I sent an email to the builder last night about the elt. He told me one was installed at first, but he later removed it for his next build project. He included a photo which explained the odd, empty, mount bracket behind the baggage compartment. My question now is on the regs. It states that "new" installations must be with a 406mhz radio. If I put the same make and model elt back in the same bracket, does that still count as a "new" install?

I don't want to give the impression of being cavalier about safety, but here in western Indiana we are one big emergency landing field. I mean corn or beans by the square mile only separated by straight roads. But we have enough aviation around that a 121.5 beacon would be heard instantly.