I still like the KX-170B's one of the best GA Nav/Coms ever made. I thought I died and went to heaven when I started flying an airplane so equipped in 1976, As for this ADS-B, I think for a lot of light aircraft owners it's a good solution. We had heads up on this for a long time.
Thanks for posting. The Stratus ADS-B out-equipped transponder install was running ~$5k all-in last summer so this does sound like half that amount which is a major help.
I'm not in love with the idea of the ADS-B being reliant on the position light switch rather than the radio switch but this is a nice budget friendly alternative.
I had this installed on my '71 177B, the Cardinal uses a non-standard position light and needed an adapter to mount it, this information was available to uAvionix when I order the unit but they didn't tell me about the adapter so this delayed installation by about two weeks until they sent the part, a small piece of plastic slightly larger than a ping pong ball and costing $100 plus shipping and tax. I don't have wing tip strobes so that wasn't an issue. The installer made an error in the paperwork, seems that I have the only 177B made by Piper, I caught that error, the FAA had approved it, apparently giving it the same intense review they gave to the Boeing 737 trim system. I had to return all the bad paper to the FAA before they'd issue new paper, apparently they like to hide their mistakes. I called the local FAA tower and asked if I could do an flyby check of the system and they assured me that they could, I did this two days later, the controller indicated that all was fine and the ADS-B was giving all the right information, I then asked that they provide the paper report on line, well they couldn't do that, thus closing the window on my $500 rebate. Weather and product delivery delays had eaten the available time, not me or the installer. This all reinforces the FAA motto, 'we're not happy until you're not happy' since had I know they couldn't do the report, I would have flown to another area that could do it. Price-wise it is a little cheaper than having the box inside and I was concerned about how much panel real estate this was going to take. Installation was pretty expensive since my plane was snowed in for most of the winter and the installer came to my airport rather than do the job at his, my hanger is on a grass strip and they generally don't plow grass.
Henry, you can get a report of your flight from the FAA at: adsbrebate.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx If you had flown within the mandated ADS-B out airspace for 30 minutes or more. If you passed the report this is what you use to collect a rebate if you had reserved one.
Just wait till you have to pass a successful PAPR. We've had nothing but issues with Mode 3 failures with the installs we've done on 3 Cessnas. It's a trial and error process in adjusting the monitor threshold.
Yes! I noticed this Archer still has an old cavity tube transponder. As these age, they will fall out of calibration. It would have been smarter to install a used GTX-327 ($300) and a GDL-82 for ADS-B out.
So when the nav lights are off you no longer have ADS-B out? And the FAA signed off on that? There actually are people in aviation who try to get away with things they should not and this is one of them!
Thanks for the report including the body mike sound but in sections both have distortion, possibly because of over modulation (level too high?) and/or an impedance mismatch.
This is a good video as far as the real-time install estimate. Some other websites are advertising it as a "less than 10-minute installation." I’ve installed several of these as well as several panel mount ADS-b transponders. It is the easiest and simplest installation available but I can assure you it’s not a 10-minute installation, even just the physical part. Most airplanes require some minor modification to make it fit properly so figure a minimum of 30 minutes up to 2 hours for a more complicated install like a Beech or Rockwell airplane or others with covered nav light assemblies. It will take 10+ minutes just to read and understand the instructions for a first-time installer. Then add another 15+ minutes for downloading the app to a smartphone and programming. The 337 and associated research and mailing prep will probably take an hour minimum. It’s a great little system but advertising it as a 10-minute install is misleading.
But that’s all the owners hear, so when the bill is higher than 10 minutes, a fit is thrown. Welcome to aviation maintenance, where you won’t spend money on your hobby.
Thanks for another very interesting and professional video, always enjoyable. One small point tho, wouldn’t it be even better to wire it up to the nav light circuit instead of the strobes? That way it simply comes on without an extra checklist item and thus no chance of missing it being turned on. Just a thought. Thanks again, timely info as usual.
Philip Byrnes It IS wired to the nav light circuit. It has to be a must-be-on switch in order for the ads-b to be transmitting. A lot of people don’t bother with the nav lights during the day. The skyBeacon will require a change of habit. The strobe on the other hand, is optional. If your airplane doesn’t have strobes, simply cap and stow the spare wire. If your airplane does have strobes , you have to take the strobe light generator out of the circuit. Also worth mentioning, the skyBeacon also works fine with 24 volt systems.
I have installed a couple of these that required a gap fill. I made a blank that covered the original opening out of 1/8" thick carbon fiber plate. I sealed the plate to the wing tip fairing and mounted the SkyBeacon to that plate. It looks good and is structurally good.
