Recommend an ELT...

I'm looking for an ELT for my AirCamper, and don't know a lot about what is out there. What is a good, inexpensive ELT? I'd like something with D-cell batteries so I don't have to worry about replacing a non-standard battery. What else should I know when looking for an ELT? I know very little about them.

There are certainly inexpensive D-cell ELTs to be found out there. Here is just one example:

http://www.sportflyingshop.com/Avionics/ELT/elt.html

There are a few things you may want to keep in mind though. "Inexpensive" usually means one of the 121.5 Mhz ELTs rather than the newer 406 Mhz ELTs, but support for the 121.5 Mhz models for search and rescue is being phased out in 2009. They will no longer work after that. The newer 406 Mhz ELTs have several advantages over the 121.5 models. They are far less likely to generate false positives. They can be located far more rapidly and usually more precisely. Some that have GPS interfaces or built-in GPSs will actually transmit your position to the SARSAT satellites, the adavantage there being obvious. You can see a general comparison here:

http://www.equipped.org/406_vs_1215.htm

The downside of the 406 Mhz models is that they are more expensive. However, prices are gradually falling, so it would behoove you to put off the purchase of an ELT until as late as possible in your project to take best advantage of those falling prices.

Some places to begin your research:

http://www.artex.net/prodcontents.html
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/regulatory/elt.html
http://www.artex.net/images/pdfs/121phaseout.pdf
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/av/elt.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/avionics/184338-1.html
http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/emerbcns.html
http://www.avionicswest.com/articles/406elt.htm
http://www.avweb.com/news/avionics/183228-1.html
http://cawg.cap.gov/files/other/net_elt.ppt
http://www.avionix.com/elt.html
http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/cont...y_locator.html
http://www.vargaair.com/index.php?page=263&t=t11
http://www.rampart-sar.com/406_mhz.htm
http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/secp/86

Hope some of this helps.

There is a manufacture who sells a "D" cell ELT. The model # is Ameri-King AK-450. These can be had at Aircraft Spruce, Wicks, and probably anybody else who sells ELTs.

Although officially, the government would like everybody on 406mhz for the ELT, The emergency frequency 121.5 and 243 mhz will be around for a long, long time. Every aircraft that has a radio, has the ability to tx and rx on 121.5. Every Military UHF radio has a "Guard" receiver (243.0) built into it. every military ejection seat has at least one 243.0 mhz hand held (tx and rx).

The recent polar Wx satellite that was launched by NASA on 20 May has a hitchhiker on board, a 121.5 and 243 mhz receivers package specifivcally for search and rescue.

Al ofl the Soviet GLOS(?) (Soviet GPS satellites) have 121.5 capability thats monitored by Former Soviet states, and the US.

No, 121.5 will probably be around when we're beaming up instead of flying.

NOTE- Remember the FAA MODE-S deal. Begining in 1989, you could no longer purchase a MODE-C transponder. (Funny, I just bought one and here it is 15 years later, 2005)

Waiter

I should have been more specific. The 121.5 Mhz frequency for emergencies is not being phased out. The COSPAS-SARSAT satellite constellation will cease processing 121.5 Mhz and 243 Mhz ELT distress alert signals on Feb 1, 2009. Russian satellite support for 121.5/243 is currently scheduled to cease in 2006 (not sure exactly which Russian satellites that includes). That simply means that emergency alerts for search and rescue will no longer be processed for those frequencies on those satellites. While there may be other satellites that will continue to utilize 121.5 Mhz, the COSPAS-SARSAT and Russian satellite constellations are the primary source for ELT alerts in the US. One of my links above explains all that. So, while you may indeed be able to use a 121.5 Mhz ELT after that date, your chances of it producing a reliable search and rescue response to your plane crash will be severely diminished. I personally think that's too dangerous a chance to take.

I should also note that, even though 121.5 Mhz is being phased out for producing initial crash alerts via satellites, it will continue to be used as a homing signal for SAR crews when they reach the area of the crash. So even the new 406 Mhz ELTs still produce a homing signal on 121.5 Mhz. However, from personal experience trying to home in on those 121.5 signals in SAR scenarios, I can tell you they can be extremely inaccurate and/or unreliable. That's why I personally recommend the GPS option, if your wallet can handle it.

As a compromise measure, you could stick with a 121.5 Mhz ELT and simply buy a handheld 406 Mhz EPIRB or PLB with a GPS. They can be had for as low as $500, and will almost certainly be much cheaper by 2009. While they don't activate automatically like an ELT, they may provide that critical margin of safety that gets you rescued.

You can read more about the phaseout here:

http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/FirstPa....5PhaseOut.htm

And by the way, the only 1989 Mode S requirement that I can find was for aircraft carrying 30 passengers or more, utilizing TCAS I or II systems (though TCAS I does not technically require Mode S). I have never heard of any regulation that mandated the cessation of Mode C transponder sales, so I'm not sure where that reference comes from. I wouldn't be surprised to see them mandate Mode S sometime in the future though, and they may even be contemplating such action now.

Rhino, Good read on ELTs. The reference to the MODE-S was hearsay, rumor, and unsubstantiated babble. You know typical naive builders who don't have enough information to make a good decision (ME).

Waiter

Thanks, Waiter. I wouldn't be so quick to put your own knowledge down though. Even in this internet age, it can sometimes be darn near impossible to get reliable information. There's still a heck of a lot of otherwise knowledgeable people out there who think you aren't allowed to fly experimental/homebuilt aircraft over populated areas, even though the FAA has released at least two clarifications that such a restriction does not exist, except during the flight testing phase. In short, the lack of reliable information should never be reason for any of us to doubt our 'knowledgeability'. That's why we come to such great forums like this one.

The FAA has now released a NOTAM concerning the cessation of 121.5 Mhz processing on satellites in 2009. You can view the NOTAM HERE.

AOPA is opposing this by the way. You can read their take on the issue HERE.