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VFR Panel Upgrade - Budget Build

CurtsRV

I'm New Here
*** Please don't delete, I was honestly not sure where to put this thread because it deals with several of the avionic components and I am looking for peoples opinion and comments on a variety of topics.

Hello Fellow RV Owners!! I am a new co-owner of an RV-6A and I am looking for your ideas and help on upgrading the current panel into a more updated and ADSB compliant aircraft (Existing Panel Image Attached). I will use this aircraft primarily for 1-2 hour fun flights but will use this for traveling on a fairly regular basis. I own a Sentry which I currently use for Traffic and weather solution.

Problem #1 No Mode C or ADSB-Out (Possible Transponder Upgrade)
- I am thinking that I should likely take care of all of this at once in a single unit. My limited research has brought me to the Garmin GTX-335. With the integrated WAAS GPS do I need Diversity or is a bottom GPS antenna good enough for what I'm doing? - Looking for guidance on this one. Please feel free to suggest other products if you believe there is a better fit.

Problem #2 One Radio
- My home airport is a controlled/towered airport so having a monitor function of the second frequency is on the boarder of need to have. I have heard from several people that the GTR-200B is the best bang for buck on a 2 place aircraft. I will for sure need a different antenna if I go down this route.

Problem #3 No heading indicator/DG
- The DG is a gauge that I use a significant amount on cross country flights. If I go down the Garmin G5 route I'm pretty sure I will also get a GMU11. Alternatively, I will just get a standard round DG. I also really like this option as it can be used as a backup Primary display. HELP Please!!!!!

Thank you in advance to all who respond!
Curt - Canadian Pilot who loves flying in the USA.
 

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1) The GTX-335 w/ GPS is a good solution. Garmin sells a package with the antenna. I think its around $3,000. The GPS antenna mounts on the top so it can "see" the satellites. The transponder antenna which you should already have mounts on the bottom.

2) I wasn't clear if you wanted to add a second COM or just replace the one you have. The GTR-200B seems like a nice radio though.

3) The G5 would be relatively easy to retrofit. I have one as my backup and I have flown with it in a rental C172. It seems like a nice instrument. The Garmin system uses a 2 wire CAN bus for interconnect so that the different units can talk to each other. So for example the G5 and a GMU-11.

I'm not that familiar with building a limited system like you are putting together. One thing about using all Garmin components is if you decide to add a G3X screen later you will be able to keep all the components and just expand the system.
 
Assuming you go with Garmin, you could ditch the vacuum system and install a dual, battery backed-up, G5 suite. This, complemented by a GTR225A (25 spacing for EU), is quite a good combination. „Easy“ install, light, no need to mod the behind panel structure, no need for stby instruments, and affordable :)
 

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My advice: since you used the word ‘budget’ in your title, I suggest you remove the word ‘Garmin’ from your vocabulary. For example, a Trig TT22 mode S-ES transponder can be had for less than $2K. Add a $500 GRT gps unit plus altitude encoder and you have a ADSB-out solution. A ‘mini’ efis from Garmin, GRT, or Dynon will get you your DG, plus you can remove the heavy, unreliable vacuum pump and existing AI. It will also serve as an altitude encoder for the transponder. As with the transponder, the GRT or Dynon will save you money over the Garmin. If you really think you need another com, look for a used SL40, a great com. If you want new, look at the Dynon com.
Edit. Looking at your panel photo, blown up, it appears you don’t have a real AI but rather the TruTrac pseudo-AI, which is electric. So disregard my comment about the vacuum pump.
Edit #2. BTW, if panel space is an issue, the TT22 can be remote-mounted and controlled by the GRT mini efis.
 
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Double check all this with your local avionics gurus...
1. If I recall correctly (fat chance...), when I passed a uAvionics display at Oshkosh, it indicated that their tail mounted unit satisfied the diversity requirement. This means that you could keep your existing transponder and just add on their unit for maybe $1,500 US. However, I'm not sure about the UAT/extended squitter details in Canada.

You will need a baro input to drive the ADS-B output. This could be a few hundred bucks -- there seem to be used ones on the market, if you get one that is within spec -- or you could use the G5 for that. IIRC, the G5 encoder output is serial, not 12 wire Gray code.

2. I've been using a single comm radio with standby frequency monitoring for a half dozen years in my RV-9A, even IFR. Works adequately. If I had lotsa bucks, I'd have two comm radios with directional audio panel, but... Not knowing what you have, your existing comm antenna should work with any comm radio. The standby frequency magic is all in the radio, not in the antenna.

BUT... the only time I use the standby monitoring function is when I'm talking to approach control already and need to get the ATIS. If you get the ATIS before you talk to tower, you will not need a new comm radio if the present one works okay.

3. I'll let you confirm this... Yes, the G5 speaks CANbus in a completely integrated installation, but the G5 can function as a standalone unit. If you want heading with your G5, the magnetometer input is serial.

