ADS-B advice needed

wera710 · #1 11-30-2016, 02:27 PM

With Navworx more or less off the table for me -- they hiked the price yet again, to $1399, not including all the required peripherals -- and with the FAA B.S. hanging over them like the sword of Damocles, I have to start looking for less expensive alternatives. I fly analog for a reason and prefer it for the type of flying I do. Sport Aviating. You know, the thing the FAA seems to hate now days.

I need to keep my Mode-C transponder. I've no interest or funds available to put $2000 to $5000 more into my panel on a toy I fly for fun, formation, and very occasionally, trips. Navworx was a good solution but with everything required its now pushing $1700 to $1800. Meh. At that price, for me personally, its just not worth it any longer. However, I am stuck on the edge of a Mode-C Vail so I will be forced to get something eventually.

I need whatever ADS-B I get to work with AVARE, an outstanding, easy to use and free Android based app that does everything I need for x-country on my tablet. It needs to work with the run of the mill Mode-C transponders and wifi or Bluetooth to my android tablet. Be nice if it was under a grand.

Can anyone direct me to a system that functions similarly to the Navworx system? A competitor? I was ready to spring for the 600-EXP only to discover another price hike (its now fully double the price since its introduction) and the AD kind of took the wind out of the proverbial sails. Would like to get something in early 2017.

Mich48041 · #2 11-30-2016, 02:55 PM

What brand and model is your current transponder? Models with serial data output will interface easier with ADS-B transmitters.
I advise to wait two or three months to see what happens with Navworx.
Other options are
Aspen ATX100G out & in
FreeFlight FDL-978-TX/L out only
L-3 Avionics LYNX NGT-1000 out only
Each of the above cost about $2000
ADS-B-Out-only will make you legal. Price may or may not drop.
The price of ADS-B-In receivers will surely drop over time.

BobTurner · #3 11-30-2016, 04:04 PM

In all honesty, I think there is nothing available within your price range, especially if you also want ADSB-in (which is not required). I would wait. My home airport KLVK is 28 nm from SFO, just within the mode C veil. But they have always had a waiver available for the mode C requirement (you just go up to the tower and sign it) as long as you come and go immediately out of the mode C airspace. I would not be surprised to see something similar for ADSB-out in 2020. Might something like that work for you? You would of course have to stay below 10,000'.
PS I just put in ADSB-out for a net cost of $1200, but I already had a Garmin 420W GPS.

dougmattson · #4 11-30-2016, 05:58 PM

You know with the purchase of a $8 radio and a $2.50 app Avare has adsb in?

wera710 · #5 12-01-2016, 09:08 AM

lol. Yeah, I saw that article. Avare rocks. The only reason I'd like IN is that if I am being forced to fork over money I have no need to spend, I might as well get something out of it. My Samsung tablet allows me to do that. The expenditure for OUT is still is hard to justify frankly, other than doing it at gun point. Unfortunately, down my way, west of Philly, everywhere we go is pretty much under the Mode-C vail for 10 minutes at least, but well outside the Class B. Traffic is generally not an issue.

As far as equipment. A Bendix/King KT76A Transponder. Radios: Garmin 300XL TSO and King KY97A TSO.

I was totally sold on the Navworx due to the compatibility with legacy panels, but the price hikes are making it less attractive every month. Started out around $800, and now worked its way to up to $1400. Plus the TransMons gadget, and antennas. Guess I'll have to put it off until the last possible day as originally planned. Or move. lol. Thanks for the responses. I just cannot justify a standalone IN receiver if I am going to have to pay for OUT eventually. Was really hoping someone was giving Navworx some competition for us analog guys.

Tankerpilot75 · #6 12-01-2016, 01:42 PM

I purchased at OSH this summer a dual band Flightbox ADS-B "in" receiver and like it a lot. The single 978 band is $200 and the dual band (978 & 1090) is $240. I know from your posting that you use steam gauges, which is okay because that what I grew up on, but the Flightbox besides feeding my ForeFlight iPad, can also feed my GRT EFIS ADS-B data via a serial port hook up. You might check the Flightbox website out to see which apps their system feeds.

Mich48041 · #7 12-01-2016, 02:05 PM

The pingBuddy dual band receiver only costs $150

wera710 · #8 12-01-2016, 02:49 PM

Jim, thanks! It looks like FlightBox works with Avare. At that price it actually makes sense. Cracks me up: $35 for WAAS GPS? Almost makes my spare XGPS160 redundant!

This is why I got into the EAA decades ago. Aviation was getting far too expensive for the average guy. I am glad to see that even in the RV community there are those who can still find a deal. I fly an RV-8 on a Fly-Baby budget. So every time the FAA decides its time to price more guys out of the sport, its nice to see the community come up with these kinds of alternatives. Looks like the FlightBox will do me until 2020.

Doug, I will also revisit the Avare $8 radio article. Do you know anyone who has built it? Seems too good to be true.

woodmanrog · #9 12-01-2016, 03:11 PM

I don't understand why everyone is getting so uptight about ADSB out when it's still 3 years down the road. My guess is that there will be plenty of competition by the last year before the actual requirement. Who knows what will be available in electronic equipment by then. Case in point : we just finished our new plane with what was the latest screen available from Dynon. Well, a month after our first flight, they come up with a newer display. It just illustrates how quickly things change. Just sayin'.

dougmattson · #10 12-01-2016, 06:44 PM

I bought this radio a year ago
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB2-0-Digit...oAAOSwo6lWQbYC
and have been using it since. With the avare pro app which costs $2.50 it works great.
Weather shows all the time but without adsb out there is no traffic unless someone else with out is triggering the ground stations. No different than any other adsb in radio. I use a rooted nexus 7 so with a y cable I am able to charge the tablet and run the radio at the same time. Otherwise you are limited to about three hours on a tablet charge because it powers the radio from the tablet.
There is no building required. Just plug it in. I doubt you will find anything cheaper.