit powered by D batteries is certified
for install in a Bonanza. It does seem that it is, though, and I
agree with you that the price difference between this unit and the
406Mhz is dramatic.

I, too, carry a PLB unit that transmits GPS coordinates but of course
this security is only as good as the hope that I or a passenger will
be conscience after a crash to activate it.

I just got the little e-mail promo for this month's Aviation Consumer and it
had this in it.

A NEW ELT
Did you know that in less than two years, the standard 121.5 MHz distress
frequency will no longer be satellite monitored? That means if you want an
emergency locator worthy of the name, you'll need a 406 MHz beacon. Right
now, only one company, Artex, offers an affordable 406 ELT. Here's a review
and buying advice.

So, if you don't get AC you might want to see if you can find an copy of the
next issue.

On 3/27/2007 4:41:13 PM, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrote:

A NEW ELT
Did you know that in less than two years, the standard 121.5 MHz distress
frequency will no longer be satellite monitored? That means if you want an
emergency locator worthy of the name, you'll need a 406 MHz beacon. Right
now, only one company, Artex, offers an affordable 406 ELT. Here's a
review and buying advice.

So, if you don't get AC you might want to see if you can find an copy of
the next issue.

Thanks, Gig, and good timing. I do get AC so I will be sure to check out the
article, perhaps instead visiting AC's website rather than waiting for my
issue to arrive in the mail.

From what I have seen Artex 406 units are pretty pricey, but that is soon to
change. This afternoon I spoke with a representative from ACK who informed me
that their 406MHz unit is about 8 months from being certified. This unit will
be a direct replacement for existing ACK E-01 installs and ACK expects the
price of this unit to be quite a bit lower than the Artex currently
available.

Given the relatively lower cost of ACK's TSO-91a unit and barring any logical
AC advice in that article to which you refer, I think my plan is to purchase
the E-01 now, and then upgrade to ACK's 406MHz unit before 121.5 Mhz
satellite monitoring goes away within two years.

--
Peter

Peter R. wrote:
On 3/27/2007 4:41:13 PM, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrote:


A NEW ELT
Did you know that in less than two years, the standard 121.5 MHz distress
frequency will no longer be satellite monitored? That means if you want an
emergency locator worthy of the name, you'll need a 406 MHz beacon. Right
now, only one company, Artex, offers an affordable 406 ELT. Here's a
review and buying advice.

So, if you don't get AC you might want to see if you can find an copy of
the next issue.


Thanks, Gig, and good timing. I do get AC so I will be sure to check out the
article, perhaps instead visiting AC's website rather than waiting for my
issue to arrive in the mail.

From what I have seen Artex 406 units are pretty pricey, but that is soon to
change. This afternoon I spoke with a representative from ACK who informed me
that their 406MHz unit is about 8 months from being certified. This unit will
be a direct replacement for existing ACK E-01 installs and ACK expects the
price of this unit to be quite a bit lower than the Artex currently
available.

Given the relatively lower cost of ACK's TSO-91a unit and barring any logical
AC advice in that article to which you refer, I think my plan is to purchase
the E-01 now, and then upgrade to ACK's 406MHz unit before 121.5 Mhz
satellite monitoring goes away within two years.



This is almost like HD TV. Those first sets were very expensive. As the
time nears, the prices are coming down.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Peter R. wrote:
That unit was brought to my attention during my research, but I find it hard
to believe that a unit powered by D batteries is certified for install in a
Bonanza. It does seem that it is, though, ...

It certainly is. I think you'd probably be surprised if you opened up
most ELT batteries. They are commonly just a bunch of off the shelf alkaline
batteries that are soldered together inside a box. You'd never know it from
the price tag :-))

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

--
Message posted via http://www.aviationkb.com

"JGalban via AviationKB.com" u32749@uwe wrote in
news:6fd35c023f838@uwe:

Peter R. wrote:
That unit was brought to my attention during my research, but I find
it hard to believe that a unit powered by D batteries is certified for
install in a Bonanza. It does seem that it is, though, ...

It certainly is. I think you'd probably be surprised if you opened
most ELT batteries. They are commonly just a bunch of off the shelf
alkaline batteries that are soldered together inside a box. You'd
never know it from the price tag :-))

The trick is the "legality" issue. It's the certification by the
company that solders all those other batteries together that makes it
legal. For decades there was no traceability on commercial batteries
bought at your local 7-11 store. Duracell started to "brand" their
batteries with expiration dates traceable back to the manufacture date.
THAT made them legal to use, and allowed ELT manufacturers to start
making units that used them.

Anyone with such a unit, can you verify that you can't legally just
plunk in *any* D-Cells, but rather that it has to be specific brands
(i.e. Duracell), or has to have the date listed on/with the battery?

-----------------------------------------------
James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1300 Koenig Lane West fax 512-371-5716
Suite 200
Austin, Tx 78756
-----------------------------------------------

On 3/29/2007 10:08:32 AM, "James M. Knox" wrote:

Anyone with such a unit, can you verify that you can't legally just
plunk in *any* D-Cells, but rather that it has to be specific brands
(i.e. Duracell), or has to have the date listed on/with the battery?

I don't have the unit yet but when I talked to ACK, the manufacturer of the
E-01 ELT that is powered by D batteries, the representative kept specifically
using the phrase, "Duracell D batteries" every time he mentioned the issue of
the unit taking batteries. I thought it a bit odd that he continually
referenced the battery by brand name, but not enough to ask him why.




--
Peter

On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:17:36 -0400, "Peter R."
wrote:

On 3/29/2007 10:08:32 AM, "James M. Knox" wrote:

Anyone with such a unit, can you verify that you can't legally just
plunk in *any* D-Cells, but rather that it has to be specific brands
(i.e. Duracell), or has to have the date listed on/with the battery?

I don't have the unit yet but when I talked to ACK, the manufacturer of the
E-01 ELT that is powered by D batteries, the representative kept specifically
using the phrase, "Duracell D batteries" every time he mentioned the issue of
the unit taking batteries. I thought it a bit odd that he continually
referenced the battery by brand name, but not enough to ask him why.




--
Peter

My ameri-king uses only duracells and they have to be replaced every
year.

On Mar 29, 7:43 am, (Drew Dalgleish)
wrote:



My ameri-king uses only duracells and they have to be replaced every
year.

That's not true. According to ACK's document
http://www.ackavionics.com/images/Mo...ELT_Manual.pdf
You only need to replace the Duracell dated batteries before the
expiration date printed on the batteries. That document is an FAA
approved document.

The Ameri-King manual is he http://www.ameri-king.com/pdf/9.1.22.pdf,
says pretty much the same thing about batteries.

On Mar 29, 10:22 pm, "M" wrote:
On Mar 29, 7:43 am, (Drew Dalgleish)
wrote:



My ameri-king uses only duracells and they have to be replaced every
year.

That's not true. According to ACK's documenthttp://www.ackavionics.com/images/Model_e-01_ELT_Manual.pdf
You only need to replace the Duracell dated batteries before the
expiration date printed on the batteries. That document is an FAA
approved document.