The International Cessna 170 Association

Congrats Miles on your Stratus unit. I have several friends that have them and are pleased with their performance. I’m still in a holding mode and I’m seeing other options as we thought we would prior to 2020. 98% of my flying is in areas not requiring it. I have a Scout “IN” receiver and it works well and some times it’s almost scary the number of planes in the air around Murfreesboro (MTSU Aviation students plus others), Smyrna and Nashville. Looking at the TailBeacon unit that’s coming in a few months. Wondering how others feel about vrs units.

I rode along with Wendell Wyborny's Stratus while administering his "Flight Review"... and it was inded an impressive unit but gave me several concerns (not necessarily unique just to Stratus)...

The amount of additional hardware in the cockpit I find distracting... Side-window-mounted receiver unit, I-Pad in the lap,... cables laying across the cockpit... and the pilot spending a lot of time looking down at all the additional traffic that is NOT a threat.... instead of OUT the window for the one that might be! (Remember, ADS-B IN does not detect non-txdr aircraft. Or other obstacles. Thinking now of the sky-diver that shot-past my left wing a few years ago...)

At the present, I'm inclined to a less-expensive version of the GDL-82* types and let the IN-formation clutter be delayed.

* The GDL-82 is a self-contained box that sits between the existing transponder and the txdr antenna and sends ATC the required info. It's presently priced around $2K or slightly less. I'll bet it's down to less than $1K by 2021. (Of course, there's tax and installation to add.)

Just finished the install of a Garmin GDL 82 in my 170B. Easy install and works great with my AT150 transponder. Also, since it is a UAT unit using just a mode C transponder you can use "Anonymous Mode" when not in ADS-B airspace.

I just installed a GDL 82 in a 180. Pretty simple install. Just verify it works with your existing transponder first.

I've been holding out for the price to come down, and so far that strategy has worked. However after 3 near misses in 3 years (2 in Class C no less, thanks ATC!) I'm beginning to think I need to pull the trigger so that I can get the traffic info.

Like George I'm concerned about the extra cockpit clutter. I don't have anything in the panel that will display traffic, and no room to put something. That means a tablet, which I do have. However I typically only use it when going somewhere (I do a lot of local flying), and as George pointed out, that puts my head in my lap and not out the window. I really need to come up some sort of nice holder or mounting system that gets it up closer to the horizon.

I'm an A&P so not worried about the install.

DEM

I was thinking of getting one of these for ADS-B In. It does everything a Stratus 2 does at less then one third the price. It also comes in a kit form if you want to build it yourself. Has anyone had any experience with these?

Karl,

For something to do one day last winter, I built a dual-band Stratux from the separate components I bought on Amazon. I now see that you can buy all of the kit components in one package, or just buy an assembled unit from Stratux (through Amazon) or one or two other suppliers. I also see that the new units have an internal WAAS GPS, AHRS, and a better case. Mine has the external Vk-162 WAAS GPS, no AHRS, and the earlier rather clunky clear case. Fortunately, I can easily update my unit to the new version by buying just the plug-in internal GPS unit (about $15), the AHRS micro board (also plug-in for about $15) and the newer/better case (again about $15) (all on Amazon), and upgrading the software for my SD card via download from Stratux. That's the beauty of the Stratux unit. It's all plug-in and upgradeable. The kit must be built, but really it's just assembly. If you can use a screwdriver and pliers, and plug a few components into USB ports, you can "build" one. No soldering or anything complicated is involved. If you've assembled one, you can assembly another in about 15-20 minutes. It's that easy. If you've never built one, but have basic mechanical skills, you can build one In about 30 minutes. Or you can just buy a pre-assembled unit.

