Need ADSB-in weather receiver recommendation

It's time to get some weather in the cockpit, I need an ADSB receiver for weather that can display on iPad (and preferably also iPhone). I've seen the Skyradar unit used by others, what other choices are out there? Recommendations? Software apps?

I want something semi-portable that could be moved from one plane to another, ideally - and be used by both iPad and iPhone (different pilots) seamlessly.

ADSB in flight weather

I was just looking into the same issue, in flight weather.

check this:
http://www.hiltonsoftware.com/?cr=BanMan&kw=Flash

This seems to be the new hot ticket if you use Foreflight.
http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/category/1035

I'm hoping something like a low cost universally compatable UAT from Garmin will be at Oshkosh. And I don't want to have to carry an I pad in the cockpit, I want traffic and weather on my aircraft display with RS232.

I talked to a Garmin Tech a few months back and he said they are working on a hardware device to go with their GPS units. Something like Stratus but for Garmin.

It would also work with the Garmin pilot app that you can run on Ipad and Android tablets.

That is what i am waiting for. Something that will work with my 7 inch Samsung Galaxy tablet.

ADS-B weather for an existing Garmin 796 or 696 would be my wish for 2012?

(... or a good AirVenture discount on XM)

I would imagine between now and 2020 when the mandate takes effect, you will see numerous innovations. Will be interesting to see how it shakes out. I can't imagine that XM will just crawl away either. Like Walt, I don't want it on my IPad...I want it on a panel device that I fly with.

Pete

I'm now installing a Navworx 600-B. Weather and traffic on both Odyssey screens. Will report back with pics.

Some other recommendations available here

http://adsbforgeneralaviation.com

Also been following this LinkedIn thread which might provide some valuable insight. Seems the iPad/Stratus combo is leading the pack at the moment, but lots more options will be coming if you're willing to wait.

How many of you use an Ipad while flying?

GOING WITH SKYRADAR

for my iPad (WingX) and for my Adventure Pilot iFly 700 and 720 --- the SkyRadar will give me the ability to have weather on both of my units at the same time.

Sagetech has a sweet new unit that will be available at Oshkosh this year:

http://sagetechcorp.com/

I'm interested in the Clarity Dual SV to go with the WingX app I use. It will provide ADS-B weather and traffic, WAAS GPS, and built in AHRS for the 3D Synthetic Vision option in WingX.

No external antennas or cables to worry about, so truly portable if you just want to run off batteries. Also two or more devices can be used with it wirelessly at the same time (such as two iPads, or an iPad/iPhone combo).

I am hoping someone attending Oshkosh this year will report back with a PIREP on this unit. I can't make it unfortunately...

-Dj

Stratus Pirep

I purchased the Stratus ADS-B from Sporty's at SnF. I have flown with it on about a half a dozen or so flights now. Some local flights and about 3 cross country flights. All my flights originate in Oklahoma and if anyone has payed attention to the coverage area for ADS-B you may notice Oklahoma sits smack in the middle of the coverage maps big wide blank area. Basically starting from Dallas, TX and going north to the Canadian border and from the Mississippi river west to. . . well, who knows how far, there is very sporadic coverage due to the FAA decision to save this part of the country for last when setting up ADS-B stations.

In spite of this sporadic coverage I have had some success in using the Stratus ADS-B. It works pretty well when it has a good signal coming from the ADS-B station. However, one of the problems I have faced has been the issue of the unit loosing a GPS signal every now and then. I have plans to contact Sporty's today to inquire into this issue. I have had 2 trips now where I have had spans of time (approximately 10 minutes or so each time) when Foreflight looses the GPS signal from the Stratus ADS-B. Although the WiFi signal is still connected the GPS signal is not working correctly. When this happens Foreflight does not show any GPS information. The times this has happened I have checked in the Foreflight configuration page(s) to determine if the GPS satellite signals are being picked up. I do see on the configuration page there are multiple GPS satellites showing so it does appear they are being received.

