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ADS-B on Funkwerk TRT 800H?

We're installing a Funkwerk TRT 800H transponder on our Eurofox.

The manual mentions ADS-B output capability, but there's no information on requirements for GPS data input.

Is anyone clued-up on the GPS requirements to support ADS-B output? Would it have to be WAAS capable, which is unlikely with our planned fit?

Swanborough Farm (UK), Shoreham EGKA, Soysambu (Kenya), Kenya

The installation manual, page 32, lists a few GPS receivers e.g. KLN89, KLN94, GNS400. Clearly no need for WAAS.

The unit appears uncertified for ADS-B out, which may or may not worry you. The manual says it is uncertified under FAA, for sure.

You may want to check compatibility with the maker of your GPS, referring them to that page.

However, my experience is that if, following installation, it doesn't work, you will be left on your own.

Also I don't know how you could test it. There probably are ADS-B testers around but not where you or I are based...

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Thanks for the info, Peter. Our manual didn't mention the GPS receivers. But ours is compatible (NMEA).

Would something like this be a waste of time for testing?

Swanborough Farm (UK), Shoreham EGKA, Soysambu (Kenya), Kenya

That's very funny

I have heard of the cheapo USB TV receivers being capable of picking up ADS-B packets...

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Yes indeed, RTL2832U-based TV receivers (preferably with R802T tuner chip) can be used to pick up ADS-B. You need two pieces of freeware, ADSBsharp and ADSBscope. I have this one; haven't tried it in flight but can see lots of traffic from my home using the antenna that came with it.

LKBU (near Prague), Czech Republic

If somebody can knock up a simple laptop-attached Mode A/C/S transponder tester with this, they are going to make a mint. Lots of people have duff transponders or duff altitude encoders.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

It looks as though it's been achieved.

What don't I see? Or don't I get the joke?

Swanborough Farm (UK), Shoreham EGKA, Soysambu (Kenya), Kenya

What is the point of a GA aircraft adding ADS-B in Europe? Is it used anywhere by ATC? Here in the US, the FAA will not permit the use of ADS-B that is compliant with the FAR 91.225 and 91.227 requirements unless the unit is TSO'd to C166B (1090ES) or TSO C154C (UAT), and has an STC that includes a compliant position source (any GPS will not do, even if it is WAAS). Field approvals are permitted if they use identical equipment and wiring based on an STC installation in another aircraft type. Equipment that complies with earlier versions of the TSO than the version required by 91.225 can use whatever they want for a position source as the FAA does not ever plan to use their position reports for surveillance, so they are use at your own risk until Jan 1, 2020.

KUZA, United States

What is the point of a GA aircraft adding ADS-B in Europe?

That PowerFLARM would see you (reasonably).

LSZK, Switzerland

Almost nobody powered has Flarm currently, but as it doesn't cost anything, why not radiate the data?

The only people who will see you (and potentially take any notice) will be Flarm users (a few gliders at present) and the flight tracking community with boxes like this. ATC won't use it.

In Europe, we have already had some farcical rules over what can and cannot be radiated. Take the Elementary v. Enhanced Mode S stuff, with the former aircraft being banned from radiating "too much stuff" (even though there is no evidence ATC care at all, or even see it in most cases) and one prominent avionics shop owner having gone on record saying he has to revisit hundreds of planes and disconnect the GPS-GTX330 connection (which was done to get auto AIR/GND switching). All the while any Mode S equipped plane visiting Europe was radiating everything from its GPS anyway...

If my KLN94-GTX330 connection had ever worked (it never did, despite it being in the GTX330 IM, and me having paid £500 to have the wire put in by another prominent shop) I would happily radiate the GPS lat/long on Mode S, which I believe an ADS-B receiver would also pick up.

I wonder why the FAA is so fussy about the data source. What is their genuine concern?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
19 Posts
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