Just to make this clearer. It's 406 Mhz ELTs, with an associated 121.5 tx, that will become compulsary in the UK. COSPAS/SARSAT will cease to process 121.5 and 243 MHz in 2009 (not 2025 as previously stated). This is due to the unaceptable false alarm rate on these frequencies (approx 99%!!) The 406 Mhz ELTs are all given a unique identification code that should be registered, by aircraft or operator, with the relevant national database. The UK database is presently held at the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre, RAF Kinloss. Registration is essential as 406 Mhz ELTs are normally detected by a Geo-stationary sattelite with a footprint of 1/5 of the globe, that will NOT give positional information. The position will later be obtained by the next pass of a Low Earth Orbiting sattelite and should be resolved to within 5 Nm, the 121.5 tx will only be used to localise the position by the SAR boys.
Yes they are expensive, but only 2 weeks ago an EPIRB (the mandatory maritime version of an ELT) helped to save 18 lives within the UK Search and Rescue Region.
No I don't work for a beacon manufacturer!!!