Sport Pilot Talk

(I'm gone. Everything deleted! Can't stand the ignorant data spread here).

Skyguard has just released a new product that conforms to the revised ADS-B language for LSA and Experimental. $1600 for a complete solution (not including antenna): http://adsb.skyguardtwx.com/uatessquawk ... ver-model/

Good to see them active TSO status...

Interesting discussion here starting at Feb 9th 2015 post, before the TSO:
http://adsb.skyguardtwx.com/forum/skygu ... fications/

Key point is that the TSO version is not "portable" rather it is "remotely installed"...
that is part of satisfying the FAA TSO... and requires a LOA.

Things have been dead for awhile on SPT and I'm contemplating becoming ADS-B Out 2020 Compliant. Some may benefit from a bit of research I've done. I know many will want to wait until the last minute but that's not my direction. I already have ADS-B in with a GDL-39 displaying on my 795 which works very well. I also have a version one Skyguard UAT Transmitter that wakes up the ground stations that will no longer do so once an FAA software upgrade goes into effect after January 1, 2016. Skyguard will update my unit for $50 to continue to wake up the ground stations. I will need to replace this particular unit to be 2020 compliant. Various options:

* Trade in Skyguard unit for a new one that does 'AutoSquawk' detection. This would require two externally mounted UAT/1090 antennas. The transmit-only product has not been released. I'm guessing the cost will be around $1500 + $200 for antennas. Not overly enthusiastic about adding 2 more antennas.

* Navworx ADS-6000 EXP. Total cost for everything need to install is $1500. Interfaces directly with the GTX-327. Install one external fin antenna.

* Freeflight Rangr Lite. $2000 all-in. Install one external fin antenna and interfaces with the GTX-327.

* Garmin GDL-84. ~$4000 with one external antenna. Does require 2 panel mounted switches (turn on/off privacy mode and ADS-B transmission) and an annunciation panel.

* Appareo Starus ESG Transponder. $3500. Replacement for my GTX-327 and would reuse existing antenna. 1090ES solution so would be compliant for outside the US. Single box solution.

* Garmin GTX-330ES + GPS-20A. $3500 + $850 = $4350. Slide in replacement with an added serial connection to the GPS antenna. Not as clean as the ESG with two physical boxes.

Part of me is leaning towards a transponder for a long-term solution as this reduces complexity by removing a box and one (or more antennas). Of course it costs 2x more.

For UAT, I would tend to move away from Skyguard as this is a more complex installation (for me).

.......

That's what I did. $50 upgrade for now and 2020 is a long ways away, with cheaper options evolving.

Unless something changes in ADS-B land, I will probably go with the GDL-84 solution. I'm using Garmin Pilot and drank the Garmin Kool-Aid, so it should work well for me. Less so for folks using ForeFlight or WingX (or no iPad at all, if we can imagine such a thing!).

I'm not so sure about hoping for prices to drop. A remote ES transponder runs about $2500 today and around $3500 with a panel control/display. Hasn't changed much in 8 years. An ADS-B position source shifts this up around $500. UAT looks to be hitting between $1500-$2000. My point is that ADS-B solutions are already on par with similar avionics.

Also keep in mind that a GTX-327 still has value today whereas it will not in 4 years. The net price drop, if there is one, may be less than the trade-in value of current avionics. One thing to consider that supply and demand may actually drive costs UP if one gets too close to the deadline.

Financially -- it's all a guess at this point.

That being said, I'll probably upgrade the firmware on my current box and wait for the Stratus to pass it's testing.

MrMorden wrote:Unless something changes in ADS-B land, I will probably go with the GDL-84 solution. I'm using Garmin Pilot and drank the Garmin Kool-Aid, so it should work well for me. Less so for folks using ForeFlight or WingX (or no iPad at all, if we can imagine such a thing!).

I liked this solution as well -- Garmin has always been a solid solution for me. What I don't like is the annunciator and switches that are required by Garmin unless you have G3X.

dstclair wrote:

MrMorden wrote:Unless something changes in ADS-B land, I will probably go with the GDL-84 solution. I'm using Garmin Pilot and drank the Garmin Kool-Aid, so it should work well for me. Less so for folks using ForeFlight or WingX (or no iPad at all, if we can imagine such a thing!).

I liked this solution as well -- Garmin has always been a solid solution for me. What I don't like is the annunciator and switches that are required by Garmin unless you have G3X.

Different strokes...I actually like that there are some controls for it, and that I can flip a switch to go into anonymous mode.

Are normal transponders anonymous?

Mode A and C are anonymous. Mode S transmits your acft's ID.

And then there are the mysterious little black boxes that avionics shops sometimes find with no record of installation. The kind where big brother has been tracking the airplane. With those you think your anonymous, but your not. Even with the transponder turned off.

3Dreaming wrote:And then there are the mysterious little black boxes that avionics shops sometimes find with no record of installation. The kind where big brother has been tracking the airplane. With those you think your anonymous, but your not. Even with the transponder turned off.

More info about this please!
What aircraft have these been found on?

designrs wrote:

3Dreaming wrote:And then there are the mysterious little black boxes that avionics shops sometimes find with no record of installation. The kind where big brother has been tracking the airplane. With those you think your anonymous, but your not. Even with the transponder turned off.

More info about this please!
What aircraft have these been found on?

It was in the news somewhere several years ago, but I don't remember where. They were found on airplanes that they thought might have been involved in the drug trade at some point. They had been wired into the aircraft systems somewhat crudely from what I remember.