[pct-l] Re: gps search technology

[stillroaming@lycos.com (K. Scott Parks)]

The ELT (emergency locater transmitter) in most aircraft
broadcasts on 121.5 Mhz. For several years some
high-end wrist watches have ELT's built in. Aircraft
have been using the technology since about 1970.

The new gps devices (and some aircraft) with ELT broadcast
on 406 Mhz. While the system that uses 406 is a better
system, it will be plagued with the same probs that 121.5 has.

MANY false alarms occur daily on 121.5. Further, in the
event of a real emergency, you can expect a response time
of 48-72 hours, if you're flying without an IFR flight plan;
even then, if it's a small aircraft you can expect the
same.

Once the 406Mhz freq is used by every shmuck with a gps,
it too will become saturated with false alarms and useless for emergencies that require immediate attention.

But what marketing power! And right before Xmas.

Also, I think that all new gps units, like elt's, should require
a 5g impact to set it off. This way the hiker with a locked
stare on the gps will activate the emergency signal only when
they walk off a cliff and not by accident. [tic]

Scott Parks





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