Page 1 of 3

My ADSB in solution

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 5:05 pm
by FastEddieB
A couple years back I assembled a Stratux/Raspberry Pi ADSB receiver. I got it to work on both my iPhone and iPad, but then it use sat for some time - it just seemed like I never quite wanted to mess with the added complexity.

But yesterday I hooked it up for a round trip flight to our home in GA:

Image

I was pleased with how seamless it all was - I didn’t even have to go to Settings on my iPhone to find the device.

Basically, all the traffic I was seeing was high flying jets:

Image

And the ADSB weather was just there:

Image

One weird thing was my own plane somehow seemed to be showing up, “ghosted” as it were. Odd, since I don’t have ADSB out.

Image

I’ll make a point of using it for the next several flights. I have to decide if I want to continue paying about $30/month for SiriusXM weather into my 496. It’s nice to have, and probably worth $1/day, but I may end up dropping it as redundant.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:15 pm
by ShawnM
That's quite a gadget and glad to see it's finally working and gets you your free FIB-B weather products.

I had only IN for a while before I got my GDL-82 and I loved it just for the weather. Does the Stratux need a firmware update to receive the latest additional weather data that was recently added to the FIS-B broadcast?

You will pick up any aircraft equipped with ADS-B out via air-to-air with no ground station required. If there is an ADS-B out aircraft close by you will pick up the traffic picture of their 30 NM "puck" that's being sent to them from the ground station. You saw yourself probably for this reason. Is there a setting in your Stratux software to enter your own N number so you can "hide yourself"? Foreflight, FltPlan Go and others have a setting for this. They also have settings to "hide distant traffic" as that jumbo jet at 37,000 feet is no factor. :mrgreen:

When you install the GDL-82 you'll have the complete picture and love it.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:10 pm
by FastEddieB
Confused.

I thought the GDL82 was “out” only.

I have not done any firmware updates.

Since my setup is not transmitting anything “out”, what is it seeing as far as my own ghost image? Is that just from my Mode C transponder output?

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:37 pm
by TimTaylor
When you get your own ADS-B out system, it will trigger the ground stations so you will then see all the traffic broadcast from the ground station back toward your aircraft. You will be flying in your own "puck."

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:12 pm
by ShawnM
FastEddieB wrote:Confused.

I thought the GDL82 was “out” only.

I have not done any firmware updates.

Since my setup is not transmitting anything “out”, what is it seeing as far as my own ghost image? Is that just from my Mode C transponder output?
It is "out" only, I meant when you "add" the GDL-82 you then have a complete traffic picture.

Since you are seeing yourself it's probably because your aircraft data was sent "up" from a GBT because you were in someone else's "puck" and your IN software/program didn't have your own N number in it to ignore or mask your "own ship".

Do you have a GPS hooked to your Stratux box? If not then it may ignore any "own ship" message and show your own plane on the map.

What EFB software is that on your phone/tablet? See if there is a setting for "own ship' with either your N number or hex code.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:26 am
by MrMorden
Your transponder was showing up on primary radar and then that info was relayed to the ADS-B towers. You don't have to have OUT to show up, just a transponder.

Weird that you only saw jets. Around here I see a lot of little guys at lower level, even before I had OUT. Maybe you were just in an empty patch of sky.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:06 am
by proemer
I believe Stratux should not need any software updates to forward the new wx data to your EFB. Your EFB, phone, etc likely will need a software update to display the new info.

Pete

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:18 am
by ShawnM
proemer wrote:I believe Stratux should not need any software updates to forward the new wx data to your EFB. Your EFB, phone, etc likely will need a software update to display the new info.

Pete
I wasn't sure as I dont use one or know that much about Stratux. I remember one of my Garmin boxes needed an update to display it and it may have been my Aera 660 so that makes sense.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:30 am
by ShawnM
MrMorden wrote:Your transponder was showing up on primary radar and then that info was relayed to the ADS-B towers. You don't have to have OUT to show up, just a transponder.

Weird that you only saw jets. Around here I see a lot of little guys at lower level, even before I had OUT. Maybe you were just in an empty patch of sky.
Yes and no. Your transponder will be picked on primary radar and sent to those aircraft who are equipped with OUT as they are the ones waking up the GBT and being sent that data. If you are inside his 30NM puck you will see it with IN only.

If you only have only OUT and are flying along and you are the only aircraft in the area you will not wake up the GBT to even send you that data. You do not see mode C transponder only equipped aircraft if you only have IN and you are not inside someone else's "puck".

With IN only you CAN see any aircraft that is ADS-B OUT equipped via the air-to-air frequency.

Here's some more info that may explain it better.

https://ipadpilotnews.com/2018/09/ads-b ... explained/

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:36 am
by FastEddieB
ShawnM wrote:
What EFB software is that on your phone/tablet? See if there is a setting for "own ship' with either your N number or hex code.
I use WingX, free to flight instructors. I’ll have to delve into the settings once I have my “out” solution installed.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 2:14 pm
by MrMorden
My underatantding is if you are not in the puck of an out equipped aircraft you don't see any traffic, as none is transmitted.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 2:57 pm
by TimTaylor
MrMorden wrote:My underatantding is if you are not in the puck of an out equipped aircraft you don't see any traffic, as none is transmitted.
You would see all traffic that is transmitting an ADS-B out signal on your frequency or frequencies and within range.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:13 pm
by ShawnM
TimTaylor wrote:
MrMorden wrote:My underatantding is if you are not in the puck of an out equipped aircraft you don't see any traffic, as none is transmitted.
You would see all traffic that is transmitting an ADS-B out signal on your frequency or frequencies and within range.
Tim is correct, you will see any traffic that is transmitting OUT on either 978 or 1090 or both if you have a dual band receiver. You can see this traffic because they themselves are broadcasting and you can receive it. You will just not see any TIS-B traffic that is re-broadcast from the GBT if you are all alone up there because you can’t wake them up unless you have OUT.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:22 pm
by FastEddieB
Silly question...

...in my installation, is the GPS antenna attached to the Stratux actually doing anything?

I ask because my iPhone and iPad both have built-in GPS, and one less wire/antenna to run would make life marginally easier.

Re: My ADSB in solution

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:48 pm
by TimTaylor
It will use the ADS-B attached GPS if there is one. You can try removing it and see if your iPad GPS works well for your application.