ELT replacement advice?

I'm replacing the batteries in an old ELT this March in my Discus CS. Alternately, I was thinking of installing a fully self contained ELT with GPS.

Looking for advice on what others are doing including manufacturers and models, antenna placement issues and practicality.

Thanks in advance!

On Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-8, Doug B wrote:
I'm replacing the batteries in an old ELT this March in my Discus CS. Alternately, I was thinking of installing a fully self contained ELT with GPS.

Looking for advice on what others are doing including manufacturers and models, antenna placement issues and practicality.

Thanks in advance!

The older ELTs do not communicate with the newer satellite systems (406MHz) and the older 121.5 frequency is unmonitored, except by ground stations.

Check out this link for all the details:
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-sa...nsmitters-elts

Mike

At 21:52 04 January 2017, SoaringXCellence wrote:
On Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-8, Doug B wrote:
I'm replacing the batteries in an old ELT this March in my Discus CS.
Alternately, I was thinking of installing a fully self contained ELT with
GPS.

Looking for advice on what others are doing including manufacturers and
models, antenna placement issues and practicality.

Thanks in advance!

The older ELTs do not communicate with the newer satellite systems
(406MHz)
and the older 121.5 frequency is unmonitored, except by ground stations.

Check out this link for all the details:
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-sa...ts/safety-and-
technique/operations/emergency-locator-transmitters-elts

Mike
a new installation has to be 406Mhz

Vern

You might want to consider a PLB - 406 + 121.5 with GPS.

If you have to use your chute and have a PLB in your pocket, it will do
you
more good than an ELT signal from wherever the glider ends up.

I bought one of these:

http://www.mcmurdogroup.com/mcmurdo-...urdo-fastfind-
ranger/

On Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-8, Doug B wrote:
Looking for advice on what others are doing including manufacturers and models,
antenna placement issues and practicality.

In a crash, an ELT might not activate, and even if it does, the antenna might be broken or below the wreckage. Or you might end up in a ravine and out of sight of satellites.

If you use a inReach or SPOT, then, using the basic tracking, you will leave a trail of "bread crumbs" collected every 10 minutes at the vendor's website. If you crash, then the last recorded position will be within 10 minutes of the crash site. If you're lucky, the device will survive the crash and pinpoint your location.

So, IMHO, this is a better solution to the hassle of dealing with an ELT.

I prefer inReach as it confirms your position update has been received. The SPOT transmits in the blind and there's a possibility your last (few) position report was not received.

5Z

Not an ELT per se, but I carry a Personal Locator beacon
https://www.rei.com/product/843146/acr-electronics-resqlink-gps-personal-locator-beacon?CAWELAID=120217890000772244&CAGPSPN=pla&CAA GID=15877485520&CATCI=pla-163136377720&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C404_11131%7C84314 60001%7Cnone%7C5faf6cb3-5197-4e05-8045-91a888915a15%7Cpla-163136377720&lsft=cm_mmc:PLA_Google_LIA%7C404_1113 1%7C8431460001%7Cnone%7C5faf6cb3-5197-4e05-8045-91a888915a15%7Cpla-163136377720&gclid=COC_v5DyqdECFQyHaQodNwMCyA.
It's connected to my parachute harness. It does require me to be
conscious to activate it, however.

On 1/4/2017 11:24 AM, Doug B wrote:
I'm replacing the batteries in an old ELT this March in my Discus CS. Alternately, I was thinking of installing a fully self contained ELT with GPS.

Looking for advice on what others are doing including manufacturers and models, antenna placement issues and practicality.

Thanks in advance!

--
Dan, 5J

I have a Kannad Integra installed in my Discus CS. The fiberglass fuselage does not require an antenna of any sort in addition to the built in antenna in the unit. It works fine, I have tested it. It's an easy install and good insurance. Installation of the remote panel controls is a good idea, and also not particularly difficult.

I also have a SPOT attached to my parachute harness. I use it mostly for live tracking but it's a good backup.

I personally do not understand why people would choose a PLB over a properly installed ELT. Modern ELT work very well and are automatically activated. Assuming that you are gong to be conscious after a crash hard enough to set off an ELT is not valid in my opinion. If you are conscious, then great, manually set off your SPOT/InReach and your ELT as well!

I have a real world example, Steve Fossett. His ELT was destroyed in the crash, if he had had a spot or InReach, there would have been a trace to him, or within five minutes of flight time.


On Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 8:48:41 PM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a Kannad Integra installed in my Discus CS. The fiberglass fuselage does not require an antenna of any sort in addition to the built in antenna in the unit. It works fine, I have tested it. It's an easy install and good insurance. Installation of the remote panel controls is a good idea, and also not particularly difficult.

I also have a SPOT attached to my parachute harness. I use it mostly for live tracking but it's a good backup.

I personally do not understand why people would choose a PLB over a properly installed ELT. Modern ELT work very well and are automatically activated. Assuming that you are gong to be conscious after a crash hard enough to set off an ELT is not valid in my opinion. If you are conscious, then great, manually set off your SPOT/InReach and your ELT as well!

I read some research awhile back from the NTSB, I believe, that reported less than half of the airplane crashes the transponders go off. If it wasn't mandatory I wouldn't have one in our 170B. I use a spot gen 1 attached to my parachute on the shoulder strap and looking at my traces it seldom misses a track, like once in several hundred tracks. Also Steve Fosset had two ELTs one was a wrist watch ELT that also failed.

....Or a PLB, since he crawled away from the crash.

On 1/4/2017 10:13 PM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
I have a real world example, Steve Fossett. His ELT was destroyed in the crash, if he had had a spot or InReach, there would have been a trace to him, or within five minutes of flight time.


On Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 8:48:41 PM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a Kannad Integra installed in my Discus CS. The fiberglass fuselage does not require an antenna of any sort in addition to the built in antenna in the unit. It works fine, I have tested it. It's an easy install and good insurance. Installation of the remote panel controls is a good idea, and also not particularly difficult.

I also have a SPOT attached to my parachute harness. I use it mostly for live tracking but it's a good backup.

I personally do not understand why people would choose a PLB over a properly installed ELT. Modern ELT work very well and are automatically activated. Assuming that you are gong to be conscious after a crash hard enough to set off an ELT is not valid in my opinion. If you are conscious, then great, manually set off your SPOT/InReach and your ELT as well!

--
Dan, 5J