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FAA reminder of the change to 406 MHz ELTs, in case you're

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Tim Olson

Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 2879

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: FAA reminder of the change to 406 MHz ELTs, in case you're

Same here.  I'm going to wait until the time comes that you can

actually pay a reasonable cost for a 406 ELT with GPS position

capability.  Right now there's way too much cost difference, and

everyone knows that the actual complexity difference isn't all that

big by todays standards.  I kind of wish they'd come up with a way

to urge the companies to play ball better to get us to switch.

Same with ADS-B...right now, it's just priced too high for the little

benefit you can get compared to other technologies.  I'll have many

years of flying with Mode S that actually gives quite good coverage

in the busy air, before ADS-B makes enough progress nationwide

to warrant spending money on it.



Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying

do not archive

RV Builder (Michael Sausen) wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Personally, I’m going with a 121.5 for now and then I will also be 

 purchasing a 406 PLB like the Microfix.  Of course this scenario 

 requires someone to be conscious to activate the PLB

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billderou(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:14 am Post subject: FAA reminder of the change to 406 MHz ELTs, in case you're

I looked at the Artex ME406 at product launch and was very disappointed that they did not provide GPS coordinates xmitted with the packet. Sent email to their product management asking why they did not provide an RS232 receive pin that builders could route Aviation Data Packets from an existing GPS nav without incurring major additional costs. No response. When the next wave of 406 ELT's are provided from no-name manufacturers this simple feature will differentiate them from Artex.

   

  Also, the Artex battery is a 5 year Lithium valued at $200.

   

  However, if you look closely at the value of 121.5Mhz in rescue operations it is worthless. The probability of a false signal is so high that the rescue services sit on the report until additional confirmation is available. The next day they begin to search a 400 sq nm area. I grumbled and purchased the ME406 because I did not want  to be downed and sit there for hours thinking that the additional $500 was nothing after all the tens of thousands. . . .

   

  The 406 Personal Locator Beacons make sense but the increased volume of calls will creat some interesting changes. The signals from boats, aircraft, and persons can be catagorized from the transmitted packet and routed to different entities. I know the Coast Guard and the Aviation world have excellent search resources but I am uncertain what the response time for a PLB alert would be as the volume increases.

   

  Bill DeRouchey

  N939SB, flying

  billderou(at)yahoo.com (billderou(at)yahoo.com)

     



Tim Olson <Tim(at)MyRV10.com> wrote:

  [quote]--> RV10-List message posted by: Tim Olson  



Same here. I'm going to wait until the time comes that you can

actually pay a reasonable cost for a 406 ELT with GPS position

capability. Right now there's way too much cost difference, and

everyone knows that the actual complexity difference isn't all that

big by todays standards. I kind of wish they'd come up with a way

to urge the companies to play ball better to get us to switch.

Same with ADS-B...right now, it's just priced too high for the little

benefit you can get compared to other technologies. I'll have many

years of flying with Mode S that actually gives quite good coverage

in the busy air, before ADS-B makes enough progress nationwide

to warrant spending money on it.



Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying

do not archive

RV Builder (Michael Sausen) wrote:

[quote] Personally, I’m going with a 121.5 for now and then I will also be 

 purchasing a 406 PLB like the Microfix. Of course this [quote][b]

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AV8ORJWC

Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 1149
Location: Aurora, Oregon "Home of VANS"

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject: FAA reminder of the change to 406 MHz ELTs, in case you're

The Chambers (Father and Son) who owned ARTEX till their sale to Chelton are close personal friends. (Co-located next door to VANS)  Your view on the worthlessness of 121.5 is well documented with CAP rescue/recovery operations.  I will task them with a solution worthy of future RV-10 sales are report back.  

Can’t argue with the cost of batteries.  

The perception of safety is often overcome by the reality of regulation compliance with little regard to assisting a down pilot’s prompt location identification.  Has anyone tested the mounting and signal propagation from the wild antennae mount on a flying RV-10?  

John  

From: owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Bill DeRouchey

 Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 11:13 AM

 To: rv10-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: FAA reminder of the change to 406 MHz ELTs, in case you're in the buying mood  

I looked at the Artex ME406 at product launch and was very disappointed that they did not provide GPS coordinates xmitted with the packet. Sent email to their product management asking why they did not provide an RS232 receive pin that builders could route Aviation Data Packets from an existing GPS nav without incurring major additional costs. No response. When the next wave of 406 ELT's are provided from no-name manufacturers this simple feature will differentiate them from Artex.  

Also, the Artex battery is a 5 year Lithium valued at $200.  

However, if you look closely at the value of 121.5Mhz in rescue operations it is worthless. The probability of a false signal is so high that the rescue services sit on the report until additional confirmation is available. The next day they begin to search a 400 sq nm area. I grumbled and purchased the ME406 because I did not want to be downed and sit there for hours thinking that the additional $500 was nothing after all the tens of thousands. . . .  

The 406 Personal Locator Beacons make sense but the increased volume of calls will creat some interesting changes. The signals from boats, aircraft, and persons can be catagorized from the transmitted packet and routed to different entities. I know the Coast Guard and the Aviation world have excellent search resources but I am uncertain what the response time for a PLB alert would be as the volume increases.  

Bill DeRouchey  

N939SB, flying  

billderou(at)yahoo.com (billderou(at)yahoo.com)  

 Tim Olson <Tim(at)MyRV10.com> wrote:  

  [quote]  

--> RV10-List message posted by: Tim Olson 

 Same here. I'm going to wait until the time comes that you can

 actually pay a reasonable cost for a 406 ELT with GPS position

 capability. Right now there's way too much cost difference, and

 everyone knows that the actual complexity difference isn't all that

 big by todays standards. I kind of wish they'd come up with a way

 to urge the companies to play ball better to get us to switch.

 Same with ADS-B...right now, it's just priced too high for the little

 benefit you can get compared to other technologies. I'll have many

 years of flying with Mode S that actually gives quite good coverage

 in the busy air, before ADS-B makes enough progress nationwide

 to warrant spending money on it.

 Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying

 do not archive

 RV Builder (Michael Sausen) wrote:

 > Personally, I’m going with a 121.5 for now and then I will also be 

 > purchasing a 406 PLB like the Microfix. Of course this    	  Quote: 	

[b]

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