Bob Collins asked a question that has not yet been directly answered.
The question I wanted expanded was to clarify for the masses that 121.5
ELTs have been installed without much consideration for intended
function. Vanity and foolhearty following the builder before you leads
to widely accepted misunderstandings. "Oh, I did it because twenty
other guys in my EAA chapter have done the same thing and it seemed
okay".
Stein has not answered if he can measure the strength and directional
pattern or who else might. Bob is still waiting for more clarity.
Several have made excellent posts. My question remaining is what is the
required polarity needed (Horizontal or Vertical), how will that antenna
installed work in the event the required device is needed as in the case
of Steve Fossett. Several posters added anecdotes on lives lost because
ELTS don't work as needed (which may often be because of installation
errors). We should all know those errors. We should know how effective
our installed antennae are working. We should be protective of the
distance and routing of the coax (Bob's question). Just because you can
get an annunciation during a test function does not mean that the
aircraft can be located before the battery goes dead from a few thousand
yards away.
Antenna propagation is still on the table. The idea of a belly mounted
antenna because so many flip over or are stuck nose down is an
interesting one.
John Cox
W7COX
RV builder #40600
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-rv-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-rv-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Tim Bryan
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 11:00 AM
To: rv-list@matronics.com
Subject: RE: 406 MHz ELT
Excellent point Greg! I mounted my ELT in the baggage compartment up
against the baggage closure and the cable runs through the tail cone but
not
through any holes. It is tie wired to the formers and hopefully that
wouldn't be an issue. I hadn't thought of that, just did it that way as
it
was easy.
Tim Bryan
RV-6 Flying
N616TB over 100 hours now
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-rv-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv-list-
> server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Greg Young
> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 11:17 AM
> To: rv-list@matronics.com
> Subject: RE: 406 MHz ELT
>
>
> Regardless of where you choose to mount the antenna and for whatever
> reason,
> consider the routing of the cable from the ELT to the antenna. If you
> route
> it through or near bulkheads or metal edges, it can be severed in a
> crash.
> My ELT was mounted on the keel by the elevator bellcrank in my -6, the
> antenna on the seatback cross member and the cable routed under the
> baggage
> floor and thru the rear spar bulkhead. Although my crash was upright,
> the
> cable was severed by the crushed and twisted structure. No signal was
> ever
> detected. I'm keeping the cable for the new one inside the tailcone
> with the
> antenna somewhere back there too.
>
> Regards,
> Greg Young
