So four years after instillation my ACK 406 ELT has been going off for no discernible reason. No electronic signal or inertia needed...she just goes off randomly.

I contacted ACK and they had a laundry list of things that can cause accidental activation. I went through it and categorically eliminated them as culprits, at which point ACK said that even though I had checked for corrosion and found none, that "due to the type of flying you do you've gotten precipitation on the ELT", then they gave me a lecture on my responsibility as a pilot.

Really poor customer service...curt, rude, and officious.

So while it would be easiest to just put in a replacement ACK ELT, I'm not giving them any more money. I contacted SARSAT and informed them that my ACK transmitter was disconnected from the battery and siting in a bucket of salt water with holes drilled in the side, and they would not be getting any more activations from it.

In shopping for ELT's I'm starting to see a reason why the ACK might have been a dud...they're less than half the cost of most other 406 ELT's.

Anybody have insight as to which of the better ELT's to choose...especially when it comes to customer service? Any electronic product can have defects...how the company deals with them is a true testament to their quality. My impression is that ACK knows they make garbage, so they have no need to stand behind their product.

I have planned on buying the Artex ELT 345 or 1000. I'm not clear on the difference.

I have no experience with the company other than owning an ACR PLB, which has never been employed.

I've never used the product and know little more than what you'd reveal by Googling. But it's a thing you can buy.

Glad I could help.

I had an ACK ELT alert just as I was approaching to land at OSH. Newly installed. Turned it off and it alerted again. Finally took the battery off and that killed it.

Called ACK, and explained. They had a new ELT at their display booth in OSH two days later, and offered to install it for me.

When I got home, I shipped the old one to them, a week later they sent me an email that the switch had failed.

I’ve had two other ACK ELTs in airplanes since, and I’ll go there again if I need another.

Artex has had known issues with corrosion and with failure to alert because of their Velcro attachment, which I believe they have now changed

Your mileage may vary.

MTV

You might look at Emerging Lifesaving Technologies. I've had one since they came out, and while I haven't had an occasion to test it or experience their customer service, I have no complaints either. [Come to think of it, there was an episode where I bought a second one for a plane I was acquiring, but ultimately didn't. Working with the company and the avionics shop, they took back the ELT and refunded me fully without any drama- so there's that.] I'm not current on what's out there now, but at the time this was the only one that had an internal GPS, which appealed to my sense of simplicity and redundancy.

-DP

From their website:

With American Ingenuity and American Engineering, Emerging Lifesaving Technologies is committed to keeping all of their products Made in the U.S.A.

A couple of years ago I had an ARTEX ELT 345 GP installed. It was relatively inexpensive because it doesn't have a built-in GPS, it uses the WAAS GPS signal from my Garmin 430 through a cable. The ELT and it's antenna (with ground plane) are installed in the tailcone of my Maule. With the fabric covering, it works fine and doesn't leave anything hanging in the breeze. I haven't had any troubles with it, so can't speak to customer service at the company.

denalipilot wrote:You might look at Emerging Lifesaving Technologies. I've had one since they came out, and while I haven't had an occasion to test it or experience their customer service, I have no complaints either. [Come to think of it, there was an episode where I bought a second one for a plane I was acquiring, but ultimately didn't. Working with the company and the avionics shop, they took back the ELT and refunded me fully without any drama- so there's that.] I'm not current on what's out there now, but at the time this was the only one that had an internal GPS, which appealed to my sense of simplicity and redundancy.

-DP

From their website:

With American Ingenuity and American Engineering, Emerging Lifesaving Technologies is committed to keeping all of their products Made in the U.S.A.

Seems like they might be more inclined to stand behind their products. I'll look into them. Thanks!

Emerging lifesaving technologies units require an ELT antenna and a GPS antenna, since the unit has an onboard GPS.

Which is good. BUT, they’ve eliminated the 121.5 transmitter completely, based on the assumption that the GPS position alone will be good enough to find you. Having a GPS connected is indeed a good thing. Im not sure eliminating the 121.5 signal is good just yet.

Also, compare the price to other ELTs. They are nearly double the price of others.

MTV

NorCal asked me to listen for an ELT on 121.5 last week. That hasn't happened for a while, and I know that 121.5 isn't "monitored" anymore, but it's good to know that SAR uses all the tools in the box.

I'm not super-comfortable with giving up 121.5, either. As far as antennas go, the Emerging Lifesaving Tec's antenna covers both the 406 and GPS frequencies.

Other ELT's with built in GPS I've been looking at (Kannad Integra) have a three-phase antenna that covers 121.5, 406, and GPS...though the antenna alone is $300.

As far as price goes, $1~3K is where most of the ELT's sit, and I'm guessing there's a good reason for that. My $500 ACK turned out to be no bargain at all, so I don't consider it a valid price point from which to start.

I agree on 121.5. It’s still in use, not as much as it was, but......

As to price, most basic 406 ELTs now offer the capability to connect to a separate GPC, including portables. That can bring the price point down.

But, as I noted, I’m on my third ACK 406, which is about the least expensive 406, and the only issue I’ve had was the one noted above. And in that case, customer service was excellent, but employees and managers change.

