Doug -- Is battery type an FCC issue or an FAA issue? Seems FCC shouldn't care, but FAA very much cares that the unit have stringent battery life/reliability specs.
With a rechargeable battery that spec would be lost. Even with zero leakage, when was it last used and when was it last recharged?
Perhaps a non-FAA compliant PLB could be made for non-aircraft use that uses a rechargeable battery, but would it be in the manufacturer's interest to make it? Who gets blamed when the rechargeable isn't and the battery fails?
Thinking out loud . .
The FAA has nothing to do with PLBs. The FCC basically just adopts the RTCM PLB standard which incorporates and builds upon COSPAS-SARSAT standards. This is an RTCM SC110 issue and any changes will come via SC110/COSPAS-SARSAT.
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