ADS-B uavionix updates

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Kyle Wolfe
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by Kyle Wolfe »

c170b53 wrote:wish they would produce a 1090 unit
Or get Canada to acccept the 978 MHz. :lol:
Kyle
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rupertjl
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by rupertjl »

the tailbeacon is also an ADS-B IN/OUT vice the skybeacon which is just OUT
1950 170A: N9191A s/n 19366
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

rupertjl wrote:the tailbeacon is also an ADS-B IN/OUT vice the skybeacon which is just OUT
Just looked at the online info. Might have missed it. But I did not see any info that would confirm this is a ADS-B IN, just ADS-B OUT just like the Skybeacon.
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daedaluscan
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by daedaluscan »

c170b53 wrote:wish they would produce a 1090 unit
Me too
Charlie

1956 170B C-GDRG #27019
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rupertjl
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by rupertjl »

My mistake Bruce, I must have got my info crossed from previous research. I went back and checked and you are correct they are only showing it as ADS-B out solution
1950 170A: N9191A s/n 19366
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170C
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by 170C »

Wonder what their IN solution will be for those who go with the tail beacon? Certainly wouldn't want to have to put the talked about wing tip on the RH wing. Don't know if the Scout unit or some of the other mfg's IN units work properly once the wing tip OUT or tail beacon OUT are installed.
I,too would hope Canada might accept the 978. Then if we had a wing tip or tail beacon we could fly up to Host Jim's 170 Convention. (Hint, Hint :D )
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GAHorn
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by GAHorn »

The latest (second-hand) report from another Member who visited recently with uAvionix regarding the right wingtip ADSB-In (skySensor) feature is...that it is not expected to be available (for certificated aircraft) after all due to the shutdown complicating and adding cost to certification issues. The experimental aircraft can use it, however, as they do not require the certification.
I have no idea how anyone would know that you were operating your ADSB-In on your certificated aircraft using a non-certificated ADSB-In device. :? (Dick Lemmon is spinning.)
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flyboy122
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by flyboy122 »

Hi All,

I installed my skybeacon today and thought I'd update everyone on how it actually worked and what it really took.

Installation in theory is pretty straightforward. Remove existing light, cut wire, crimp on new wire, and screw the unit into the existing holes. However I did run into a couple minor issues. I don't know about all 170's, but on mine the existing position light was held on with sheet metal screws into sheet metal nutplates, but the skybeacon uses 6/32 machine screws. Since it's all plastic and really expensive, I didn't want to screw around with alternate hardware. So I removed the wingtip, drilled out the nutplates, and riveted on some new 6/32 nutplates. Fortunately my Dad built an RV and has all the riveting equipment, not mention a hardware drawer that happened to have some spare nutplates.

This, however, brought to light the second issue. I realized that if I crimped the wires together it would make future wingtip removal a real pain. I remove my wing tips every other year for ACF50 treatment, so I needed something that could accommodate that. Fortunately Dad also had a spare molex 3 pin connector kit. I substituted the crimp splices uavionix provides with that and it worked great. This also gave me the added benefit of having something to capture the third (strobe) wire, as my airplane does not have strobes. If I choose to add them in the future, it will be as easy as pinning the wire from the wing and sticking it in the connector. For the ground the instructions say it will ground through the screws, but since I had that nice 3 pin connector and a ground wire on the unit, I went ahead ran a ground wire to a hole in the wing rib with some spare tefzel wire I had laying around from another avionics project.

Once mechanically installed I programmed it. I used my iphone, and the app is in the apple store for free. The skybeacon generates it's own wifi, so you just connect and then open the app. It's pretty intuitive, and there are about 7 or 8 things to configure. The instructions walk you through this, and it only took a few minutes. I'm not really an app or a computer guy, so I was relieved that it was pretty straightforward.

Last was the paperwork. Uavionix has a sample 337 on their website that I downloaded and filled out for my plane. The most time consuming part was finding the hexadecimal code, which you can get if you look up your N number on the FAA registry. I'm an A&P so I did all the paperwork and logged it myself. A local IA looked it over and signed it.

