What's gonna happen to CAP?

"Dan Luke" wrote:

"Ron Lee" wrote:

...there is NO (zip, nada) mandate for GA to transition to 406 MHz
ELTs.

True, but:

http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/phaseout.html

If I'm down, I want a satellite to pick up the beacon, pronto.

I have a GPS equipped 406 MHz PLB that I can activate and is far
better than my ELT (121.5 MHz). Plus I can take it hiking, driving,
boating, etc.

Ron Lee

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:15:40 -0700, Jay Honeck
wrote in . com:

My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

Do you mean Emergency Location Transmitters instead of transponder

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

The can continue to jot down all the N-numbers of aircraft at airports
and report them to the DEA as usual.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?

They may get updated radio equipment, and continue doing SAR.

On Sep 19, 3:16 pm, Larry Dighera wrote:

They may get updated radio equipment, and continue doing SAR.

BTW: Our radio equipment already monitors 3 freq one is the 406 today.

-Robert

Jay Honeck wrote:
My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"


Without even reading the other responses, I can say authoritatively that
the CAP has many other roles that they do: counter drug surveillance,
fire watch, post-disaster aerial survey, photographic reconnasaince and
"aggressor aircraft" penetration roles.

Also, the 121.5 mhz ELT's are not going away. They are just not going to
be monitored by satellites. If an ELT goes off and a non-satellite
method of detection occurs, the process of tracking it down still gets
initiated. Overflying aircraft and ATC are the most likely sources of
this activation (you DO keep your other radio tuned to monitor 121.5 as
suggested by NOTAM, right?)

I joined my local CAP chapter and was in for about a year. My reasons
for becoming inactive were my time constraints, not anything lacking on
the part of the local squadron. I intend to re-apply when things are
more amenable to my participation. I am still on the mailing list, and
keep up with all the region and squadron event announcements - sorties,
training, etc.

Dave

Jay,

Are you only thinking about Search part of SAR and not Rescue part? We will
still need the ground teams to go rescue and render aid to the crash victims. We
can still look lost children. There is also Drug enforcement and wild fire
missions. Last year, we put on a lot of hours in on wild fire missions.

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:15:40 -0700, Jay Honeck wrote:

My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?

GeorgeC

Point of Information.

The new ELT's will also transmit a low powered 121.5 MHz signal. The idea is
that the new ELT's satellite positioning will get you close enough to use 121.5
DF equipment.

You can still use you old ELT. You just won't get satellite monitoring after 1
February 2009.

GeorgeC

On Sep 19, 8:15 am, Jay Honeck wrote:
My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?

Also, its interesting to note that CAP has been doing a fair amount of
406 hunting. It seems that thought these new units provide better data
than the 121.5 they still need to be found. I just got an email a
moment ago concerning a request from the USGC in helping locate a 406
unit that was going off in their area. All CAP aircraft and ground
teams have 406 locating equipment on board.

-Robert

Also, its interesting to note that CAP has been doing a fair amount of
406 hunting. It seems that thought these new units provide better data
than the 121.5 they still need to be found. I just got an email a
moment ago concerning a request from the USGC in helping locate a 406
unit that was going off in their area. All CAP aircraft and ground
teams have 406 locating equipment on board.

So much for the claim that the 406's can be located from space, eh?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"