ADS-B WAAS Source Decision

Hello.
I am weighing the choice between using an existing Garmin GNS-430W unit as my ADS-B WAAS source vs. buying a stand-alone ADS-B WAAS GPS antenna.

Adding a serial data wire to the Garmin's rear connector would cost less, but I have some concerns about the lack of redundancy.
If the GNS-430W needed to be shut down, I would be losing more than just primary navigational GPS data.

What are your thoughts on flying with a single-source GPS WAAS device vs installing a stand-alone ADS-B WAAS antenna?

Thanks,
Dale

I would use the 430 and move on... Lack of ADS-B position redundancy is extremely low on my worry list.

+1. Unless you are planning on some sort of switching arrangement, you?ll be dependent on one gps source, whatever it is. Wire it to the 430W and move on.
PS. Make sure your 430W software is new enough to offer an ?ADSB+? output.
PPS Working on that connector, you wish you had 3 hands.

Dale D said:

What are your thoughts on flying with a single-source GPS WAAS device vs installing a stand-alone ADS-B WAAS antenna?

Thanks,
Dale

Click to expand...

What exactly are you referring to as a stand-alone GPS WAAS antenna that will provide ADS-B?

Walt said:

What exactly are you referring to as a stand-alone GPS WAAS antenna that will provide ADS-B?

Click to expand...

Walt,
By stand-alone GPS WAAS antenna, I?m referring to a GPS antenna that is dedicated to providing position data to whatever ADS-B device I end up installing.

Probably poor wording on my part.
Regards,
Dale

The absolute last failure I care about while flying is ADS-B. In or Out.

BobTurner said:

+1. Unless you are planning on some sort of switching arrangement, you?ll be dependent on one gps source, whatever it is. Wire it to the 430W and move on.
PS. Make sure your 430W software is new enough to offer an ?ADSB+? output.
PPS Working on that connector, you wish you had 3 hands.

Click to expand...

+2 for using the G430W. It is EXACTLY what I did back in 2013 and am glad I did.

Use the 430W

I used the 430W as my GPS source when I installed my GTX-345. It wasn't hard but there was a lot of learning involved.

The advantage for me was that I made the other connections necessary to allow the 430W to display both ADSB traffic and weather. That required some additional connections between the 430W and the 345.

Had I not been making the other connections, I might have used a separate antenna so as to avoid opening up the 430W connectors and figuring out all the wiring requirements.