ELT issues

January 31 has come and gone. That date was when the International Cospas-Sarsat satellites stopped receiving signals from Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) operating on the 121. 5 and 243 MHz frequencies. Not everyone, however, has changed to a unit that can transmit on the 406 MHz frequency.

Beacons like ELTs have been around in one form or another since WW2. They can assist in helping to locate downed aircrew as well as seafarers. In more recent years the size and cost of ELT units has dropped so that they can be carried by general aviation aircraft.