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Kannad Integra ELT installation

werxcv01

Well Known Member
I am considering replacing my Ameri-King ELT with a Kannad Integra Ameri-Fit retrofit kit. Does anyone have experience with the installation of the Kannad Integra? I understand it has a built-in GPS, but I don’t understand how it receives a signal. I know you can connect an antenna such as the AV-200 to send the 121.5 and 406 signals, but in my -8, it will be installed behind the rear baggage area, so would not have a view of the sky. The current Ameri-King uses a whip antenna mounted under the rear of the canopy and I would like to use a similar setup for the Kannad. I believe I can pull a GPS location from my GRT SX200, but I would prefer not to get into rewiring behind the panel.
 
The Integra has what amounts to two internal antennas... one for GPS reception and one for 406Mhz transmission.

Note the internal 406 antenna is a BACKUP antenna ONLY. An external antenna must be installed in order to comply with the TSO approval of the unit. That external antenna must be one of the antennas listed in the Integra installation manual - no other substitutes are acceptable as they will invalidate the TSO approval.

The internal "backup" antenna is there for two reasons. Firstly, if your installation is compromised during the crash sequence causing loss of connection to the external antenna, the unit will sense this loss of connection and revert to using its internal antenna. Secondly, if one were to remove the ELT from the aircraft for some reason post-crash, the unit would be able to transmit using its internal antenna. This might come in handy in a situation where the aircraft is sinking in water or perhaps about to slide off a mountain precipice. Again, note the ELT will transmit on its internal antenna ONLY if no external antenna is detected.

As for its internal GPS, it uses a flat patch antenna mounted in the top surface of the unit under the manufacturer's label. Ideally this surface of the antenna would point upward and have clear visibility of the sky through an RF-transparent surface like a fiberglass fuselage or a polycarbonate canopy. Again, like any GPS, a view of the sky is necessary. The GPS only powers up AFTER the ELT is activated and is powered by the ELT's internal battery, not ship's power.

I hope this explanation provides a better understanding of how the unit works. I've installed an Integra in my own aircraft as well as Compact AF models in my other aircraft as well as those of several other owners. They have all been rock solid.
 
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Thanks for the explanation which is helpful to understand how the unit functions but it raises a few more questions. As I stated, in an RV-8 there is no good place to install the ELT with a sky view, so I would have to provide a way for the unit’s internal GPS to get a location. I plan to install the external 121.5/406 dual band antenna, but I don’t believe that would serve the unit’s GPS. From reading through the installation manual, it does not appear that I can just add an external GPS antenna but would have to pull a GPS location from a panel mounted GPS. Am I missing something?
 
As EAB, does a TSO apply in the US?

George

There are several threads that have covered that discussion. As I understand it 1) EAB’s with more than one seat must have an ELT. 2) Said ELT must comply with the applicable TSO.
 
You're not missing anything... There is no facility by which to connect an external antenna to the GPS receiver inside the ELT.

As for the question around TSO... Yes, even experimental aircraft must conform to TSO installation requirements in order to be in compliance with the FARs. There aren't many areas of equipage where amateur-built aircraft have to comply with TSO's - ELT's are one where there is no relief from the TSO requirement, period. Werxcv01 nailed that one squarely on the head with his response.
 
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