Be careful on using the Nav light wire on an aircraft with say gear lights (or any other indication lights that dim with the Nav light switch). The 3 green gear down lights dim and can't be seen with the Nav lights on during the day. ATC is NOT going to be happy if you turn your Nav lights off (and thus the ADS-B) in the pattern so you can see your 3 green indicator lights...
It's funny, in Canada, you don't need anti-collision lights during the day. We also have more strict regulations in terms of licensing and as a result, a lower GA accident rate.
Hi thinking installing one of these on our Warrior. I do have a question wrt the the wiring of the strobe. Our aircraft also employs the Whelen power supply to drive the strobes. The circuit of the strobes looks to be around three hundred volts. Did you pull the 12 volts for the strobe from the Whelen power supply if so which output on the power supply did you use and were was the power supply installed on the aircraft you worked on. Cheers, and thanx
If your aircraft has the option for independently switched strobe/nav lights and the leads are not easily identifiable when the light mount is removed, is it important to determine which lead gets connected to which in the Skybeacon?
@@merlepatterson wouldn't that switch already be connected to the nav or strobe on the other wing? So then wouldn't you think if you connected the skybeacon to the wrong wire, it would make a difference? I mean, I guess you could have one nav light and one strobe come on with each switch, but that seems a little cartoonish.
@@8literbeater I was think they both come on independently as pairs? I was just thinking if the switches were there, might as well hook things up accordingly? Probably no big deal though.
GomoDRiL This type of ADS-B transponder “sniffs” the reply from the panel mounted mode 3A/C transponder. It detects the pulses being transmitted by that transponder on 1090MHz and decodes the squawk code and pressure altitude (that came from the altitude encoder wired to the transponder). It then rebroadcasts this information, along with its own position, ground track and velocity, on 978MHz (UAT freq).
From what I've read about how ADS-B works, it would appear to me that it violates our 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination... I wish someone would take it to court... I really don't like the idea that these 3-letter agencies can come up with basically new LAWS without any Congressional oversight... These agencies need to be put down HARD when they try crap like this...
This is almost worthless. You show very little of the actual install. And the option of connecting the strobe and position light to the one power wire wasn't mentioned. Sheesh. So, if you don't have a strobe you can still use the Skybeacon strobe. Position light and strobe light wires from Skybeacon gets twisted together and connected to the one power wire from the plane. And no 337.
Not sure what you meant by no 337. The video didn’t cover it, but it is important to note that IF a flight test (OFE) is used to verify ADS-B out performance, TWO Form 337s should be filed. One is to document the installation IAW the STC and the other is to document ADS-B out performance meets 91.227 performance requirements. www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/installation/media/ADS-B_Out-In_Installation_Tech_Paper(9-25-17).pdf
I connected the red ADSB wire and yellow strobe wire to the position light 12volt supply wire and the ground wire to ground, this allows the position light switch to power both the ADSB and the strobe.
ADS-B no matter of what stripe means losing your privacy and no more autonomy. There's LOTS of airspace to fly in without spending money and besides that "SEE AND AVOID" never works with your eyes inside looking at glass gadgets.
How is it a loss of privacy or a loss of autonomy in anyway? Are you demanding the right to cause a midair? Please show me where the constitution guarantees a right to both aviate and intentionally create a hazard to others?
I still like the KX-170B's one of the best GA Nav/Coms ever made. I thought I died and went to heaven when I started flying an airplane so equipped in 1976, As for this ADS-B, I think for a lot of light aircraft owners it's a good solution. We had heads up on this for a long time.
i first learned to fly out Windham in 1990 , 1800 hrs later Living in florida i miss that airspace
Thanks for posting. The Stratus ADS-B out-equipped transponder install was running ~$5k all-in last summer so this does sound like half that amount which is a major help.
$5000 will buy a lot of AvGas!
I'm not in love with the idea of the ADS-B being reliant on the position light switch rather than the radio switch but this is a nice budget friendly alternative.
Paul Pelletier dead link
TWO GRAND is not budget friendly. They're making a KILLING on their gadgets for the aviation consumer.
