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UAvionix tail beacon

To my understanding,
Tt22 still requires a certified GPS source.
-trig TN70
-garmin
etc..
all of which cost about $2k ish and require some degree of wiring, additional antenna

as Steve mentioned, Garmin GDL will pair with my current TT21

Tail beacon is holesaw, plug and play. Leaving my position lights on is no big deal, I can also turn them off.

assuming all give the same results, tail beacon is the most all in cost effective solution for my application,
bu I’m still all ears.

My 2c:
personally, I think this whole thing is a BS, and I’ve been/was in denial when I purchased transponder 3 years ago.
like every mandated program the government has rolled out, “Obamacare” for instance , I fear the system will be woefully inadequate when fully implemented. A rush to compliance has created a boon for equipment providers, all of which, on the low end (our end) of the market at least, happen to be strategically competitively priced.
Time will tell how many corners were cut to meet that price point. A lot of reports of issues with the system..
I can easily avoid mandated ADSB territory and tempted to do so for awhile and see where things go with cost and reliability.
 
Oliver, I mistakenly assumed that you already had a GPS in your plane which would have provided the GPS source. That does make the Tailbeacon appear to be the most economical and simplest route to follow.
I also agree with you on the BS aspect of the whole issue. But we must refrain from rant and rave talk. If I could easily avoid the mandated ADS-B territory, I would do without.
 
TT21 and TT22 are functionally identical except for power out. As Mr Pierce pointed out, in post #30, this makes the TT21 work for experimentals, while the TT22 meets requirements for certified ADS-B.

Any stand alone WAAS gps that meets TSO 145a specs is legal to connect as a position source.

I also agree with Mr Pierce that the GDL-82 may be a logical choice for this installation. More 'all in one' as one version has a GPS locator inside itself. But it still is limited to 978 mhz.

Web
 
OK separate question. Since the TT21 is satisfactory to operate in the ADS-B system in an experimental certificated airplane but not in Type certificated, the electronic functions must be compatible. The ATC and their electronic equipment will never know what type of certification the airplane is complying with. This is the same as saying that blue airplanes can only fly on Tuesdays while the red ones can only fly on Wednesdays. Makes as much sense.
 
This is the same argument saying that TSO'd nav lights are required on a certified aircraft but not on an experimental. But they are both legal to fly in the same pattern around the runways.

And you are correct. I know of no way to tell if the system is 'legit' when in the air. Opens up some interesting avenues though :lol:

Web
 
Steve Pierce said:
….Another thing to think about 978MHz vs 1080. Are you going to or through Canada which is using satellite based ADS-B and requires 1080.
Click to expand...

I think Canada has delayed implementing their SDS-B mandate,
possibly because it sounds like they are gonna require not only 1090 but also "diversity".
Which in this case means "out" antennae top bottom and maybe sideways to broadcast to both grounds stations & satellites.
So everyone who went for the more-universal 1090 solution may end up having to replace or at least modify their gear to meet the eventual requirement.

Gordon Misch said:
In my opinion, the downside of the tail beacon is no strobe. ...
Click to expand...

I'd like to see them issue a software revision that at least makes the (bright) LED nav light selectable to flashing.

[QUOTE=Farmboy;762068]. there may be some “used” sky and tail beacons showing up on the marketplace in another 6 months. ….[/QUOTE]

I think in a year or so, we're gonna see some price cutting.
By then, everybody that has to have ADS-B will have it,
and the manufacturers will be going after those for whom it is optional.

[QUOTE=Oliver;762113]I can easily avoid mandated ADSB territory and tempted to do so for awhile and see where things go with cost and reliability.[/QUOTE]

IMHO that seems like your best option

[QUOTE=wireweinie;762094] the wing tip and tail beacon. ….They are powered by the nav light circuit, which means that you cannot turn your nav lights off without also turning off the ADS-B. ...[/QUOTE]

When I installed my Tailbeacon, I disconnected the aft nav light wire from the nav light switch and connected it to a
dedicated 1 amp breaker, on the avionics master circuit.
You set up the Tailbeacon with an app on your phone,
you can select nav light on or off as well as anonymous mode or not.​
​
 
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It is all a cluster and I am glad I live in the sticks, don't have a transponder and don't intend to go anywhere where I need one.
 
Steve Pierce said:
It is all a cluster and I am glad I live in the sticks, don't have a transponder and don't intend to go anywhere where I need one.
Click to expand...

Wish I didn’t live in the DC metro area. We not only have to deal with this BS, but the DC FRZ and Camp David restricted areas. Glad the current and previous president don’t go there very often. It was a nightmare when Busch was President.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So to be clear: The stand alone Trig TT21 is a certified mode S transponder.
When paired with Garmin GDL82 its a certified ADSB out solution,

But not powerful enough when paired with Trig's TN70?
 
That, to me, is unconscionable. They need to figure out how to secure our leader without shutting functioning GA airports down. Think of the hit that flight schools and FBOs take. Do they make the tower controllers sit there the whole time?
 
wireweinie said:
You got it.

Web
Click to expand...

But the TN 70 will physically plug into and function with the TT21?
And would be legit on an experimental aircraft?

Talked to a few avionics “experts” today, that were stumped by these questions.

appreciate the feedback here.

Doug
 
Does not mean that you cannot fly in and out. You have to be on a flight plan and have been issued a discrete squawk before takeoff.

bob turner said:
That, to me, is unconscionable. They need to figure out how to secure our leader without shutting functioning GA airports down. Think of the hit that flight schools and FBOs take. Do they make the tower controllers sit there the whole time?
Click to expand...
 
Oliver said:
But the TN 70 will physically plug into and function with the TT21?
And would be legit on an experimental aircraft?

Talked to a few avionics “experts” today, that were stumped by these questions.

appreciate the feedback here.

Doug
Click to expand...

The TN 70 will work with the TT21 or TT22. It needs to be wired to the data input (RS232) on the transponder. Not sure how your TT21 was installed but I usually stub out a short lead with a connector to make it easier to connect add on items later.

Web
 
Oliver said:
So to be clear: The stand alone Trig TT21 is a certified mode S transponder.
When paired with Garmin GDL82 its a certified ADSB out solution,

But not powerful enough when paired with Trig's TN70?
Click to expand...

Just to be clear, the TN 70 is just a WAAS GPS position sensor. It's sole purpose in life is to show a GPS position to another unit such as the TT21/22. The GDL 82 is a UAT unit. It has a transmitter built inside to broadcast a signal programmed into it.

Web
 
I broke down and installed UAvionix tail beacon yesterday.
Wine cork fit snuggly in the hole prior to holesaw to prevent shavings from entering rudder.
Cleaned up the hole with drum sander on a dremel.
Not a big deal to fish wires out with a hooked piece of safety wire if you loose them in rudder.
I ended up pulling a dedicated ground wire to eliminate any (reported) grounding issues.
used #4 countersunk sheet metal screws in place of provided machine screws.
Fortunately my hangar neighbor happend by and caught my perplexed look as I was attempting programming phase.
He’s done s few and walked me thru procedure.
Tip: once WiFi connected you have about a 5 min window to chat with beacon, beyond that it quits listening and requires power reset.
All parameters checked out with iPhone app.
Fly tomorrow.
 

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wireweinie said:
If you installed a TT21, you should be able to install the TT22 to the same wire harness and coax. That's about as plug and play as you can hope for.

Web
Click to expand...

The TT21 can be upgraded to the TT22. MidContinent handels all of the Trig work here in the US. Just had to have mine done to work with the Trig TN70 ADSB solution. The cost for the upgrade for the TT21 to TT22 was $950.
 
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