406 ELT?

[Amelia]

It is time to replace the battery on my old 121.5 ELT. Should I just go ahead and spring for the 406 Transponder? If so, do yo have a recommended brand? Seems to me there is a wide spread in price.

Thanks!

[orionflt]

Depends on what you currently have, there are some direct replacements available. My ELT uses D cell batteries so I will hang on to it for a while longer. ACK and Ameri-king have the most reasonably priced units out there and they are both good choice.

 

Brian

[Danb]

I have an ack direct replacement

[Robert C.]

In my case the g switch died between inspections, so a few weeks ago I had my old AmeriKing replaced by the new AK that includes the 406. While I looked at other brands I stayed with AK mostly because then the same rigging/mounting could be used.

 

Have the funny feeling that cheaper solutions existed, but not being the mechanical type i wasn't going to try and do the replacement myself

[xrs135]

I just put an Artex ELT1000 in mine.

[Guest]

You're wasting your money servicing an old 121.5 MHz ELT, if it goes off no one will hear it. Everyone is rushing to put in the latest LED everything light but balk at the cost of a new 406 ELT.

At very least buy your self a Spot PLB.

Clarence

[Amelia]

Yes, that is more or less what I am thinking... Battery for the existing ELT is good money after bad. I do have a 406 PLB, but probably need to go ahead and bite this bullet. Just wondering what will be the easiest brand to fit in with the least amount of re-rigging.

[kerry]

My 121.5 takes regular D cell batteries.  In addition I use a SPOT gen3 which I can use for other activities such as driving(remote 4WD or winter), hiking and other outdoor activities.  I think my SPOT subscription is $100/year.  It's another option if you don't want to splurged for a 406 ELT.

[jsimmons619]

I chose to follow Mooney Service Instruction M20-116 authorizing the installation of ARTEX ME406 ELT for my M20J.  It permits replacing the 121.5 antenna inside the Dorsel fin with the ARTEX ME406 antenna.

[jetdriven]

How did you get that 110-773 antenna under the dorsal fin?

[Bob - S50]

I hear and report 121.5 ELT's quite frequently.  However, if you have a GPS in your airplane I would highly suggest updating to the newer 406 ELT.

 

With 121.5, you are relying on other aircraft to report to ATC that they hear an ELT.  ATC will then try to figure out about where the signal is coming from based on who else can hear it.  If you filed a flight plan and are overdue, they will then send up someone with a VHF ADF to try and find you.  Not very precise location.

 

If you have the 406 ELT tied to the GPS, when you go down, it is ...supposed... to transmit your location via satellite to the Air Force.  If it works, they should know your location within a matter of yards.  They will potentially get to you much quicker which could make the difference between life and death.  Since each ELT has a specific code, they even know exactly what airplane is involved.  I've even heard stories of people accidentally setting off their ELT and getting a call from the Air Force within 5 minutes checking to see if they are alright or if they have been involved in an accident.

 

Bob

[jsimmons619]

Per the instructions in Mooney Service Bulletin M20-116, the dorsal fin is removed, the 121.5 antenna is removed and replaced by the new antenna and then the dorasl fin is reinstalled.  Yes, it requires drilling out existing rivets.

[Guest]

I hear and report 121.5 ELT's quite frequently.  However, if you have a GPS in your airplane I would highly suggest updating to the newer 406 ELT.

 

With 121.5, you are relying on other aircraft to report to ATC that they hear an ELT.  ATC will then try to figure out about where the signal is coming from based on who else can hear it.  If you filed a flight plan and are overdue, they will then send up someone with a VHF ADF to try and find you.  Not very precise location.

 

If you have the 406 ELT tied to the GPS, when you go down, it is ...supposed... to transmit your location via satellite to the Air Force.  If it works, they should know your location within a matter of yards.  They will potentially get to you much quicker which could make the difference between life and death.  Since each ELT has a specific code, they even know exactly what airplane is involved.  I've even heard stories of people accidentally setting off their ELT and getting a call from the Air Force within 5 minutes checking to see if they are alright or if they have been involved in an accident.

 

Bob

You are correct about the reaction time. We've accidentally set them off in the shop and the call comes to the owner within minutes.

Clarence

[DrBill]

I'm one who got the  call from the AF guy in Texas !   My avionics shop set it off and they called me. I called the shop and luckily the owner answered (c 6pm) and he went to the hangar to check.. Sure enough.  Since the master was off the AF did not know the plane was at an airport!

I have the AIRTEX ME406 so I know for sure it WORKS !

BILL

[philiplane]

Don't forget one downside to the 406 ELT. A false alarm may cost you $5000. That is the official charge for false alarms that result in calling out SAR. I had one jet customer have this problem after his went off in flight due to a failure in the control board. A three hour flight off-shore too, so no chance to land and disable it.

 

It's better to file IFR, or use flight following, and spend money on ADS-B. There have already been several accidents with 406 ELT's where the ELT did not function and was of no use.

[Mooneymite]

I'm seeing quite a few accident reports where accident aircraft are located by triangulating on the owners' cell phone signal.

This is more prevalent near population centers where cell coverage is not a problem.

If you fly in remote areas, 406 is the way to go.

[RobertGary1]

The CAP still hunts 121.5. There is not an active satellite system to monitor them but they still get reported. When I'm flying through remote areas of Mexico, etc I prefer to carry a SPOT with tracking turned on. Comes with international rescue insurance, etc.

 

-Robert

[Amelia]

I went and sprung for a used one... it's installed and is said to work. Whew.

Now on to weightier debates.

 

Thanks, all, for the good advice!