I’ve also talked to their tech folks about ELT switch mechanisms, the RCC alert system and other pertinent details of the 406 system and they’ve been very helpful, as recently as a couple weeks ago.

And, no, I don’t get kickbacks from them.

FWIW.

MTV

Glad you've had good service from them MTV. I was pretty surprised by the customer service I received, but it is what it is, which is terrible. At no point was there any acknowledgement by ACK that there might be a defect in the ELT. It was like dealing with a lawyer or a politician. Maybe I was.

Frankly, if they sent me a free one I'm not sure I'd be willing to install it. Really disappointed in them as a company. Maybe it's just the one guy I dealt with, but that counts, too.

That sucks to hear hammer. I've had great luck with the ACK E-04 units. The Airtex are about the same price point but more install time because you actually have to terminate the wire ends. The velcro clamp also seems a bit hokey to me. I really like the idea of the E.L.T. units, but transport Canada won't certify them so we are SOL up here. The Russians are still monitoring the 121.5 signal and they usually call up S&R and they spread the word from there. The Airtex and ACK have functioned about the same for me. One thing to keep in mind with the Airtex, once its unhooked from the wiring harness it will not go off. The switch is a pigtail built into the harness connector. Makes it hard to take out if the plane in case you plan to hike a bit and want to keep your ELT with you. Just FWIW.


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A1Skinner wrote:One thing to keep in mind with the Airtex, once its unhooked from the wiring harness it will not go off. The switch is a pigtail built into the harness connector. Makes it hard to take out if the plane in case you plan to hike a bit and want to keep your ELT with you. Just FWIW.

Somewhat true. Note I'm referencing an Artex 345 here, but the wire loop in the harness only activates the G-sensing circuitry. This is intentional so that you can manipulate it for install without setting it off. With the G-loop (e.g. harness) disconnected, you can still activate it from the toggle switch on the front panel.

I use the Artex 345. I haven't had any occasion to use their customer service, but the unit seems solid. The mounting tray is metal with a metal strap/buckle holding it down. Mine will be fed from a Garmin 430 within a couple weeks for GPS data, but the positional accuracy of 406 is still considerably better than 121.5 ever was. It does also broadcast 121.5 for the ground guys to home in on or overlying planes to pick up. Satellites won't listen on 121.5 to get them moving, but if they think you're out there it can still help them get to you.

colopilot wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:One thing to keep in mind with the Airtex, once its unhooked from the wiring harness it will not go off. The switch is a pigtail built into the harness connector. Makes it hard to take out if the plane in case you plan to hike a bit and want to keep your ELT with you. Just FWIW.

Somewhat true. Note I'm referencing an Artex 345 here, but the wire loop in the harness only activates the G-sensing circuitry. This is intentional so that you can manipulate it for install without setting it off. With the G-loop (e.g. harness) disconnected, you can still activate it from the toggle switch on the front panel.

I use the Artex 345. I haven't had any occasion to use their customer service, but the unit seems solid. The mounting tray is metal with a metal strap/buckle holding it down. Mine will be fed from a Garmin 430 within a couple weeks for GPS data, but the positional accuracy of 406 is still considerably better than 121.5 ever was. It does also broadcast 121.5 for the ground guys to home in on or overlying planes to pick up. Satellites won't listen on 121.5 to get them moving, but if they think you're out there it can still help them get to you.

Ok. I was told that with it unplugged the switch on the front panel can't turn it on. Good to know it can. Most of my experience is with the ME406.

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A1Skinner wrote:Ok. I was told that with it unplugged the switch on the front panel can't turn it on. Good to know it can. Most of my experience is with the ME406.

The moral here is read the install manual and understand the nuances of your ELT's operation, especially in cases where you might decide to use it for non-aviation purposes. I did go find your ELT's manual and it appears to match what I said above. Once activated, it will transmit 406 for 24 hours and 121.5 until it dies and the G-loop shuld only affect impact sensing.

FWIW I'm not sure I'd advocate using it as a hiking beacon. If it goes off they're looking for an airplane, not you sitting on a trailside. Without the panel GPS connected you won't have a position source when portable, so they'll be looking in a relatively broad area (3km radius) for an airplane that doesn't exist. You also need an antenna on it to get any decent range, and repeatedly manipulating the harness can cause other problems you may not realize until it fails to work. I think you would be better served using a PLB with GPS or an InReach/SPOT beacon so they know to look for a human instead. Just my unsolicited $0.02.

I have one of the first ACR/Artex ME406s installed, which I bought right after the FCC authorized them to be sold. I think it was one of the first available for light GA. It came with the Velcro strap tray, which I changed to the new tray with the metal over-center strap as soon as that tray became available. Incidentally, the Velcro strap is no longer authorized for new installations. I don't recall when that became the rule, but it's been a few years now. That happened as the result of some accidents when the Velcro strap failed, ripping the ELT from its tray and disconnecting it from its antenna.

