David Paule
Well Known Member
I was looking over the installation manual for a transponder. Sure, it's getting a bit ahead of things, since I'm still on the empennage, but that's okay. The transponder has the capability to respond to surface movement radar on the ground. There's a manual switch setting for that, but if the airplane has a squat switch then it's automatic. RVs don't seem to have squat switches.
I used to play with robotics. There are ultrasonic proximity sensors readily available and for all I know, laser ones too. You can even build your own - here's a link to a schematic and article. This one detects up to about six feet, and three or four feet ought to be enough.
The idea is that something like this can be hardwired and installed, and trigger that mode of transponder operation when on the ground, automatically. I suppose it would also tell the transponder that it's time to switch to altitude reporting, too.
Dave
I used to play with robotics. There are ultrasonic proximity sensors readily available and for all I know, laser ones too. You can even build your own - here's a link to a schematic and article. This one detects up to about six feet, and three or four feet ought to be enough.
The idea is that something like this can be hardwired and installed, and trigger that mode of transponder operation when on the ground, automatically. I suppose it would also tell the transponder that it's time to switch to altitude reporting, too.
Dave