Originally Posted by
Coagie
I keep hearing these "expert" commentators on TV, saying they don't know why the 406mhz signal hasn't been detected from at least one of the ELT's, while they are talking about the plane being in the Indian Ocean. It's because 406mhz won't go through water!!! The ELT is for a crash on land. Why can't at least one of them know this? Most of them are experts on many aspects of airplanes and crashes, but they shouldn't make out like the ELT's will work through water!
Now I'm puzzled, why are ELTs activated on contact with water then? Given 71% of the earth's surface is water there's a good chance you need ELTs to transmit from or through water isn't there? And these 406MHz ones are the latest type?
[ EDIT - I now understand that it's the CVR/FDR that are fitted with an underwater locator beacon not the ELT, apologies ]