ELT replacement

[JMV]

New member with recent 7AC purchase. 1st annual under my watch reveals (rear side panel mount) EBC 502 ELT that transmits, in spite of 16 yr out of date battery, but G switch inop. Unless duplicate replacement is to be found within 90 days, will likely replace with new Artex 406 type. What would y’all recommend for location to meet frame mount requirement?

JMV

 

[JackC]

New member with recent 7AC purchase. 1st annual under my watch reveals (rear side panel mount) EBC 502 ELT that transmits, in spite of 16 yr out of date battery, but G switch inop. Unless duplicate replacement is to be found within 90 days, will likely replace with new Artex 406 type. What would y’all recommend for location to meet frame mount requirement?

JMV

The only real spot is rear forward of the baggage on the side, also lots of the 406 need a input for lat/lon, if it’s a original champ you won’t have a panel mount GPS navigation source to provide that.

For a 406 ELT I’d also get one that also sends a 121.5 signal too.

This one seems to do all the above, has a internal GPS, but looks a little chunky

Kannad INTEGRA AF ELT For Fixed Wing Aircraft - Complete Kit | Aircraft Spruce ®

Kannad INTEGRA AF ELT For Fixed Wing Aircraft - Complete Kit The new INTEGRA AF GPS ELT is a major step forward in the development of ELT technology and aircraft safety equipment. The INTEGRA is the only ELT in the world which operates on t

www.aircraftspruce.com

Personally I have a small compact 121.5, I also have a SPOT that has 5min bread crumbs enabled

My more capable colleagues/friends have access to the tracking and a direct message if I hit the “SOS” button.

There are stories of CAP and .gov botching rescues, I feel better knowing my own people have direct access to all the tracks if they need to make things happen independently, I also plan on needing to self rescue

 

[Bob Turner]

That's what I should have - a Spot with breadcrumbs. I have seen how neat the presentation is.

I am really surprised that ELTs have not evolved.

 

[Bartman]

The only real spot is rear forward of the baggage on the side, also lots of the 406 need a input for lat/lon, if it’s a original champ you won’t have a panel mount GPS navigation source to provide that.

For a 406 ELT I’d also get one that also sends a 121.5 signal too.

This one seems to do all the above, has a internal GPS, but looks a little chunky

Kannad INTEGRA AF ELT For Fixed Wing Aircraft - Complete Kit | Aircraft Spruce ®

Kannad INTEGRA AF ELT For Fixed Wing Aircraft - Complete Kit The new INTEGRA AF GPS ELT is a major step forward in the development of ELT technology and aircraft safety equipment. The INTEGRA is the only ELT in the world which operates on t

www.aircraftspruce.com

Personally I have a small compact 121.5, I also have a SPOT that has 5min bread crumbs enabled

My more capable colleagues/friends have access to the tracking and a direct message if I hit the “SOS” button.

There are stories of CAP and .gov botching rescues, I feel better knowing my own people have direct access to all the tracks if they need to make things happen independently, I also plan on needing to self rescue

Who are your people?

 

[Bearhawk]

I am working on installing a ACK E-04 on my 1970 7GCBC. All of the 406MHz will still broadcast 121.5. But the 406 is what communicates in real time with SARSAT. It is not a perfect solution, but if you fly in the mountains at all then it is worth the upgrade.

I'm battling trying to figure out how to mount the remote switch up on the circuit breaker board above my left shoulder with my mechanic. I want a rear seat passenger to be able to turn the ELT on. In addition, it is my practice with engine out checklist to arm the ELT after turning the master off...as such having the ELT switch be adjacent to the master just makes sense.

Where else have other people put their ELT remote switches?

I'm trying to figure out how I can get the phone cord to exist the plastic CB tray and get up into the headliner where it can run back toward the ELT. I may be overthinking this. Maybe I cut a small hole in the leather and drill tiny hole in top of the CB tray and have it exit there where I circled?

 

[Bearhawk]

A good graphic when I teach this stolen from an avionics website shows search areas from old analog ELTs, to the newer ELT, and then the newer ELT plus GPS data.

It's pretty convincing. Also, NOAA reports people get found 6 hours sooner with the newer ELT. This is why the sale and manufacturing of older analog 121.5/243MHz ELTs was outlawed in 2019.

But for the skeptics out there NASA studied ELT's in 2016 and found they work about 30% of the time and can work for less than a minute in a fire. However, when you talk to the guys in SC that monitor SARSAT (search and rescue satellites) they get the signal literally immediately.

Spot's and PLBs are both great layered protection but require you to be conscious to hit the button...so having a newer ELT is HUGE if you fly over nasty terrain, but is not the panacea.

 

[JackC]

A good graphic when I teach this stolen from an avionics website shows search areas from old analog ELTs, to the newer ELT, and then the newer ELT plus GPS data.

It's pretty convincing. Also, NOAA reports people get found 6 hours sooner with the newer ELT. This is why the sale and manufacturing of older analog 121.5/243MHz ELTs was outlawed in 2019.

But for the skeptics out there NASA studied ELT's in 2016 and found they work about 30% of the time and can work for less than a minute in a fire. However, when you talk to the guys in SC that monitor SARSAT (search and rescue satellites) they get the signal literally immediately.

Spot's and PLBs are both great layered protection but require you to be conscious to hit the button...so having a newer ELT is HUGE if you fly over nasty terrain, but is not the panacea.

SPOTS have bread crumbs, no need to do anything if overdue aside from your responsible party to login and grab the lat/lon

The big difference is the lack of a “sos” message G switch, however one has to also look into the issues inherent with that type of switch, what will and won’t trigger it etc. However if you know you’re going down and have the ability and time (and spare IQ points left) you can hit the SOS button just like activating the ELT prior

I would also want to be sure the ELT could be quickly removed from the aircraft and had a portable style antenna that could be attached

 

[Nuchatlitz]

406 is legally required in Canada at the end of this month, so time to upgrade from the old 121.5 with expired batteries.
I went with an Artex345 8102 kit. Installed the antenna internally behind the rear bulkhead, similar to how the factory does it. ELT (and buzzer) is secured to where the battery used to be (it’s on the firewall now) using the existing AN3 nut plates to hold the mounting plate. Remote switch straight ahead in the panel.
Turned it on, turned it off, got a phone call from JRCC three minutes later. So I know the registration and coding is good, but still needs a sign off by an avionics shop and then extra money at every annual.