Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 12 of 12

Thread: ELT mount location

  1. #11
    Cary's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Fort Collins, CO
    Posts
    255
    On the other hand, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that neither Spot nor Spidertracks is monitored except by whomever you designate--and what if you have no one doing that? Or what if the someone you have designated is less than curious about your trip progress? Or they're busy doing something else? I can imagine the conversation. "Mom, how's Dad's trip going?" "I don't know--here, let me check the computer. Oh gosh, it says that he stopped somewhere in western Utah. I wonder why he's there? That was this morning. I wonder why he hasn't called? Well, we'll check on him again in the morning." The point is that nothing calls "designee's" attention to the trip stopping, other than the end of the bread crumbs, and why it stopped is anyone's guess, unless the user can send a message to "designee".

    The, of course, "designee" has to know who to call--and how many of us have given "designee" that information? Or for that matter, do we know, ourselves? You can bet that the average 911 operator doesn't know.

    Then there's the annual fees, in addition to the equipment cost, which are a turn-off for some: Spot is $100 per year, Spidertracks is minimum $120 plus a 10 cent charge per "position report".

    On the other hand, a 406 ELT or PLB is a one-time purchase, and there are no annual fees to use the SAR network, which is monitoring 24/7. For an extra $40/year, you can still send a message to Mom that you're OK through 406Link.

    Cary
    "I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...,
    put out my hand and touched the face of God." J.G. Magee

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    3
    Here is the central difference between ELT and SPOT/Spider. ELT has a 30% chance of raising the alarm whereas SPOT/Spider has virtually 100% chance of leading SAR services to the scene of the accident or off-field incident.

    Yes, if you don’t have your act together the satellite breadcrumb tracking devices might involve a long delay before the alarm is raised. As a practical matter, this is not the way it works. There is an escalating process for raising the alarm - and the user is entirely free to set up that system as they see fit. Generally speaking, most pilots set up a two-tier alerting system. The first alert goes to a few competent and interetsed family members, pilot friends, or your local FBO or dispatch office - and that alert includes calling cell phones, text messages, email messages, or whatever. If no formal alarm is raised within 15 minutes then the second tier alarm goes out automatically. This will usually be direct to the emergency services of your choice. With a little care by the user, it is inconceivable that the alarm won’t get out reasonably quickly. But the greater point is that there is almost 100% probability that the location will be known, instead of a 30% chance with ELT.

    I must add that the new breadcrumb technology is not yet fully mature. There is room for improvmeent but it is already pretty sophisticated. For example, Spider has an instant alarm capability if the pilot presses a button in the air or if the position reports quit mid-flight - so no need for the observers to watch the flight every second on the website.

    As for overall cost, well we all have to assess the value proposition as a matter of personal freedom. For most of us this will not be a deciding factor because ELTs carry hidden costs such as batteries and testing and antennas.

    Just as with any other revolution, iterative improvements can be expected. But the point remains the same - breadcrumb tracking is a concept that is dramatically better than ELT if saving lives is our goal. I recommend that we all resist putting lipstick on that aged pig!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •