Malibuflyer wrote:
Any recommendations for an inexpensive source to get one?
I bought it at a marine online “hardware store” here in Norway. Those shops typically have lots of different versions as well as good deals on some of them. Elsewhere in Europe I have no clue, but perhaps some Swedish/Danish/UK/German/French/Dutch online shop. I would definitely not start looking at some aviation outlet, but perhaps some stores focusing on hiking equipment got some good deals?
I bought mine from Mendelssohn. (gps.co.uk ) Fresh, not with battery life already part spent in shop storage. I considered a local marine supplier, who also does internet sales. Mendelssohn was cheaper.
I bought exactly the same as LeSving a few years ago for our outdoor activities (flying, diving, travelling) at https://pilotshop.nl. (now listed at 280€)
Battery is still good till 2024. I am thinking of buying an InReach Mini when the battery of the PLB needs replacement for 2-way communication.
No registration fee for the PLB in Belgium as far as I have found.
Did the registration through https://www.406registration.com/ where you can easily update the information based on what you plan to do (eg provide details on vehicule, plane,…). You can also find the Beacon Registration Contact Information for all (?) countries.
I bought exactly the same as LeSving a few years ago for our outdoor activities (flying, diving, travelling) at https://pilotshop.nl. (now listed at 280€).
Me too. No annual fees in The Netherlands.
Can owner replace ELT battery and/or fly with expired battery?
We are approaching the battery expiration date on our ELT. I’ve ordered a new one, but wondering if:
I guess it depends on the type of ELT if you can replace the batteries yourself or not.
We have switched to PLBs which are cheaper. They have some disadvantage and some advantages compared to an ELT.
dutch_flyer wrote:
We are approaching the battery expiration date on our ELT. I’ve ordered a new one, but wondering if:We can continue to fly “on condition”?
Does it invalidate your TC or TCDS?
If not, then you can disable ELT and fly with portable PLB in NCO if your aircraft has less than 6 pax, see, NCO.IDE.A.170
The PLB has to be registered and have Cosmicheskaya Sistema Poiska Avariynyh Sudov something 
PS: check individual EASA countries AIP, especially GEN1.7 for ICAO differences or ENR for requirements, as they may have extra (ahem illegal with no real basis) requirements on top of those in NCO for EASA aircraft, send AIS an email if you think they made a mistake
Also see “Threads possibly related to this one” below.
I would say PLB batteries can be 100% legally owner-replaced. And lots of people do this, despite attempts by mfgs to frustrate this and sell ridiculously overpriced battery packs / servicing packages.
The fixed ELTs are a different thing. Probably not legal to owner-service, although practically speaking same as above
What I don’t know is which if any of these need some kind of setup afterwards. This would help and would avoid any config
Regards flying with an expired battery – that depends on whether you know about it 
You just can’t get the Annual if the fixed ELT battery is within x months or years of the expiry date.
It the question relates to an aircraft maintained under part ML, the answer is simple:
Either ask your CAMO (if you chose to have it under a CAMO) or read the AMP that you wrote yourself. It’s written there if you are allowed to do this or not.
If you did not list it yourself as “on condition item” and/or did not put the exchange in the owner maintenance section, then you must not do it.
Well, yes, but there are airspace regulations, and State of Registry regulations, which can require an ELT, and reasonably presumably it needs to be a working one, not just a dud one being carried. For example an N-reg needs a working 121.50 ELT, worldwide.
Also I don’t think you can write your own maint regime which allows a TSO/certified item to be DIY-serviced.
