Emergency Locator Transmitter

[jchronic]

I confess I haven't looked yet, having just heard about this, but I'd hope AOPA is jumping on it. A completely mindless bureaucratic decision by somebody; can't imagine what the point is. Are they trying to reclaim 121.5 for other uses in the spectrum? Not likely. It's just going to drive people to flying without them, or more simply, ignoring the law. My old pappy allus' said, "Don't make rules you know people are just gonna ignore."

Joe

[hharney]

According to the report attached from Aviation Consumer, the big expense of the GPS coupled 406 ELT's is the labor to make the connection from the ELT to the GPS. Looking at Spruce on-line there are several units that claim GPS outputs and some list connection options. The ACK unit looks the price is right unit but apparently they are still waiting approval of some kind. Spruce has them listed but no inventory. It list a street price of $582.00 and has a direct replacement for the ACK 121.5 for $542.00. It also will connect to your GPS but this is where some labor comes into the picture.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ges/elt406.php

Craig at Griswold has already installed several of the Amrei-King 451 and has some very happy customers. If you already have the ACK 121.5 then by far this is the way to go with just the replacement unit. But if you are like me and still have the older 121.5 units without the remotes, this Ameri-King may be a good direction to go. The basic unit is $759.00 and they are approved and ready to ship. Like most of these new 406 units you buy a portable antenna so that you can take the unit with you away from the scene and still transmit the signal. This unit comes with a GPS interface for panel mount GPS.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ngpackages.php

All the new 406 units require a remote switch. Usually purchased as a separate kit.

[WebMaster]

The 451 transmits on 121.5, as well as 243, and 406. The FCC NPRM says no transmitting on 121.5. That would seem putting in a unit that transmits on 121.5 a problem. When this gets ironed out, you may have to remove that unit that transmits on 121.5. It seems the FCC wants 406 only.

[Ernie Martin]

The ACK unit also transmits on 121.5 to aid local search. It's a very low power signal (100 Mw vs. 5 watts at 406 Mhz) which may satisfy the FCC.

Ernie

[jchronic]

None of which explains why the FCC all of a sudden got hot to ban 121.5 ELTs when it will still remain a 'guard' frequency, and the FAA's silence on the issue so far. The 121.5 homing feature in the new ELTs would appear to present a non sequiter to the proposed rule. AOPA is, in fact, getting on it.

Joe

[Cole5Oh5]

The actual NPRM was posted in 2009. It hasn't been published as law yet.
It's become a big deal, because people finally noticed it.

The rule says units that transmit on 121.5 will be illegal. That would make all the dual/triple frequency units illegal. Like Mexicans.

Pay attention people. It will become law, and probably not be enforced. Like so many things. There are units that can not ship, and the manufacturers are probably firing up their lobbyist, like AOPA, to keep you from spending money you should have spent a year ago.

The units that hook up to your GPS sound cool. If you crash, and all the power goes out, what kind of GPS information will your ELT transmit?? Duh, NONE. So, go spend the bucks to have it coupled to your GPS, and unless you turn it on in the air, you just flushed your money down the tube. Your better off buying a package of life savers. Carry them in your pocket.

[Learjetter]

Thread bump:

Discovered a Pointer 3000 series (121.5/243.0 MHz) ELT installed in the aircraft.
Read about how all the cool kids are getting into the 406 MHz ELTs. Looked at a couple on aircraftspruce, then thought I’ll ask this group what they’re using.

What ELT did you install, if any?

-J