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Certified ADS-B IN and OUT options (also collision avoidance, privacy, etc)

From the thread on hobbies:

Please forward my compliments to all of the PocketFMS team for their dedication. I am a follower and member since 2005 or so. Just these days I try to figure out if ADS-B in can be combined with EVFR , maybe a very short opinion on that ? Vic

EasyVFR can take an ADS-B input from certain devices. There are a few different devices floating around, but one of the best seems to be PowerFlarm.
Link

These come in various forms, but principally there are two types:

1. PowerFlarm Core which is a “behind the panel” type of device. It has no screen of its own, but provides a data output for display on other devices.
2. PowerFlarm Portable which does the same as above, plus has its own screen.

You can get each in different models, but basically what you are looking for, is the full model. It can hear ADS-B signals and display them in EasyVFR on the moving map with their location, relative altitude and trend in altitude.

It will also detect mode C & S transponders, but just their distance and relative altitude. So you don’t see the position of Mode C/S aircraft which don’t have ADS-B, on the map, just a circle showing their range from you (but not direction).

This is all passive technology. So it relies on the other aircraft transponder transmitting its location; it won’t send interrogation signals asking the other aircraft to transmit.

There are other ADS-B receivers that don’t do FLARM or mode C/S, but PowerFlarm seems to be the most complete one around at present.

To get the signal from either PowerFlarm Core or PowerFlarm Portable to EasyVFR, you need an “Air-Connect WiFly” device. This connects into the PowerFlarm, and transmits its data via Wi-Fi to your tablet where it’s picked up by EasyVFR.

I hope that helps! And thank you for your kind words. It’s nice to see the work we do appreciated :)

Colm

EIWT Weston, Ireland
Thanks, Colm,

I am trying to set up some anti-collision system but without applying Flarm hardware. There are USB GNS 5890 ADS-B receivers that feed programms to display airliners on maps. So I wonder if that could be used for EVFR or Skydemon etc. likewise to show transponder equipped aircraft on the respective GPS moving maps. Any chance to make this work without Flarm technology ? Administrations are thinking of making transponders mandatory for all aircraft, including gliders (Switzerland) to be visible to ATC. Flarm does not help with this. So I am trying a workaround to Flarm – but donĀ“t have much of a clue so far ….
There are a few apps to clarify my ideas, sorry, Peter, in case my way of linking is not yet smooth, I will work on that. And I will keep WIFI in mind when tinkering around receivers for EVFR.

Vic

ADS-B on USB SDR RTL
ADSB Receiver Pro
ADSB Receiver

[links converted :)]

vic
EDME

Vic,

Most of those receivers which feed those airlines onto maps, aren’t designed to be portable. They’ll either be a big box and require a main voltage power supply, or they are those TV USB dongles.

The mains power supply will be an issue, an the TV USB dongles (like you mentioned above) would have a lot of problems. Firstly they require a windows PC (perhaps not so much of an issue with Windows tablets now being quite affordable) but they aren’t very good receivers. I have a cheap one feeding FR24, but it’s far from great. It’s very fickle, and I often loose the connection and have to reinstall the stuff (with great difficulty). I can’t imagine trying to use it in the cockpit, with the antenna wires trailing around the place.

You’ll also have to figure a way of getting the signal from one of these boxes to your tablet if it’s not a windows tablet. But as it is, EasyVFR can’t read from one of those sticks. And even my FR24 feeder requires three pieces of software to make it work. 1. A special driver to make the receiver do something it wasn’t intended to do. 2. A program to read the signal and interpret it. 3. A program to send the data to FR24. I can imagine that being a mine field to keep working reliably when you take it apart at the end of each flight.

It is an interesting thought though. It never crossed my mind to use one for inflight use.

Colm

EIWT Weston, Ireland

If all you wish to do is display nearby traffic that has ADS-B Out equipment installed, there are several receivers available in the US that work with iPads etc. Garmin has its GDL39 receivers that display on the Garmin Map App. Of course, in Europe, you will only see nearby aircraft that are equipped with ADS-B Out. Here in the US, the ground stations broadcast mode C transponder targets for non ADS-B compliant aircraft, so one can use this technology for seeing a greater proportion of aircraft, those with ADS-B Out via air to air and those with a Mode A/C transponder via the ground station broadcast. Even so, the best solution is an active system plus ADS-B.

KUZA, United States

Here in the US, the ground stations broadcast mode C transponder targets for non ADS-B compliant aircraft, so one can use this technology for seeing a greater proportion of aircraft, those with ADS-B Out via air to air and those with a Mode A/C transponder via the ground station broadcast.

I wondered how that worked, exactly. Thanks for the explanation.

Of course, in Europe, you will only see nearby aircraft that are equipped with ADS-B Out

I have been pleasantly surprised by how good the range of ADS-B In is. I frequently will be leaving western Germany and get good returns from aircraft on the ground in Brussels at nearly 100nm. Admittedly at FL280 but still for a GDL39 mounted in a pressurised hull with only the internal antenna, it is astonishing.

EGTK Oxford

The current European mandate for ADS-B OUT covers aircraft over 250kts TAS or 5700kg.
If there were STCs in place for GA aircraft covering the various transponder/GPS combinations providing mandate-compliant ADS-B OUT (C166b transponder and WAAS GPS), how many operators would voluntarily equip as there’s no direct in-cockpit benefit?

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

What cost?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Well I did. Already had a Trig txpr and when I fitted a gtn650 it seemed the obvious thing to do. The STC called for a speed switch to automatically switch between gnd and alt so an added benefit.
….and it does show your flights better in flight radar!

EGNS, Other

PeteD

I assume you have an N-Reg aircraft? There’s no current EASA STC for this configuration and the FAA STC hasn’t been EASA-validated.

Last Edited by wigglyamp at 29 Oct 10:31
Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.
221 Posts
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