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INTERPRETING ERROR MESSAGES AND TROUBLE SHOOTING
While most beacon failures are caused by a single problem and will be evident as such, some
failures can cause multiple error indications. For example an unstable transmitter may also
result in a modulation error, and/or an incorrect frequency error, along with a garbled message
and incorrect hex id or location information. Some errors can also be created by incorrect
usage of the tester, as for example by placing the tester too close to the antenna causing the
tester to become overloaded resulting in incorrect measurements and errors. In this case,
relocate the tester further away and retry the test. If a marginal signal error occurs, try moving
the tester closer to the antenna. However, if the distance is closer than normal to get a valid
signal, assuming that the power test was normal, the antenna system is suspect.
USING CONTINUOUS MODE TO FIND AN OPERATING BEACON
The ELT1091A tester incorporates a CONTINUOUS MODE of operation which can be used to
check the radiation pattern of a 121.5 Mhz. antenna installation or to identify the location of a
nearby operating beacon on 121.5 Mhz. The CONTINUOUS MODE can be activated after the
tester is turned on in the field strength mode by toggling the function switch to NEXT (up), and
then to PREVIOUS (down). Subsequent toggling of the function switch (down) will select
between a numeric or bar presentation of the signals strength. Toggling to NEXT will exit the
CONTINUOUS MODE and place the tester in the one shot mode. While either the numeric or
bar presentation will work, the bar presentation is better suited for locating the source of a
beacon. The receivers of the tester are intentionally of low sensitivity to provide a better
indication of a beacons performance. As a result, when trying to locate the source of a
beacon’s signal, for example in a large hangar, it will likely be necessary to move around to the
various possible sources to find the one that provides the strongest or highest reading.
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