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  #1  
Old 07-26-2016, 04:35 PM
bret's Avatar
bret bret is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Gardnerville Nv.
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Default What ELT

What brand-model is everyone using these days for a new install?
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  #2  
Old 07-26-2016, 06:19 PM
terry.mortimore terry.mortimore is offline
 
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Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Canada
Posts: 236
Default ELT

Hi Bret, I think I'm going with the Kannad unit.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=139403


Terry
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  #3  
Old 07-26-2016, 07:26 PM
N319BC N319BC is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lakeland
Posts: 53
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Bret,
I too am using the Kannad 406 AF. But don't make the same mistake I made. Battery life on a new unit is good for 6 years. By the time I was finished with my build, I had to buy replacement batteries, because they had expired. Another $200
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  #4  
Old 07-26-2016, 08:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N319BC View Post
Bret,
I too am using the Kannad 406 AF. But don't make the same mistake I made. Battery life on a new unit is good for 6 years. By the time I was finished with my build, I had to buy replacement batteries, because they had expired. Another $200
why is this battery so expensive.....its not an 8D starting a dozer....
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  #5  
Old 07-26-2016, 08:49 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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Bret - this battery is so expensive because it forms part of a TSO'd piece of equipment. We can't go and buy Duracels any more. The 406 ELT's transmit a whopping 5 watts, and have to be able to do so across the entire temperature range. This compares with 100 milliwatts for the old 121.5 units. That's why the 406's need fancy lithium batteries, and why we can only buy the approved parts listed in the 406 ELT installation manual. The batteries themselves won't cost nearly what we pay, but somebody has to pay some markup to keep the manufacturers in business.
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  #6  
Old 07-26-2016, 09:06 PM
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bret bret is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by terry.mortimore View Post
Hi Bret, I think I'm going with the Kannad unit.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=139403


Terry
Good read, so I checked, there must be a reason there are so many Artex for sell on the bay.....
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  #7  
Old 07-27-2016, 09:14 AM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
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I installed an ELT brand 406 ELT. I chose this one because the airplane had no other GPS and this had one built in. Plus I definitely wanted the 406 capability.

One thing that this unit has that's unique, awkward and draggy is a huge antenna, 10" long and 4" high. Had to find a place for it. Another thing worth considering is that this unit has no 121.5 transmitter. It's strictly a 406 unit.

The installation was fine but it turned out that the box itself was bad. Before learning that, the company asked me to return the antenna for a check. I feel that their after-market service was good - better than their checking units out during manufacture was.

If I were doing it again I'd probably buy a Pointer Skyhunter 406 instead.

Dave
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  #8  
Old 07-27-2016, 09:53 AM
Jasonm Jasonm is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: KAVL
Posts: 317
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I'm using ACK Technologies ELT. Not sure about other ELTs but theirs also has a GPS link for faster locating.
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  #9  
Old 07-27-2016, 12:52 PM
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JonJay JonJay is offline
 
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Location: Battleground
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Bret - Have you considered putting in the cheapest unit to meet regs and then go with a personal 406 capable unit?

I am a firm believer that there are two kinds of RV accidents; those you walk away from, and those you don't. If I can walk, or crawl, I can activate the personal beacon. If I can't, well, it doesn't matter how long it takes them to find my body.
I am sure this is arguable. It is only my opinion, which is always subject to change. However, I can not think of an RV accident that involved someone being located and saved by an ELT mounted in the aircraft, but perhaps others can chime in.
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  #10  
Old 07-27-2016, 02:11 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonJay View Post
Bret - Have you considered putting in the cheapest unit to meet regs and then go with a personal 406 capable unit?

I am a firm believer that there are two kinds of RV accidents; those you walk away from, and those you don't. If I can walk, or crawl, I can activate the personal beacon. If I can't, well, it doesn't matter how long it takes them to find my body.
I am sure this is arguable. It is only my opinion, which is always subject to change. However, I can not think of an RV accident that involved someone being located and saved by an ELT mounted in the aircraft, but perhaps others can chime in.
A couple of comments - I've made them here before. Sorry to be so frank, but tell me, do you carry life insurance? Will you leave behind family members who might give a hoot about your well-being? If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, you want your carcass to be found quickly. 406 is the only way to go, if for no reason than to help your family access your life insurance funds more quickly.

With respect to carrying a PLB, that's a great idea IN ADDITION to a 406 ELT. While you're at it, file a flight plan or flight itinerary so folks will know when you haven't arrived as expected. Belt, suspenders, and another belt if you can. You most certainly don't want to be reliant on a device that you have to activate manually - you may not be either conscious or alive to do so. Remember, it might be your passenger who has survived - your choice of ELT needs to ensure they don't needlessly suffer in the event you don't survive the impact.

If you are concerned about having an on-board GPS in your ELT, I'll point out the Kannad Integra has both a built-in GPS and a built-in 406 antenna that will be automatically used if your external antenna or coax are damaged. The Integra needs to be able to "see the sky" for either of these functions to work.

WRT to Bret's comment earlier in this thread about Artex devices, check out some of my previous posts on this forum, including in the discussion thread posted by Terry. Now that Ameri-King is effectively a dead duck, Artex assumes the role of least favoured ELT manufacturer, and for good reason.
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