Brief Description: Install ELT, antenna, and remote
There's quite a story behind this ELT. I've waited for 7 months for Aircraft Spruce to stock this ACK E-04 ELT and finally I purchased it from VAN's when I was visting my daughter and son-in-law in Monmouth OR. When I got home from OR guess what was setting on my doorstep. Aircraft Spruce shipped without first confirming I still needed the ELT. It's been a mess getting it shipped back to them since the UPS-dude left it outside on my doorstep and the box got wet so it looked unserviceable from Spruce's standpoint. In the meantime I installed the VAN's unit and it appears I now have my first reported airplane crash (and I wasn’t even flying). When I installed my brand spanking new ACK E-04 ELT, I inadvertently turned it on it when I took this picture. The ELT has this nifty little orange plug in the front which forces the switch either "on" or armed when you push it in. Some days I'm definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer because I didn't figure this out prior to today. The satellite picked up the signal two days ago and this afternoon I had a note on the door to call the aeronautics division. It took a little bit of explaining but at least I don’t have to pay a fine for stupidity. Guess I’ll have to buy a new battery for the danged thing since it’s been telling everyone I crashed in my garage this weekend and has been broadcasting for two days. I imagine I’ll be the FAA poster-boy for a little while. I guess I should be thankful the dumb thing works. Next I'll probably find out I measured the ELT antenna placement incorrectly and my sliding canopy won't open correctly when I finally get that installed. I hope I didn't mess that up too, but if I did...C'est la vie.
