OK. So it is now firmly established that responsible GA pilots monitor 121.5 if they have a VHF radio to do so. And Area Frequency if they have a radio to do so. And CTAF if they have a.....
Forget about ELTs, 'Band a Lot'. A modern, inexpensive 406 MHz PLB clipped to your belt would have been what you really needed that day. And you'd have had the absolute joy of knowing that you controlled your own destiny.
(That's assuming that you had it registered with AMSA.)