All told I probably had about 2 man hours into this. It would have been less than an hour had I not had to change the nutplates or chosen to do the wiring a bit differently. If it sounds like I'm complaining above, I'm not. This was a really quick and easy installation, and those minor issues are par for the course. I actually did this over 2 weekends, as the first weekend I discovered the screw issue, so I took the wingtip off and down to my Dad's shop for riveting. I did all the on plane work in an unheated hanger in WI, and I'm thin blooded, so if it really was anything more than quick and easy I'd be whining to you all right now. :)

I did my test flight this afternoon, got my report tonight (that took 5 minutes), and applied for the rebate. Time will tell how the skypbeacon holds up, but as far as installation goes I'm very satisfied.

DEM
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rupertjl
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by rupertjl »

Dem,

what did your threshold value end up being that you programmed in the app? I think i have some Transponder/Encoder issues that have me failing the Mode 3A portion of the verification flight and I'm trying to survey the installed units different threshold values.
1950 170A: N9191A s/n 19366
flyboy122
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by flyboy122 »

rupertjl wrote:Dem,

what did your threshold value end up being that you programmed in the app? I think i have some Transponder/Encoder issues that have me failing the Mode 3A portion of the verification flight and I'm trying to survey the installed units different threshold values.

I used the preprogrammed values for pretty much everything. I think I set the speed at 30 kts.

DEM
R James
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by R James »

I plan on purchasing the uavonix tail beacon nav light as soon as they get the FAA approval. I will post a report as soon I get it and installed.
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bgiesbrecht
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by bgiesbrecht »

R James wrote:I plan on purchasing the uavonix tail beacon nav light as soon as they get the FAA approval. I will post a report as soon I get it and installed.
Please let us know. I'm seriously considering this one as well.
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brianm
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by brianm »

I completed my skyBeacon install tonight. Actually getting the unit on the airplane took me about 90 minutes, including driving to the other side of the airport to pick up a spare ring terminal after I screwed up crimping the first one. It was raining that night so I came back the next evening to push the plane out on the ramp and check that it was acquiring a GPS signal and receiving the squawk and pressure altitude from my transponder. It was easy enough to set everything up through my iPad. I did have to change the Transponder Monitor Threshold setting from the default 35% to 27% to get it to receive the squawk reliably.

Finding time to meet with my A&P IA to get the paperwork done was the hardest part of the install, ended up taking about 10 (mostly unflyable) days. With that done I made an attempt at a validation flight yesterday morning. I'm based inside the O'Hare Mode C veil so I didn't have to go anywhere to find "rule airspace". I flew about 45 minutes just enjoying the morning, landed, and requested my PAPR report. It was clean except... 26% failure on Mode 3A reporting. The skyBeacon wasn't relaying my squawk. The uAvionix FAQ said that lowering the Transponder Monitor Threshold a few percent should fix it, but a snow storm was coming and I had plans, so I put the plane away.

This evening I was back out at the airport. Connected the iPad to the skyBeacon, turned the threshold down to 23% and went for a nice 35 minute flight. After I landed I requested another PAPR report and it came back completely clean. 0% failures in all categories. My rebate check should be on its way. My total time invested in this project was about 2 hours for the install and 1:15 flight time.
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rupertjl
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by rupertjl »

Update on my saga for the SkyBeacon install:

Was failing 100% Mode 3A on the PAPR. Took it for a VFR check and when the tech went to trouble shoot an intermittent mode C report on his box, the darn transponder moved. It wasn't locked into the tray! Well we continued the VFR check and the transponder still was intermittent on Mode C only but okay on Mode A & C report. Couldn't pass my VFR check so i told him I'd have the transponder sent out but checked the ADS-B signal on the phone app and it was picking it up. So on the flight back I went high enough to know it would get picked up on a PAPR request and sure enough, i passed the report with no failures. SO, i'm good with the rebate requirements but not good enough to pass the 2 yr VFR check. As a side note, i set the threshold at 35 for the flight back.

I'm going to see what some avionics shop think about repairing my current KT76TSO and also looking for a cheap one someone pulled that is already verified from a shop. hopefully the $500 rebate will cover the cost to fix the transponder.

I want to be happy but still a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth ;-)
1950 170A: N9191A s/n 19366
Steve
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Re: ADS-B uavionix updates

Post by Steve »

My Uavonix sky beacon install could not have been easier. Rebate on it's way.
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