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SkyEcho - low cost ADS-B (approved UK only)

ADS-B privacy posts moved to the ADS-B privacy thread here

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I would like to pull up this old thread again. Skydemon supports it via GDL90 and they not only display Ads-B targets but also display weather via UAT. The website states:

„Where is this going?
We hope worldwide! Regulatory agencies are viewing EC devices as an affordable solution to increase the safety of national airspace systems by providing pilots with greater situational awareness. The UK is the first, EASA soon to follow – from there – who knows? As far as the product goes, we will plan our roadmap based on feedback from our customers and hope to deliver a more integrated product in the future.“

If EASA is soon to follow we may soon have a viable „free airborne weather“ standard in Europe.. if the GBP600 gives me „some“ traffic (w/o gliders admittedly) and subscription-free weather I‘m in..

EDLN and EDKB

Link to CAA announcing ads-b experiment :
https://www.caa.co.uk/News/ADS-B-can-help-reduce-airspace-infringements-and-mid-air-collisions,-says-CAA/?catid=4294967430

The last SD update makes it compatible with skyecho and announces that SD HQ started broadcasting weather data on UAT 978 MHz.
CAA looks ahead of its european counterparts on ADSB.

If weather broadcasting is developped, I would seriously think about buying a dual band stratux or a skyecho !
It now seems compatible in Europe. I guess in receive only mode, it can work also in the US.

Last Edited by Jujupilote at 05 Oct 07:21
LFOU, France

This week’s update on SkyEcho 2 approval from UK CAA:

SkyEcho 2 CAA Approved local copy

Last Edited by NickP at 14 Dec 16:19
Stapleford, United Kingdom

Does this device pick up the 24 bit aircraft ID from the Mode S transponder (if one is present) or is there a configuration for it, so one could configure the ID which is published for your G-reg on G-INFO?

What I am thinking is how would a TAS/TCAS1 system merge the two targets.

Reading @wigglyamp ’s post above my question is answered if this device is permitted only on aircraft without a Mode S transponder. But this is clearly the next stage:

uAvionix Corporation today announced that its SkyEcho Electronic Conspicuity (EC) devices will
shortly be cleared by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to transmit ADS-B data on 1090MHz,
when carried in an aircraft also operating a 1090MHz transponder, including Modes A, C, and S.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You configure the SkyEcho2 unit with the aircraft ID so it will ignore your aircraft and not issue warnings against yourself. It definitely issues persistent warnings if you use it in another, ADS-B-out enabled aircraft.

I have some, but not extensive, experience with the unit now, since two 978MHz UAT transmitters have been established in Denmark, local copy broadcasting weather data (so far only TAF/METARs and precipitation).

The weather part suffers somewhat from the limited range, which at least partly seems to be an SkyEcho internal antenna issue. Garmin ADS-B-in capable transponders receive UAT weather data well.

The traffic part is limited in that most GA traffic do not have ADS-B out yet. But SkyEcho2 does detect most passenger aircraft very well and with good range. Unfortunately Denmark does not allow the SkyEcho2 unit itself to broadcast ADS-B-out.

I use SkyDemon for the presentation.

Last Edited by huv at 16 Dec 19:06
huv
EKRK, Denmark

As huv says, the SkyEcho 2 is configured with the 24-bit address and registration.

As far as Mode S (non-ES/ADSB only) compatibility is concerned, this is apparently resolved by using a different data format to the ES transmission – from uAvionix data sheet Transmit Clearance: local copy

Because EC devices like SkyEcho and aircraft transponders all operate on the same 1090
MHz frequency, the CAA was concerned that a SkyEcho transmitting your position via
ADS-B might interfere with your transponder’s output to ATC, particularly when using Mode
S.

Why Is It Not an Issue?
Each Mode S 1090 MHz pulse is divided in time into packets of data, each allocated a
numbered Downlink Format (DF). Mode S transponders output on DF17 whereas nontransponder ADS-B systems (like SkyEcho), output on DF18. They should not interfere
with each other.

What Did the CAA Trials Prove?
The CAA trials proved that there is no significant interference between transmitting EC
devices such as SkyEcho and Mode A/C or non-ES enabled Mode S/C transponders.
There was, however, potential for interference with ES enabled (aka ADS-B Out) Mode S
transponders.

Stapleford, United Kingdom

What is the experience with SkyEcho 2 so far, especially outside the UK? I´m rather referring to traffic signals of FLARM in and ADSB in/out; receiving weather information in Europe seems to remain on the wish list for the future.

My understanding is that this device can receive but not send FLARM information (ok for me as the planes I´m flying are equipped with FLARM devices and thus can send into that network), and are ADS-B in and -out. From a pricing perspective the device appears attractive and I like the integration into Skydemon…

(BTW, I´m sitting on a new Garmin GDL 50 and am happy to sell, should anyone be interested (no Skydemon integration though)… )

LSZF Birrfeld, LFSB Basel-Mulhouse, Switzerland

Couldn’t find any current threads on the SkyEcho 2!

I just bought one from Pooleys and applied for the EC rebate from the CAA, which was approved.

I went out to test fly the device. It worked fine while in the car on the drive to the airport. But once in the aircraft it would not turn on no matter how long I pressed the power button. Then back home I plugged it in to charge and it came back to live. Pretty weird.

Also, while using it on the ground, it wouldn’t show any other targets even though SkyDemon was saying that 8 other aircraft were received. Is this because it doesn’t show targets while you’re on the ground?

EDDW, Germany

SkyDaemon will only show some targets. I suggest you review the filters (altitude and distance).

Nympsfield, United Kingdom
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