I had this installed on my '71 177B, the Cardinal uses a non-standard position light and needed an adapter to mount it, this information was available to uAvionix when I order the unit but they didn't tell me about the adapter so this delayed installation by about two weeks until they sent the part, a small piece of plastic slightly larger than a ping pong ball and costing $100 plus shipping and tax. I don't have wing tip strobes so that wasn't an issue. The installer made an error in the paperwork, seems that I have the only 177B made by Piper, I caught that error, the FAA had approved it, apparently giving it the same intense review they gave to the Boeing 737 trim system. I had to return all the bad paper to the FAA before they'd issue new paper, apparently they like to hide their mistakes. I called the local FAA tower and asked if I could do an flyby check of the system and they assured me that they could, I did this two days later, the controller indicated that all was fine and the ADS-B was giving all the right information, I then asked that they provide the paper report on line, well they couldn't do that, thus closing the window on my $500 rebate. Weather and product delivery delays had eaten the available time, not me or the installer. This all reinforces the FAA motto, 'we're not happy until you're not happy' since had I know they couldn't do the report, I would have flown to another area that could do it. Price-wise it is a little cheaper than having the box inside and I was concerned about how much panel real estate this was going to take. Installation was pretty expensive since my plane was snowed in for most of the winter and the installer came to my airport rather than do the job at his, my hanger is on a grass strip and they generally don't plow grass.
Henry, you can get a report of your flight from the FAA at: adsbrebate.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx
If you had flown within the mandated ADS-B out airspace for 30 minutes or more. If you passed the report this is what you use to collect a rebate if you had reserved one.
Just wait till you have to pass a successful PAPR. We've had nothing but issues with Mode 3 failures with the installs we've done on 3 Cessnas. It's a trial and error process in adjusting the monitor threshold.
Yes!
I noticed this Archer still has an old cavity tube transponder. As these age, they will fall out of calibration. It would have been smarter to install a used GTX-327 ($300) and a GDL-82 for ADS-B out.
So when the nav lights are off you no longer have ADS-B out? And the FAA signed off on that? There actually are people in aviation who try to get away with things they should not and this is one of them!
Is there a reason you can't have your position lights on in the daytime?
An aircraft with say gear lights dim when the Nav lights are turned on and then can't be seen with the Nav lights on during the day.
Wow, such a simple solution to meet the mandate… Thnx for this great/helpful vlog...
Thanks for the report including the body mike sound but in sections both have distortion, possibly because of over modulation (level too high?) and/or an impedance mismatch.
This is a good video as far as the real-time install estimate. Some other websites are advertising it as a "less than 10-minute installation."
I’ve installed several of these as well as several panel mount ADS-b transponders. It is the easiest and simplest installation available but I can assure you it’s not a 10-minute installation, even just the physical part.
Most airplanes require some minor modification to make it fit properly so figure a minimum of 30 minutes up to 2 hours for a more complicated install like a Beech or Rockwell airplane or others with covered nav light assemblies. It will take 10+ minutes just to read and understand the instructions for a first-time installer.
Then add another 15+ minutes for downloading the app to a smartphone and programming.
The 337 and associated research and mailing prep will probably take an hour minimum.
It’s a great little system but advertising it as a 10-minute install is misleading.
But that’s all the owners hear, so when the bill is higher than 10 minutes, a fit is thrown. Welcome to aviation maintenance, where you won’t spend money on your hobby.
Thanks for another very interesting and professional video, always enjoyable. One small point tho, wouldn’t it be even better to wire it up to the nav light circuit instead of the strobes? That way it simply comes on without an extra checklist item and thus no chance of missing it being turned on. Just a thought. Thanks again, timely info as usual.
Philip Byrnes It IS wired to the nav light circuit. It has to be a must-be-on switch in order for the ads-b to be transmitting. A lot of people don’t bother with the nav lights during the day. The skyBeacon will require a change of habit. The strobe on the other hand, is optional. If your airplane doesn’t have strobes, simply cap and stow the spare wire. If your airplane does have strobes , you have to take the strobe light generator out of the circuit. Also worth mentioning, the skyBeacon also works fine with 24 volt systems.
@@TenMinuteTrips You can also hook the strobe wire to the nav light wire. You can turn the strobe on / off through the App.
Using the app only allows you to SET strobes to ON/OFF while not moving.
How was gap filled?
I'm guessing Plastic Body Filler (like Bondo but for plastics) and/or 3M Plastic Repair.
The install did leave us with this gap... Which we will ignore for the rest of this video. Seriously, not one more word.
I have installed a couple of these that required a gap fill. I made a blank that covered the original opening out of 1/8" thick carbon fiber plate. I sealed the plate to the wing tip fairing and mounted the SkyBeacon to that plate. It looks good and is structurally good.
Thanks for the informative video. Question: is it best to have ADS-B IN and OUT? Thank you to all that answer.
With IN you can see all the planes that are properly equipped around you. I'm going to have it for sure.
@@Pantdino Yes, but you can get IN with an iPad and an associated IN receiver such as a GDL 39'.