With the caveat that my unit is the only ADS-B in unit I've tried, I can say that it works as advertised. I use it with Foreflight on my iPad. The Stratus unit has a Wifi transmitter, so your iPad or other device needs WiFi capability. There are no wires to your iPad. After I turn the Stratus unit on, I make sure my iPad is pared with the WiFi signal (via the WiFi tab in Settings, and then I open my browser to the url address for the Stratux control page to make sure the unit is working properly. If the settings are correct, traffic and weather appears automatically on my Foreflight map. It's a simple as that. (Weather does not appear for me unless I'm at altitude because reception is line of sight from the towers. But I can turn the unit on from the ground and see any traffic in the area.) You must power down the unit from the control page on your browser before unplugging the battery. The power to the unit is a bit clunky. You need the separate battery pack. I see that they still haven't come up with a case that incorporates the battery pack. The current approach is to use an elastic Velcro strap to strap the battery to the case. I don't understand why they can't come up with a better solution than that. Also, after shutting down the Stratux unit via the browser page as discussed above, you need to physically unplug the battery plug from the Stratux unit. To avoid this, I suggest that you buy a mini USB cable for the battery that has an in-line push-button on-off switch. Saves you from plugging and unplugging the battery cable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LY ... UTF8&psc=1
Again, the Stratux is still a little clunky given its size and the separate battery pack, but It works and you can't beat the price. I understand that at least one of the pre-built units may have a little more user-friendly control page on the browser, but I don't have any personal experience with that one. If they'd just make a case that integrates the battery pack and includes an integral on-off switch for the battery, Stratux would be even better. I don't know if it will be my ultimate ADS-B in solution. But it's good enough for me now (especially after I upgrade it as mentioned above). And I only have about $150 into it.

I hope this helps.

The Garmin 660 is nice if you want something smaller than a tablet. I really like mine. I made a custom mount for mine but I realize not everyone wants to redo their panel. The other option is the L3 Lynx. It has a display and might fit where your old transponder was.

I use a Stratux in my 170 and also at work in a King Air. I like the traffic info as well as the weather and ability to update TAF's enroute. Of course it doesn't satisfy the ADS-B out requirements. Right now I'm leaning toward the Appareo Stratus ESG transponder. I like the GDL-82 idea but I can't see putting it behind my KT-76.

I use one of these: https://www.openflightsolutions.com/ with an 8" Samsung tablet mounted with a RAM mount in an empty instrument hole. I have the basic version right now, but planning on adding their AHARS upgrade when I run it in my Midget Mustang as it'll be primary (currently re-doing the entire panel in the MM1). Only down side for this particular AHARS is there is no real pitot or static info, so you're still getting GPS speed/altitude - so I will still have steam gauges for that as backup.

I'm not part of the iCult, so I run Naviator - which as a primarily VFR operator, works very well for me.

The trick is not all traffic is displayed on these ADS-B in-only units - just be aware and keep your head on a swivel as always.

gahorn wrote:I rode along with Wendell Wyborny's Stratus while administering his "Flight Review"... and it was inded an impressive unit but gave me several concerns (not necessarily unique just to Stratus)...

The amount of additional hardware in the cockpit I find distracting... Side-window-mounted receiver unit, I-Pad in the lap,... cables laying across the cockpit... and the pilot spending a lot of time looking down at all the additional traffic that is NOT a threat.... instead of OUT the window for the one that might be! (Remember, ADS-B IN does not detect non-txdr aircraft. Or other obstacles. Thinking now of the sky-diver that shot-past my left wing a few years ago...)

At the present, I'm inclined to a less-expensive version of the GDL-82* types and let the IN-formation clutter be delayed.
...

The wiring clutter isn’t really necessary. The Stratus 2 ADSB-In unit talks to the iPad via WiFi, so it doesn’t need to be cabled to the iPad, and it has an 8-hour battery, so that does t even really have to be cabled either. I’ve been flying with the Straus 2 on the glareshield down in the lower left corner, and an iPad mini running Foreflight mounted on the yoke as primary navigation for well over 100 hours. I know many do not like the weight on the yoke, but I have no problem with that configuration. There’s even enough tilt adjustment in the mount, and the later model iPad has a bright enough screen, that I can usually adjust out any glare. The way my instrument panel is configured, I could even put a mount for the iPad mini between my DG and CDI without covering any existing instruments.

When the ESG goes in, I will also be installing an interface panel so the Stratus ESG can send data and power to the Stratus 2, obviating the need for the Stratus to be in the window, and won’t even need an external antenna. The transponder and interface panel will be in the lower portion of the left radio bay, and the Stratus 2 ADSB-In unit will be out of sight in the left map pocket or can be mounted on the left sidewall, with no cables to the iPad mini on the yoke. The Stratus unit will even power itself up and down with the transponder.

I thought about the GDL-82, but my existing transponder is 30 years old, so it surprises me every 2 years when passes it’s check. I figure it’s just a matter of time before I need a new one anyway. It looks like Narco AT150’s are bringing .5 -.6 AMUs on the used market, so I’m going to let that be my rebate.

It’s that time to start thinking of 2020.
I’m curious for those who have installed the Garmin GDL-82, where did you mount the box and the GA35 WAAS/GPS antenna? I know there are distance restrictions from GPS and other antennas.
Pictures please if you have them.
Thx