Garmin G3X, Trutrack GX, GTN650, SL30 and Zaon Pirep

[AirbusPilot]

Hi Folks,

I am just flying my RV-8 after panel upgrade, I am amazing with Trutrack autopilot, I flew an ILS to runway 17L at SCEL, they asked me to maintain full speed because traffic, so we flew ILS at 180 Kts and Trutrack hold the app without any problem see video http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WWxnDY0FQME

G3X and Trutrack works a lot better than expected I give them both a 10.

Zaon works really good showing traffic (we don't have TIS or ADS-B in Chile or Southamerica), I mounted Zaon on left wing tip, sending signal to G3X via RS-232. I will give Zaon a 8.

I have two Bob archer antennas, one on each wing tip, hey are working fine on VOR and ILS on both radios GTN650 and SL30. I will give antennas a 8.

SL30 is an amazing nav/com, measure transmit power is 12 watt. I will give a 10

GTN 650 is an amazing GPS but no so good nav/com compare with SL30, measure transmit power is just 8 watt, it pickup more interference than SL30 (I can hear music from a local station when flying over city, but just on GTN no SL30) also I am able to hear and be hear further on SL30 without interference, same happens with VOR. I have two Rami AV-17 antennas mounted on the belly. So by price and performance I will give a 6 to GTN650, I think they need to upgrade nav/com hardware.

Cheers,

[Brantel]

I would double check your install and VSWR on the 650 COM system, cables and antenna. Something is not correct there....

[AirbusPilot]

Here is my antennas

[AirbusPilot]

[AirbusPilot]

Originally Posted by Brantel

I would double check your install and VSWR on the 650 COM system, cables and antenna. Something is not correct there....

Hi Brantel,

Yes I hired an avionics shop to test my antennas and GTN 650 was transmitting 8 watts and return loss was almost 0, the guy from avionics shop said that was very good. SL30 was transmitting 12.5 watts and return loss was 0.5, avionics shop guy said it was ok. Performance on communication and navigation is better on SL30, both have same kind of wires, coax and antennas. Also I think SL30 is a lot better rejecting interference.

I really would like to think GTN is better than SL30 but at least on my plane I think is not. I was also considering to sell my SL30 and get a new GNC radio but with what I found on my testing I will stay with SL30 as a top performance backup radio.

Cheers,

Fernando

[Brantel]

The SL30 is only rated at 8 watts minimum. The standard GTN 10 watts minimum with an option for 16 watts minimum.

You sure they did not get their numbers crossed up?

[AirbusPilot]

Originally Posted by Brantel

The SL30 is only rated at 8 watts minimum. The standard GTN 10 watts minimum with an option for 16 watts minimum.

You sure they did not get their numbers crossed up?

Brantel, do you have VSWR number for you radios, maybe we could compare, we have similar setup, so they should be similar

[Brantel]

I have an antenna Analyzer and a cheapo VSWR meter which I am not sure I would trust....

[Walt]

As a poing of reference, I have found the SL40 (same comm as the SL30) to have an average output power of around 12 watts, this is certainly better than the "average" radio.

[HSANTIBANEZ]

May be the problem is between the GTN and the seat jajajaaj

Originally Posted by AirbusPilot

Brantel, do you have VSWR number for you radios, maybe we could compare, we have similar setup, so they should be similar