Advice on a new ELT

[JPerkins]

Thought it might be smart to upgrade from the Narco ELT 10. What is everyone's opinion and or recommendation on a 406 mgz model?

[smcnutt]

We went with the ACK only because that brand was in the airplane before and the upgrade was basically a drop in. Our is mounted behind the baggage compartment. The main battery used to be 8 D-cell batteries but is now a $159 replaceable unit. I think that is fairly standard for ELT's but it's gone from the cheaper solution to a fairly pricey one. I just really liked the old way with buying $15 worth of D-cell, oh well. It does also require two oddball batteries (CR2 3-volt and a Duracell PX-28L 6) that go into the panel unit. Those are about $15 for both and they don't come with the unit. About $500.

[pmanton]

I went with the same unit mounted on the floor boards under the pilot's seat. Pretty easy install.

[Steve Pierce]

The ACK 406 wired to a GPS is the least expensive option and gets you 406 with GPS at a great price. I researched this a while back and talked to a S&R pilot in Alaska. He said with a 406 w/GPS they were going on a rescue mission, not a search. He said the 121.5 signal bounces off of granite etc. Had a friend go into the water up there. The plane sunk but the GPS bread crumb trail lead them to the site and they found his body and some of the airplane.

I am using the Emerging Lifesaving Technologies 406 ELT with a built in GPS. The antenna can be installed inside a fabric covered aircraft and ithas a great track record with great customer service. https://www.eltechnolgies.com

[deandayton]

The ACK 406 wired to a GPS is the least expensive option

How does that work? Is the ELT listening to the GPS position all of the time? I don't think the battery could support this? If the ELT only wakes up and listens to the GPS after a crash, I would be concerned that the GPS may not be powered or operational when you need it most. Am I missing something?

[Steve Pierce]

There is an RS232 in on the ELT and an out on the GPS. The elt sends out a burst on it's initial transmission with a bread crumb trail of the track.

[deandayton]

There is an RS232 in on the ELT and an out on the GPS. The elt sends out a burst on it's initial transmission with a bread crumb trail of the track.

Understood. My question is, if the pilot turns of the master (part of the emergency landing checklist) before the ELT is activated, will the ELT know the position?

Maybe the ELT is using the RS232 as a low current power source so that it can receive and remember the position info without running the ELT battery down?

[pmanton]

The setup to marry the GPS to the ELT supplies 12 VDC to the ELT.

[deandayton]

The setup to marry the GPS to the ELT supplies 12 VDC to the ELT.

OK, that makes sense.

[Homer Landreth]

Thought it might be smart to upgrade from the Narco ELT 10. What is everyone's opinion and or recommendation on a 406 mgz model?

Just a heads up on the ELT issue; if you are looking on the ebay type market you may not know about this:

http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/p...13NM460018.pdf