Air Coms Emergency Priority Software?

[CaptMoore]

Perhaps I should re-phrase my comment. ELT's no longer send that rising tone on 121.5 when activated and it is not necessary for aircraft to monitor 121.5.

My understanding is very different about the new elt’s. (I work in the aviation industry, as a pilot.)

121.5 is no longer monitored by satellite. However, the new 406mhz elt’s still do put out the 121.5 signal. The reason why is because when CAP or other SAR agencies are close enough they will use local vhf direction finding gear on 121.5 MHz to pinpoint the aircraft/radio.

Here is a link to a modern elt, it includes both a 406 & 121.5 radio:

Artex ELT 345 GPS / 406 / 121.5 With Whip Antenna FAA TSO | Aircraft Spruce ®

Artex ELT 345 GPS / 406 / 121.5 With Whip Antenna FAA TSO The ELT 345 boasts an industry low price for an ELT providing the same quality and performance on which the ARTEX brand was built.

www.aircraftspruce.com

In addition, pilots still report any elt activations heard to atc, as we usually monitor 121.5, the same as before the elt changeover. The big reason why we tend to listen to 121.5 is because of we fly out of range of our normal atc frequency (forgotten handoff, accidentally lowered the com 1 radio volume, for example) it is the frequency atc will attempt to reestablish contact with us on. In an military, interception, entering a restricted area without permission, or other event, 121.5 will be tried as well to make direct contact.

As many aircraft don’t have the modern elt’s (old elt’s are legal to have/use, but must be replaced if/when they break with new 406 units) the aircraft monitoring 121.5 in the area are the only hope the older elt users have if they crash. (Many people now carry personal backup plb radios, but they must be manually activated vs automatically activated by g loads during a crash.)

 

[KK6HRW]

Aviation Emergency Frequency 121.5 is also provided with extra protection as compared to the normal frequency allocation spacing.

 

[majoco]

Quote from the "Piper Owner Society" magazine:

"FCC to Ban Use of 121.5 MHz ELTs Effective in August

PropFan

June 2010 in General Discussion

From AVWeb: The Federal Communications Commission took the general aviation world by surprise when it said in a recent report it will prohibit the sale or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters, effective in August. The Aircraft Electronics Association said it just learned of the new rule today, and has begun working with the FAA, FCC and others to allow for timely compliance without grounding thousands of general aviation aircraft. The 121.5 ELTs are allowed under FAA rules. The FCC said its rules have been amended to "prohibit further certification, manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs." The FCC says that if the 121.5 units are no longer available, aircraft owners and operators will "migrate" to the newer 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs, which are monitored by satellite, while the 121.5 frequency is not."

Note the date - June 2010 so not recent at all - perhaps the proposition by the FCC was shot down in flames by the FAA. The FCC can not make blanket rulings that affect the whole world - this would have to go through the ITU before becoming mandatory.

 

[waynedc]

Then that's definitely not the program I am looking for. This was in use with a variety of analog scanners via the RS232 interface. That software screenshot sure looks like it though...

Probe did work with certain scanners using the RS232 serial connection. I had several Pro-2005 and Pro-2006 radios that were modified to work with Probe. I believe the other one was something like the Pro-2052???

The feature you are interested in is called "Smartscan". Here is some info about it - "You can take this "SmartScan / Priority" feature even further. Let's say you are scanning 100 channels. All of a sudden, there is action on one of your priority channels. As the channel activates and the priority channel is opened for monitoring, Probe performs another computer-controlled action! Remember, the "SmartScan" feature that opened up a preprogrammed bank when just one of the channels became active? Here we are scanning 100 channels at the rate of 60 channels a second, and now your local fire mutual aid channel has suddenly activated. By using "SmartScan", Probe will open your "fire alert" frequency bank and add this full list to the frequencies you've already been scanning! You are there and catching all of the action calls."

I still use Probe v7.0 today with OptoCom radios from OptoElectronics. I run it just fine on Windows 10 using DOSBox. I primarily use it to scan large amounts of MilAir frequencies.

 

[kadras]

Regarding 121.5 ELTs in the US, the FCC regs were finally changed, and took effect, this year.
From the FCC rules:
§ 87.195 121.5 MHz ELTs.
ELTs that operate only on frequency 121.5 MHz will no longer be certified. The manufacture, importation, and sale of ELTs that operate only on frequency 121.5 MHz is prohibited beginning July 10, 2019. Existing ELTs that operate only on frequency 121.5 MHz must be operated as certified.

 

[spanky15805]

kadras...

Man that was some dry reading. I was suprised they (FCC) didn't rule out repairing 121.5 elt's but it sounds like they are just going with the NTIA's 8 year window. Something like 11 January 2027. Anyone here work in an avionics shop, can a repaired 121.5 only elt by certified after 11 January 2020?