Which GPS ELT fo you use?

[rankamateur]

I know the Kannad does as they are sold in the Recreational Flying Shop, can't say anything about the GME but I presume it does as it is still a PLB

Is the Kannad XS-4 the same unit as the Mcmurdo fastfind 211,looks like it is out of the same box.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Is the SPOT thing legal as per the greater then 50 mile PLB rule?

Complying EPIRB or PLB needs a lot more clarification with regard to the 50nm rule. All sailors on deck have to carry a PLB in the open ocean but there boat still has to have a full(48 Hours) EPIRB to comply with maritime regulations, I am having difficulty believing aviation regulations from CASA(and ICAO) would be any less stringent. Does anyone have a link that clarifies this requirement.

 

 

[Admin]

Is the Kannad XS-4 the same unit as the Mcmurdo fastfind 211,looks like it is out of the same box.

Yes it is

 

 

[rankamateur]

Does anyone have a link that clarifies this requirement.

Found it

 

3.2 Except in the case of a flight that is to take place wholly within a radius of

 

50 miles from its departure point, a 2-place aeroplane to which this Order

 

applies may be flown only if it carries:

 

(a) an approved ELT, or an approved portable ELT, as defined in

 

regulation 252A of CAR 1988; or

 

(b) a personal locator beacon that has been approved by CASA for use with

 

such an aeroplane.

 

Note

 

Regulation 252A of CAR 1988 does not apply to single-seat aircraft (see

 

subregulation 252A (7) of CAR 1988).

 

From http://flysafe.raa.asn.au/regulations/9555.pdf

 

So what does CASA approve of?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

http://aprs.fi/#!mt=hybrid&z=11&ts=1352246400&te=1352332800&call=a%2FVK4KZK-9

 

http://aprs.fi/#!mt=hybrid&z=11&ts=1352332800&te=1352419200&call=a%2FVK4KZK-9

 

This is my flight yesterday the reason it is split is that the program uses UTC as the time divider so it is the same day but is split at 10am our time

 

 

[Ultralights]

On a sadder note, i have been told that the pilot who was lost at Cape York yesterday in his Searay, was found quickly due to the use of a Spot tracker. as i use a Spot tracker, its nice to know they are just as useful as a stand alone Epirb in remote areas of Oz.

 

 

[AM397]

They can be, but I'd much rather rely on a real plb (spot is neither a PLB, nor an EPIRB), which I already do when I'm out rowing (I row on the sea).

 

The basic differences between an EPIRB and a PLB is that the former will have to be able to float and keep transmitting for at least 48 hours. The latter only has to do it 24 hours and does not need to be able to float.

 

A SPOT could very well run out of batteries when you need it the most, and there are plenty of stories of them failing. A good thing (sort of) is the ability to message/track with it (that is, until it doesn't work, the satellite has a short outage or something, leaving people to needlessly worry).

 

So, although much better than nothing, the SPOT is a very different type of animal, it even goes through private satellites/private company, who then contacts rescue services in the country it was activated.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

They can be, but I'd much rather rely on a real plb (spot is neither a PLB, nor an EPIRB), which I already do when I'm out rowing (I row on the sea).The basic differences between an EPIRB and a PLB is that the former will have to be able to float and keep transmitting for at least 48 hours. The latter only has to do it 24 hours and does not need to be able to float.

 

A SPOT could very well run out of batteries when you need it the most, and there are plenty of stories of them failing. A good thing (sort of) is the ability to message/track with it (that is, until it doesn't work, the satellite has a short outage or something, leaving people to needlessly worry).

 

So, although much better than nothing, the SPOT is a very different type of animal, it even goes through private satellites/private company, who then contacts rescue services in the country it was activated.

We need both. There will always be situations where a pilot gets into trouble and hasn't time to activate his personal beacon. Few of our aircraft carry crash-activated beacons, so SPOT or some free tracking service is a good backup. I habitually have Instamapper running on my iPhone, and my wife can always see where I wander off to. It's also useful for post-flight analysis.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I've carried a GME MT403G GPS equipped beacon now for three years. I sourced it through a marine outlet when they first came out, and I think it cost around $285 or so at the time.

 

I am about to go to the AMSA site and update some details on record as they have changed.

 

This year it went to Natfly and Monto and back....hopefully I'll never need it.

 

Prior to that I carried an MT310 for about 12 years...didn't get to use that either ! With the current one it works out at $28.50 a year for GPS accuracy coverage, should the sxxx hit the fan which ain't bad in my book !!! Don't let your details get out of date,..easily updated online with AMSA...............................Maj...