I have mixed feelings about the functionality of this ADS-B unit so far. Mainly because I am flying in a part of the country the FAA has yet to set up coverage for. Because of this I get coverage sometimes, others not. Another issue that is affecting the functionality really does not have as much to do with the ADS-B unit as much as it does the iPad itself. The iPad is a very handy tool for flight planning and various other tasks associated with flying. However, the screen brightness in sunlight is absolutely unacceptable. There is no way I would rely on this tablet as a primary flight display. I am not sure how devoted Apple is to developing the iPad to be viewable in sunlight but until they do it will only have marginal functionality in our bubble cockpits. Even when shading the screen and protecting it from direct sunlight it is very difficult to see the screen. Because of this I can understand the posted views about flying with the iPad. I love its capabilities indoors when flight prepping but take it outside in the sunlight and it is almost unusable.

RVbySDI said:

I purchased the Stratus ADS-B from Sporty's at SnF. I have flown with it on about a half a dozen or so flights now. Some local flights and about 3 cross country flights. All my flights originate in Oklahoma and if anyone has payed attention to the coverage area for ADS-B you may notice Oklahoma sits smack in the middle of the coverage maps big wide blank area. Basically starting from Dallas, TX and going north to the Canadian border and from the Mississippi river west to. . . well, who knows how far, there is very sporadic coverage due to the FAA decision to save this part of the country for last when setting up ADS-B stations.

Click to expand...

I've also been using the stratus/iPad combination, but not (so far) in an RV.

I also live in the coverage "hole" in Memphis, but typically am receiving stations by the the time I reach 10,000 feet on the climbout, with cruise altitudes in the high 20s.

METARs, TAFs, Airmets, Sigmets, TFRs, etc come through quickly as expected.

The radar is a little slower, and lower resolution than the nexrad we've gotten used to. It is absolutely adequate for long range "strategic" decision making, but as others have noted, uplinked or downlinked radar is not a good tool for penetrating areas of weather and close-in decision making


I find the ipad to be excellent in an airplane with a metal roof, and ok under an RV bubble canopy. Non-polarized sunglasses are a big help.

My panel works....

AFS 3500
NavWorx ADS-B.

Kent

SkyRadar/GRT EFIS/iPad+WingX working ...

As mentioned, if Foreflight on iPad, you seem to need Stratus.
SkyRadar, Navworx, and Clarity (just being announced) seem to work with WingX.
Navworx has been working on GRT EFIS for some time.
Navworx connected to WingX on iPad via wifi dongle seems to work.

SkyRadar connected to WingX on iPad via wifi and direct connect to GRT EFIS is undergoing test. Seems to be working. See below.

I got permission to share the following images from "pre-beta" software.
"Pre-beta" as in not quite ready for Beta Testing so please don't beat up on Carlos. .... yet ....
<Powered USB hub was required between SkyRadar and **SPORT** EFIS.>

The images were extracted from my "DEMO" file. Orientations and zoom were set to get images. No smoothing of data. Not finished yet.
SkyRadar "S1" (1st generation chipset) and "L" (2nd generation chipset) tested.
Multiple powered hubs tested.

I asked if it was OK to share as they are not finished with the features yet but it does work for gathering the data on the EFIS **AND** sharing the same data stream via wifi to the iPad. And yes, the images were consistent on both displays *and* on my x96 with XM weather.

YMMV

James

The new Stratus software in fore flight allows you to control the LED dim levels

bkthomps said:

The new Stratus software in fore flight allows you to control the LED dim levels

Click to expand...

Yes, that is true, but don't think that resolves the brightness problem. Even with all settings at full bright it does not do enough to make a difference. Don't get me wrong, the screen is viewable in the cockpit but it is just barely passable. Definitely not good enough if you had to use it as a primary display.

