ELT suggestions?

[LetMeFly]

I tried searching the forum for "ELT" and "elt" and it says "no matches" but I see some talk of ELT's here, so something's not working right with the search. Does anyone have a good recommendation for an ELT? I'll need one eventually so I might as well start looking. I'm headed to OSH so I can check some out there, but does anyone here have a strong feeling, one way or another, toward a brand?

Thanks,
Greg

[FoxbuilderWill]

Here's some good for thought:

https://youtu.be/d1YjGLwfYSQ

He goes a lot deeper in the video but even the 406 ELTs only activate about 1/3 of the time in actual crashes and only about 1.5% of activations are actual accidents.

[alexM]

I didn't put exhaustive effort into my choice. My priorities were availability, weight and cost and for my effort I ended up with the Artex 345. After reading about Harlan's recent inadvertent activation I'm not positive it is the best thing out there.

I plan to install the small speaker (aka The Payne Landing Detector) in case it happens to me.

The best way to find me dead or alive is to look for my InReach, so the ELT is just checking a box.

[Eric Page]

I would echo Alex's comments. I plan to have other means of tracking aboard, so the ELT is there to satisfy the Feds. There have been reports of nuisance activations and other types of failures in both of the popular "low cost" ELTs, and neither company is well-known for their customer service when things go wrong. I bought the ACK E-04 because it was cheaper than the Artex 345, and I'm cheap. Potato, potahto.

[Delta Whisky]

I didn't put exhaustive effort into my choice. My priorities were availability, weight and cost and for my effort I ended up with the Artex 345. After reading about Harlan's recent inadvertent activation I'm not positive it is the best thing out there.

I plan to install the small speaker (aka The Payne Landing Detector) in case it happens to me.

The best way to find me dead or alive is to look for my InReach, so the ELT is just checking a box.

I have an Artes 345 with the Payne Landing Detector installed and thankfully it hasn't activated -- - - yet. But, not because I haven't tried.

(My apologies to Harlan - sometimes I just can't resist cracking myself up :D.)

[jiott]

I'm still happy with my ACK E-04 after 8.5 years. Did have a problem with the audio annunciator module, but they quickly replaced it with no hassle good service. Never had a nuisance activation, even with some hard landings.

[LetMeFly]

OK, sounds like a whole hearted "meh" from the crowd. The ACK is currently cheaper and weighs less than the Artex.

Thanks for the input!

[Shadowrider]

I could not recommend the Ack elt. Mine has already failed and had to be returned. My brothers activated in the hangar and had been running all night. Fortunately steel hanger and the signal couldn’t get out. I know of multiple people who have had activations. They have a cheap switch that feels like fisher price built it. You have to buy two battery, one for the remote and the beaper. It’s connected by a phone cord to the remote. Just feels cheap imo. Not sure if the others are better but ack elt feels like something made in China. Sorry guys but just seems cheap and poorly made.

[PapuaPilot]

I could not recommend the Ack elt. Mine has already failed and had to be returned. My brothers activated in the hangar and had been running all night. Fortunately steel hanger and the signal couldn’t get out. I know of multiple people who have had activations. They have a cheap switch that feels like fisher price built it. You have to buy two battery, one for the remote and the beaper. It’s connected by a phone cord to the remote. Just feels cheap imo. Not sure if the others are better but ack elt feels like something made in China. Sorry guys but just seems cheap and poorly made.

Agreed, I have the ACK-04 too. I takes 3 batteries to do what the main battery does with the Artex-345. My remote switch "10 year" battery died after 5 years. I have had one false activation. The phone extension cable got upgraded with a shielded cable to reduce the possibility of another false activation, whereas the ACK-345 can be wired with shielded wire on the provided connectors.