ELT's

[Steve Fisher]

Trying to decide which ELT to install - recommendations, pro's, con's??

[whee]

Following this with interest. I was planning on installing an Ameri-King AK-451 because I like that they use D-cell batteries but they lost their TSO.

I don't like relying on a manufacturer for mandatory replacement parts, like a battery pack, because if they decide to quite making the parts your stuck buying a new unit. I don't know of another ELT manufacture that uses standard D-cell batteries.

I'll likely end up with an AKC E04

[BTAZ]

I just purchased an AKC-E04. Should be delivered later this week and installing it this weekend.

Seemed to be the lowest cost "new in box solution" that had reasonably good reviews.

Ameri King had several "Less then favorable" discussions.

The Artex ELT 345 also seemed to have good reviews but was about $100 more.

Note since my LSA will be "non electric", I am not going to be feeding it a GPS source which seemed to be a deciding factor on some of the "Which to buy?" forums posts I went through.

If I start finding myself flying well out of cell coverage(locating the cell phone seems to be a well proven locating means, per the local news the unfortunates, rest their souls, in the 210 that went down in Arizona last night were roughly located that way within a few hours) then I will go for the SPOT ahead of the more expensive ELT with internal GPS.

I thought long and hard about just finding a used 121.5 unit and using the extra $400 or so on a SPOT plus subscription but at this point in my build I'm starting to follow the "Just write the check" path to completion and didn't want to wrestle with the risks and challenges that come with used electronics.

If I was less impatient, I believe I would have went with a used 121.5 ELT plus a personal SPOT. Between them and my cell phone, coupled with leaving your plans/time frame to someone outside of the airplane that will call the alert if you don't report in on time, being located in a six hour window or so would be almost guaranteed. The SPOT also would have been useful for my other outdoor activities, hiking, camping, boating, etc.

A 406 ELT might give a quicker response but it also might be put out of service by the "incident"(antenna broken off, sank in water, other less pleasant thoughts) while the SPOT and the cell phone would at least have left some bread crumbs on the way.

So for me, the "Write a check for compliance" solution is the ACK-E04.

But in my opinion, the reasoned out, more work and benefits but less $ approach, would be a used 121.5 ELT plus a separate SPOT or equivalent, especially if operating with cell phone coverage.

Heck, if you haven't disabled it in your phone, Google already knows where you are and have been and you can plot it in Maps......

And your mileage might vary......

[Steve Fisher]

Currently I have two other homebuilts that have 121.5 ELT's and I carry a Spot with me.

I'm trying to figure out how the GPS input works. Seems to me, the ELT only broadcasts when activated. That may occur during a crash. However, there is a very good chance the GPS will not work at that time. Seems like a weakness.

[whee]

I planned on installing a 121.5 ELT and carrying a true PLB on a lanyard around my neck but a 406ELT is required for Mexico and after Blackrock posted all the pics from his trip I decided I better just install the 406. I'll still carry a PLB and maybe eventually an Inreach.

When the AKC E04 is hooked to a GPS it receives a signal once every second from the GPS telling it the location. When the ELT is activated it broadcasts its last know location. Most other brands work in a similar fashion. Worth noting that when not hooked to a GPS is takes 1-2 hours to locate a transmitting 406ELT to within 2 miles or less. When hooked to a GPS it takes less than 10 minutes to locate a transmitting 406ELT to within 300ft.

[Steve Fisher]

OK, thanks for the clarification on the external GPS.

I'm leaning toward the ACK 406 unit. My old 121.5 ELT's had separate antennas that could be mounted to the unit and used as a portable outside the plane. It looks like the ACK does not have that capability - seemed like a nice feature.

[OhioLSA]

This thread is old, and I'm wondering if anyone has more current thoughts on ELT. Which ELT's are folks using? Anyone using the Kannad Integra?

[Bcone1381]

I also have installed one, but have not used it yet. It seems to me like a durable product. The unit has a remote panel switch, and the wire harness for the connector at the ELT unit (not the switch) required that I send it out to my avionics guy to install. Very small...I could not do it. I would not use that as a sole data point to dismiss it though. I imagin a GPS data source for a crash location is very helpful to search and rescue.

[Steve W]

I have one in KHB
Steve P206

[jaredyates]

I used the Artex in 303AP. Much cheaper than the Kannad and so far it is good, but I haven't tried crashing yet!

[arborite]

i’ve installed Artex 345 in two different planes. for the BH, I will probably do it again.

having said that, here’s my experience with them to date:

- in the Bonanza, the supplied antenna broke off down in the rubber boot and was just hanging on. i noticed it looked a bit more raked back and just pulled it out. replaced it with a shorter one Artex sells. I guess the Bonanza is too fast for it?

- also in bonanza, i received a call in the middle of the night from SAR guys saying my ELT triggered. sitting quietly in the hangar, untouched. mechanic pulled it and said it had failed, so we sent back to Artex for a replacement. cost $250 if i recall, but i got a new battery, so good deal overall.

If installed in a non electric plane, you can connect the GPS signal line from a portable Garmin GPS to get the signal needed for better tracking. I had a portable installed in the J3 and had it connected.

[Steve W]

I was sold on the Integra because of their internal antenna for back up in case the plane flips. The “con” about the install is the cannon plug you have to solder the wires to for the external control. It will melt with a little amount of heat. I used the potato method on the second one and it’s separate purchase price was ridiculous.
And the built in GPS was the second reason plus you can connect a second panel GPS for additional redundancy.
It can be used as a portable unit if needed.

[Battson]

When my plane flipped the antenna was intact throughout and it started transmitting before the "flip" had finished. My observation is you would need a horrific accident to remove the whole tailplane and the antenna, but the internal antenna is certainly a nice feature to have. We do have a back-up antenna attached to our ELT inside the fuselage, in case the external antenna is lost in some freak accident which the occupants survive.

[Sierra Skydog]

A while back there was an interesting post about an “asset tracker” for use as an elt but I can’t find it now. Maybe whomever posted it will read this and enlighten us

[Battson]

This thread is old, and I'm wondering if anyone has more current thoughts on ELT. Which ELT's are folks using? Anyone using the Kannad Integra?

Yes, I am using this Kannad ELT. I have been perfectly happy with it in all respects.

I upgraded from the Ameriking version, when the FAA deemed them garbage. I think the Kannad product is clearly a step above that particular company.... but that's not saying much.

Having used my ELT "in anger" exactly once, I was thrilled with the performance. It was a pleasant surprise that it activated prior to the crash "finishing", and it was reassuring to hear it through my headset in the moment - not knowing what might happen next - at least someone in the rescue coordination centre knew where we were.

[OhioLSA]

OK, thanks for the comments. In the absence of a report from Jared regarding crashworthiness, which hopefully he will never write, I reckon it's time to write a big check and get one of 'em.

[Nev]

+1 on the Kannad, happy so far but not tested in anger. One of those things you buy and hope to never use like insurance.