ADS-B via Stratus

I am flying with Stratus on the IPAD and XMWX on the GRT HS. The Stratus interface is simple and trouble free (I wish XM had a portable no wire solution for Ipad,) but the ADS-B data has been disappointing. Last week the XM (and look out the window) displayed an intense thunderstorm 8-10 miles in diameter. The ADS-B data showed exactly one pixel of green... this despite both units showing radar age at less than 3 minutes. It is important to note that just because the radar age is current, the data from ADS-B often is old. Despite a pretty decent ADS-B network in the midwest, it has taken me as long as 42 minutes at 11,000 feet to get the regional radar on ADS-B and even on several two hour flight, I have never received a complete US image that wasn't missing several sections of the country. ADS-B data comes in strips, rather than the complete image every few minutes per XM. As advertised, the ADS_B data is very low resolution even compared to XM which has been dumbed down for satellite bandwidth limitations from the 256 level .25 km data we get raw from the actual radars and Baron (XM provider) to the five to six levels and 4km blocks you see in the cockpit. At this point, ADS-B seems like it has potential as the system matures, but is far from a product I could rely on as a single source of radar data. Thus, my new project with have both the XM box and the Nav Worx for backup.

Solution for existing set up

So what is the current expert advice if you have a typical existing system:
D100, D120, SL-30, GTX-327, ADI-2 and 496 with XM weather (and iPad with Foreflight in cockpit).
Last year the advice was wait for things to settle out, this year it looks like there are more options but still no real affordable solution to replace the 496 with the XM weather subscription.

Screenshot of XM and ADS-B

Top half of image is XM weather near Redwood Falls, MN on XM via GRT Efis. Lower half is same time stamp with ADS-B via Stratus/Ipad. There appears to be an entire thunderstorm missing...

Excellent comparison report CopterJohn. Thanks for sharing your findings. I am puzzled about ADS-B not showing the close by red cell but showing the little green one to the west. I have XM on my Aera 560 and found excellent correlation between what it depicts and what I actually see. I use the XM satellite, winds a loft and echo tops a lot which are not shown on the ADS-B data.

Pepe

For those who have a Stratus/iPad setup, where have you mounted your Stratus? I was flying the other day with the Stratus on the dashboard and noticed the ADS-B reception LED would go on and off. I moved the Stratus device off of the dashboard and held it in the middle of the cabin. Every time I made the move, the ADS-B light would illuminate and I would start receiving ADS-B data again. I am working on wiring up an external antenna for the Stratus now to get better ADS-B reception.

bullojm1 said:

For those who have a Stratus/iPad setup, where have you mounted your Stratus? I was flying the other day with the Stratus on the dashboard and noticed the ADS-B reception LED would go on and off. I moved the Stratus device off of the dashboard and held it in the middle of the cabin. Every time I made the move, the ADS-B light would illuminate and I would start receiving ADS-B data again. I am working on wiring up an external antenna for the Stratus now to get better ADS-B reception.

Click to expand...

I have the Stratus sitting on the glare shield dash directly in front of me. I can say this is going to be a problem and here is why. I purchased the Stratus at SnF and received it around May 1. I have flown 3 separate cross country flights with it now. On each flight I have lost the GPS signal multiple times during the flight. After reviewing the specifications closer I discovered the temperature range information. The unit is designed with an operating range of 32 deg F - 95 deg F. Well given the case is black plastic, it is sitting on a black dash and is sitting in direct sunlight under the windshield I think I discovered the reason the unit keeps loosing the GPS. It is overheating and shutting down.

This is a problem considering the unit needs to have a clear view of the sky for the built in antenna to receive the GPS satellite signals. The manual calls for setting the unit on the dash but that is contrary to keeping the unit within the 95 deg F temp limit. So, I am going to have to experiment with what other locations within the cockpit will work for this box. I don't have the answer but I am going to have to find someplace that will work better than on the dash.

Concerning the question as to where I mounted my iPad, I mounted mine on the passenger side canopy rail. It faces sideways from the direction of flight with the screen facing the pilot.



I mounted a RAM mount using the aft windshield frame bolt:

RVbySDI said:

Well given the case is black plastic, it is sitting on a black dash and is sitting in direct sunlight under the windshield I think I discovered the reason the unit keeps loosing the GPS. It is overheating and shutting down.

Click to expand...

Steve,

I found the temp of the Stratus unit to be high as well. I don't need the GPS functionality of the Stratus, so I am planning on mounting it under by map box and using an external antenna for ADS-B.