None of the ACR/Artex units are inexpensive, but they're solidly built. I've had some communication with them (need to replace my boat's ACR EPIRB), and they've been very responsive to my questions. I also have two ACR PLBs, one a floating model.

Cary

Like Denalipilot said, I have an E.L.T. installed. Ran into a problem replacing the battery and after just a bit of back and forth they made good on the unit. Still not too sure what went wrong w/ the replacement battery but at the end of the day I have a working unit.

I like the design of the antenna (per MTV I would have liked a 121.5 signal but understand the reasoning) as it is a 270 degree transmitter.

The unit is wired into the plane power so the battery is not consumed and the GPS is continually updated as you go along. I like the concept of the unit knowing were it is at all times so there is not question post impact as to where you are if you cannot get a gps satellite fix.

Since the whole purpose of this unit is to have someone come get my sorry butt, I want all the parts to work after the worst case.

TD

TomD wrote:Like Denalipilot said, I have an E.L.T. installed. Ran into a problem replacing the battery and after just a bit of back and forth they made good on the unit. Still not too sure what went wrong w/ the replacement battery but at the end of the day I have a working unit.

I like the design of the antenna (per MTV I would have liked a 121.5 signal but understand the reasoning) as it is a 270 degree transmitter.

The unit is wired into the plane power so the battery is not consumed and the GPS is continually updated as you go along. I like the concept of the unit knowing were it is at all times so there is not question post impact as to where you are if you cannot get a gps satellite fix.

Since the whole purpose of this unit is to have someone come get my sorry butt, I want all the parts to work after the worst case.

TD

In general, a ELT connected to a “standard” GPS will receive updated position information once per second. So, whether the GPS is internal or connected, your ELT should have a current location when it alerts.

MTV

colopilot wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:Ok. I was told that with it unplugged the switch on the front panel can't turn it on. Good to know it can. Most of my experience is with the ME406.

The moral here is read the install manual and understand the nuances of your ELT's operation, especially in cases where you might decide to use it for non-aviation purposes. I did go find your ELT's manual and it appears to match what I said above. Once activated, it will transmit 406 for 24 hours and 121.5 until it dies and the G-loop shuld only affect impact sensing.

FWIW I'm not sure I'd advocate using it as a hiking beacon. If it goes off they're looking for an airplane, not you sitting on a trailside. Without the panel GPS connected you won't have a position source when portable, so they'll be looking in a relatively broad area (3km radius) for an airplane that doesn't exist. You also need an antenna on it to get any decent range, and repeatedly manipulating the harness can cause other problems you may not realize until it fails to work. I think you would be better served using a PLB with GPS or an InReach/SPOT beacon so they know to look for a human instead. Just my unsolicited $0.02.

I agree. I didnt mean to use it for hiking. But in a crash scenario if the plane burns up or is in a spot where it's better to move to jet easier found, I'd rather ha e the ELT along then nothing. As far as an antenna goes, I've asked a couple manufacturers why the 40ys dont come with external antennas like the 121.5s did, and they have all said that in their testing it put out a very strong signal with no antenna, and saw no need to have an external antenna hooked up in a removed type of scenario.

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A1Skinner wrote:

colopilot wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:Ok. I was told that with it unplugged the switch on the front panel can't turn it on. Good to know it can. Most of my experience is with the ME406.

The moral here is read the install manual and understand the nuances of your ELT's operation, especially in cases where you might decide to use it for non-aviation purposes. I did go find your ELT's manual and it appears to match what I said above. Once activated, it will transmit 406 for 24 hours and 121.5 until it dies and the G-loop shuld only affect impact sensing.

FWIW I'm not sure I'd advocate using it as a hiking beacon. If it goes off they're looking for an airplane, not you sitting on a trailside. Without the panel GPS connected you won't have a position source when portable, so they'll be looking in a relatively broad area (3km radius) for an airplane that doesn't exist. You also need an antenna on it to get any decent range, and repeatedly manipulating the harness can cause other problems you may not realize until it fails to work. I think you would be better served using a PLB with GPS or an InReach/SPOT beacon so they know to look for a human instead. Just my unsolicited $0.02.

I agree. I didnt mean to use it for hiking. But in a crash scenario if the plane burns up or is in a spot where it's better to move to jet easier found, I'd rather ha e the ELT along then nothing. As far as an antenna goes, I've asked a couple manufacturers why the 40ys dont come with external antennas like the 121.5s did, and they have all said that in their testing it put out a very strong signal with no antenna, and saw no need to have an external antenna hooked up in a removed type of scenario.

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When my switch failed on the 406, I disconnected it from the antenna, turned off the unit and left it in the baggage compartment of my 170. Twenty minutes later I got a phone call from RCC. The ELT alerted again. I told them it was turned off and inside a metal airplane, with no antenna. He told me where it was located.

I had to pull the battery to get the thing to shut up.

Turns out the 406 signal goes out at ~ 5 watts, which is huge power for an ELT. The 121.5 Transmitters went out at something around 250 mills watts, I believe.

The 406 can operate at high power because it’s not transmitting 406 continuously. It transmits a very short burst once every 50 seconds or so. So even with higher power, battery life is still good.

MTV