Be careful on using the Nav light wire on an aircraft with say gear lights (or any other indication lights that dim with the Nav light switch). The 3 green gear down lights dim and can't be seen with the Nav lights on during the day. ATC is NOT going to be happy if you turn your Nav lights off (and thus the ADS-B) in the pattern so you can see your 3 green indicator lights...
So they are making it mandatory to run nav lights even in daytime?
It's funny, in Canada, you don't need anti-collision lights during the day.
We also have more strict regulations in terms of licensing and as a result, a lower GA accident rate.
Max U don’t forget, fewer operations could result in fewer incidents.
Michael Autry yes, but it’s measured at a rate per 100,000 hours
Hi thinking installing one of these on our Warrior. I do have a question wrt the the wiring of the strobe. Our aircraft also employs the Whelen power supply to drive the strobes. The circuit of the strobes looks to be around three hundred volts. Did you pull the 12 volts for the strobe from the Whelen power supply if so which output on the power supply did you use and were was the power supply installed on the aircraft you worked on.
Cheers, and thanx
I was waiting for a solution on the extra 450v line coming from the whelen hv ps other than 4 new leds...
And also the open gap...
They call that a strobe?
Ok, so how did you fix the gap?
I;ll wait for the tail unit to be approved. An ipad and wifi works to program too?? No smart phone :)
It shows as approved on the FAA website
Yes, the installation app is on my iPad as well as my iPhone. WiFi signal for the setup is generated by the skyBeacon.
Since when do you have 12v ?
If your aircraft has the option for independently switched strobe/nav lights and the leads are not easily identifiable when the light mount is removed, is it important to determine which lead gets connected to which in the Skybeacon?
I guess that would depend on whether or not you want to be able to turn it on when you want it on.
@@8literbeater It would make sense if there's a switch in the cabin?
@@merlepatterson wouldn't that switch already be connected to the nav or strobe on the other wing? So then wouldn't you think if you connected the skybeacon to the wrong wire, it would make a difference? I mean, I guess you could have one nav light and one strobe come on with each switch, but that seems a little cartoonish.
@@8literbeater I was think they both come on independently as pairs? I was just thinking if the switches were there, might as well hook things up accordingly? Probably no big deal though.
@@merlepatterson strobes are always on their own switch.
Do you need a 337?
How do you order the report ?
I was there when it was installed
where come GPS Speed, Position etc from?
@Etienne and baro height? 🤔
GomoDRiL
This type of ADS-B transponder “sniffs” the reply from the panel mounted mode 3A/C transponder.
It detects the pulses being transmitted by that transponder on 1090MHz and decodes the squawk code and pressure altitude (that came from the altitude encoder wired to the transponder).
It then rebroadcasts this information, along with its own position, ground track and velocity, on 978MHz (UAT freq).
You can do a DIY one for $120
Only on an experimental - not on a certified aircraft, they must be STCd
From what I've read about how ADS-B works, it would appear to me that it violates our 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination... I wish someone would take it to court... I really don't like the idea that these 3-letter agencies can come up with basically new LAWS without any Congressional oversight... These agencies need to be put down HARD when they try crap like this...
This is almost worthless. You show very little of the actual install. And the option of connecting the strobe and position light to the one power wire wasn't mentioned. Sheesh. So, if you don't have a strobe you can still use the Skybeacon strobe. Position light and strobe light wires from Skybeacon gets twisted together and connected to the one power wire from the plane. And no 337.
Not sure what you meant by no 337.
The video didn’t cover it, but it is important to note that IF a flight test (OFE) is used to verify ADS-B out performance, TWO Form 337s should be filed.
One is to document the installation IAW the STC and the other is to document ADS-B out performance meets 91.227 performance requirements.
www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/installation/media/ADS-B_Out-In_Installation_Tech_Paper(9-25-17).pdf
@@Stepclimb
You are correct according to AFS-360-2017-1. I wonder how many owners, IAs aren't filing the second 337.
Screw driver and a couple butt splices.
I connected the red ADSB wire and yellow strobe wire to the position light 12volt supply wire and the ground wire to ground, this allows the position light switch to power both the ADSB and the strobe.
ADS-B no matter of what stripe means losing your privacy and no more autonomy. There's LOTS of airspace to fly in without spending money and besides that "SEE AND AVOID" never works with your eyes inside looking at glass gadgets.
How is it a loss of privacy or a loss of autonomy in anyway? Are you demanding the right to cause a midair? Please show me where the constitution guarantees a right to both aviate and intentionally create a hazard to others?