ELT installation

[Greg Bockelman]

I need some info from the brain trust here. I need to install an ELT in my Taylorcraft. I am looking at an Ameri-King AK 450. I am getting conflicting information on whether or not I need an external antenna and the remote activation switch. I was told that if the unit was within reach from the pilot's seat, the remote switch was not necessary. True?

Also, I do not want to mount an antenna on hte outside of the airplane. The unit comes with an antenna that attaches directly to the unit itself. Is that acceptable?

Help!!!

[Winston L.]

Re: ELT installation

It is true that there is not a requirement for the remote switch, if the ELT is accessible to the pilot and the pilot can see the red LED light at all times.

As far as the antenna check with the manufacturer of the ELT. At Cub Crafters we install them inside the fuselage and they work well.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: ELT installation

Winston, when did you move to WA?

Greg, no problem mounting the antennae inside. If you mount the ELT on the copilot side of the baggage then you will be able to operate it and not need the remote switch

Mike

[flybikefarm]

Re: ELT installation

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=1470&d=1147055217

[flyguy]

Re: ELT installation

Remote switch. What remote switch? We don' got no stinkin remote switches. We don' got no stinkin red lights either.
DC

[fearofpavement]

Re: ELT installation

Remote switch. What remote switch? We don' got no stinkin remote switches. We don' got no stinkin red lights either.
DC

Me either. We do have an external antenna though

[flyguy]

Re: ELT installation

I do have an outside ELT antenna though. Hope my comment on switches and red lights was not too coarse. That is a "paraphrased" quote from Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I was being silly/funny.

Seriously--I'm not familiar with that model number but one thing I would check out is the ones that use the replaceable "D" cell alkaline batteries instead of the custom sealed battery pack. Four dollars is a lot better than $29 or $39 or what ever it is the pack costs.

Also from my many long hours of working on analog volt-ohmmeters: clean the terminals and put a light coating of thin oil on the battery terminals (flashlight style batteries with plated contacts) and the device contacts. The plated contacts seem to develope a clear corrosion on them that causes intermitten operation on low-voltage devices. Q-tips work well for application. (NOT WD-40 though, it has acetic acid in it.)
DC

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: ELT installation

I'm installing an EBC-502 in my restoration. It doesn't require an external antenna, which was its appeal. I'm going to mount it horizontally under my knees, beside the small fire extinguisher I have mounted under the passenger's knees. Easier to get at it there than if it were mounted behind the seat in the fuselage, and I figure the cockpit location also helps my weight and balance.

[tabranch]

Re: ELT installation

Don't new installations require the red light & pilot accessable switch?

[whake]

Re: ELT installation

Buy the smallest cheapest one you can find see attached picture

[Greg Bockelman]

Re: ELT installation

Seriously--I'm not familiar with that model number but one thing I would check out is the ones that use the replaceable "D" cell alkaline batteries instead of the custom sealed battery pack. Four dollars is a lot better than $29 or $39 or what ever it is the pack costs.

That is exactly the model I mentioned in my original post.

[Greg Bockelman]

Re: ELT installation

Buy the smallest cheapest one you can find see attached picture

Trouble is, that unit is approximately twice the cost of the Ameri King unit. But I am now beginning to lean that direction because of the ease of installation. What do the batteries cost on that?

[Winston L.]

Re: ELT installation

Winston, when did you move to WA?

Greg, no problem mounting the antennae inside. If you mount the ELT on the copilot side of the baggage then you will be able to operate it and not need the remote switch

Mike

About four months ago.

[hangarb7]

Re: ELT installation

I buy my batteries at Wag Aero or Aircraft Spruce and they are around $29, which is sinful considering that you are paying for the fact that they go into an aircraft application. They are clearly six AA batteries in series, epoxied into a little plastic tray with leads coming out and a date tag attached.

If you get that kind of ELT, those old batteries can run lots of devices. I use them in my intercom with a 9v clip and I use them in various tools around the shop. They have a long useful life after sitting unused in the airplane for two years.

The only problem with buying this ELT is that in the very near future, the rule will be that they must operate on the higher frequency and all of these 121.5 units will be obsolete and unusable, so even if you buy a used one, factor that in. I think the change is in 2009 or 2010.

Also, I don't think these units give the pinpoint accuracy of the higher frequency units.

Regards,

Jack Dernorsek
BC12D

[robbie]

Re: ELT installation

They aren't that bad,
Hear's a little story, about 12 years ago during EAA week I took my ELT out of the plane(same as above) and took it home. Hanger door was broke.
First mistake was I didn't but the screw in to lock out the trip.
2nd mistake I put it under our bed and didn't tell the wife.
She was running the sweeper in the bed room and must of hit the ELT.
I wake up 5:00 AM by an airplane circling over the neiborhood.
I say to myself "what with this guy can't he find the airport".
About 8:00 AM there is a knock on the front door.
The Civil Air Patrol is asking did I have an ELT in the house.
Oh S### I go and pull it out and the damn thing is blinking.
Well I go back to the front door and said I guess it works.
They said the satellite picked it up last night about 9:00PM (the wife was sweeping about 8 to 8:30).
They had it pin pointed on the sw end of town.
The cops looked most of the night, and found no aircraft so they figured it was one going off in a house or something. The airplane got it down to a block or two.
The civil Air Patrol driving around in a van got it down to the house.
See they work.