But here's the deal... when you're flying cross country, what you really care about is track across the ground, and GPS gives you that directly. Heading is what you use with a mag compass to approximate ground track and to then make successive corrections to get a desired ground track. If there is no heading input to the G5, either due to magnetometer failure or magnetometer not installed, the G5 displays ground track directly.

BUT... if you don't need the standby gyros and all that, any hand held GPS will give you ground track. I've flown coast to coast in an RV-8 using GPS ground track for guidance, ignoring heading. Trivial. Your existing GPS should be just fine for this, especially with the compass rose displayed. I had the same unit in the AirCam for years and never wanted more.

Yes, when you are receiving radar vectors, you're supposed to use heading. But you've already got a mag compass to handle that. What I did in my old AirCam was to turn to an assigned heading using the compass, see what ground track that gave, and then follow that ground track on the GPS and avoid the bouncy compass.

Bottom line:
1. Possibly a uAvionics tail mounted ADS-B out will suffice
2. Existing comm radio, if it works, should be plenty good enough for VFR
3. Hand held GPS will suffice. No need for a G5 unless you want the attitude indicator function.

Do I get a 10% commission on your savings? :)

Ed
 
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I'm building with a Garmin GTX 45 remote XPDR (also interfaced with GTN 650). This has ADSB in and out in both frequencies so I get weather etc. As far as I can tell, NavCanada has not announced a date for Diversity. I discussed this with my avionics supplier and unfortunately the GTX 45 will not support Diversity. If/when it comes to that with NavCanada it seems my only solution is to change out the remote transponder (to a MUCH more expensive one). Not happy about this. But to make life easier if/when it comes to Diversity, I ran a coax cable up the VS to a rod type XPDR antenna mounted to the top rib underneath the fiberglass tip fairing.
 
Same situation

I was/still am in a similar situation as you. I had an inop encoder when I bought my -4 and had no attitude or DG, just a garmin aera 510. What I've done so far is put in the uAvionix TailbeaconX which is a transponder + ADSB out solution when interfaced with their AV-20 or -30. I also put in the AV-30 so I'd have attitude and G-meter along with airspeed, altimeter and the other things. However, I dont like the vertical speed or airspeed indications as much as the G5 so my plan was/still is to install G5 as attitude and make the AV-30 the DG since itll tie into my aera 510.

I will do the radio at a later date probably, for the same reason as you, but mine still works so I'll deal with the extra workload til I can get the GTR200 with monitor function.
 
Budget Panel

ED
''1. If I recall correctly (fat chance...), when I passed a uAvionics display at Oshkosh, it indicated that their tail mounted unit satisfied the diversity requirement. This means that you could keep your existing transponder and just add on their unit for maybe $1,500 US. However, I'm not sure about the UAT/extended squitter details in Canada.
-----------------------------------
You will need the Tailbeacon X in Canada as it is a dual diversity ( or meets the mandate ) and works on both frequency ( 978 & 1090 ) and either an AV-20 or AV-30 if you don't have an compatible EFIS ( GRT OR MGL ) at a cost of around $4500 Canadian total..

You could sale your current transponder to help minimize the $$$ outlet..

Good luck

Bruno
 
You will need the Tailbeacon X in Canada as it is a dual diversity ( or meets the mandate ) and works on both frequency ( 978 & 1090 ) and either an AV-20 or AV-30 if you don't have an compatible EFIS ( GRT OR MGL ) at a cost of around $4500 Canadian total.
No, the TailbeaconX does not work on both frequencies. The TailbeaconX is a 1090 MHz Mode ES transponder.
 
AZ VFR "budget" Panel

Your mission sounds very similar to mine (VFR), so I thought I would share with you my budget-panel build up.

1) I already fly with my Garmin GDL50 (ADSB-in) displaying traffic and moving map (via Garmin Pilot) on my iPad and happy with that. So, wanted to keep that going in my RV7. Placing the iPad on the panel is new/different. We'll see how that goes. I have a hole in the panel behind the iPad to provide cooling air; not sure yet how I'm going to make that happen. Drilled a 5/8" for snap bushing and was thinking of connecting some sort of blast tube from the air duct. (If anybody has any ideas, let me know). Eventually, that space on the panel can be upgraded to take a G3X vertical mount, maybe.

2) ADSB-out solution is Tailbeacon-X run via AV-20S. Again, Uavionix Skybeacon has been a great solution in my Cherokee-180. Also, the AV-20S provides some back-up features to the Garmin G5

3) Garmin GTR 200B: features the "monitor" mode which monitors the stand-by frequency and that's the only reason I use two separate radios in my Cherokee today (to get ATIS at destination airport, and stay on with ATC. I didn't see the need for two separate radios nor an audio panel).

4) I really wanted auto pilot, so going with the stand-alone G5 and GMC 507.

I may be missing something, but this is where I'm at for now.

Ryan
 

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Thanks for the post
Planning my RV6a panel…have similar intent …so many options. UAvionix seems to be favorable at this point
 
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