Thinking about purchasing an artex elt1000. I need to let the vendor know if I want it to be reprogrammed for use w/o nav input prior to shipment. Has anyone used the data output from a 695/696 as the nav source? Is this doable?

cdgarg wrote:Thinking about purchasing an artex elt1000. I need to let the vendor know if I want it to be reprogrammed for use w/o nav input prior to shipment. Has anyone used the data output from a 695/696 as the nav source? Is this doable?

Probably.

On page 52 of the Operations and install manual for the 1000 is this entry:

SUBTASK 25-62-33-990-003
I. RS-232 Acceptable Nav Data
1) NMEA 0183 baud rate is 4800.
2) Aviation protocol baud rate is 9600.
3) Programing of the ELT 1000 will determine the input of 4800 baud NMEA navigation data or 9600 baud Aviation
protocol navigation data.
4) The ELT 1000 will parse GGA, GLL and RMC simultaneously. Output configurations that write GGA, GLL and
RMC sentences at 4800 NMEA 0183 baud will be suitable
5) GPGGA is recommended if available.

The manual is here: https://www.acrartex.com/media/1375841/y1-03-0259k.pdf

I suspect the Garmin will output NMEA 0183, at least. Grab the Garmin manual online and compare the output protocol with this above.

I just bought an Artex ELT, and so have been digging through the manuals. I strongly agree a nav interface is key, by giving the elt a location solution that is ready the second the elt is activated. Using a ship powered GPS input to the ELT doesn't affect the elt batteries before activation. As I understand it the elt sort of "ignores" the passed sentences until the unit is activated wherein it looks at the wire for a location to put into the outgoing signal.

Some elt's have a gps built in, however it won't activate until the elt does, meaning no location for minutes, or never, if the GPS antenna can't see the sky after activation.

Being a life or death sort of device, if not conversant in such avionics nomenclature consider pulling in an Avionics tech as this thing will only get used once on a real bad day.

All this said, many on this site, me included, have plb's, along with the satellite nav devices that send location bread-crumbs in real time, such as the InReach and Spot devices. I for one put more stock in those than the elt. Sort of belt and suspenders for ensuring rescue can find you in a pinch.


-M3X