The only ADS-B UAT box currently on the market is the Garmin unit, which is
10 year old technology. This is clearly not appropriate or cost effective
for gliders.

You need to look at the low cost units that have been developed by MITRE.
The parts cost of their transceiver is ~$400. It's basically the same
hardware as what is in FLARM, but ADS-B compatible. The unit is about the
size of a cigarette pack, and runs for 5-6 hours on a built-in LI-ION
battery. Their ADS-B out only transmitter runs on 4 AA batteries for 24 hrs
and has a parts cost of ~$150. The power consumption of both of these units
is much lower than modern Mode C transponders. The big challenge is to get
these units certified by the FAA so they can be commercialized. I am
confident that this will happen.

As far as FLARM compatibility, in the US this is completely irrelevant.
FLARM does not exist here. I find it highly questionable that anyone who
has looked at this issue closely will make an investment in this technology
here.

Mike Schumann

"jcarlyle" wrote in message
...
I know, Mike. Three things, though: (1) The ADS-B black box won't
detect Flarm signals, (2) the price of the ADS-B black box currently
ranges between outrageous and highway robbery, and (3) the amperage
requirements of the ADS-B black box is not currently battery friendly.
That's why I say it would be good if Flarm and Zaon got together -
they built small, affordable, battery friendly detection devices.

-John

On Jul 23, 9:26 am, "Mike Schumann" mike-nos...@traditions-
nospam.com wrote:
An ADS-B transceiver will not necessarily require any panel space. It is
a
black box with a GPS antenna, a radio antenna, and an interface to your
GPS
/ Flight Computer. All of the traffic information is displayed on
whatever
navigation device that you already have in your glider.

Once the ADS-B ground station rollout is complete (which should occur ~
2013), an ADS-B transceiver will see all Mode C transponder equipped
traffic, so a transponder mode will not be necessary. The only gottcha
is
that ADS-B equipped aircraft will not be visible to TCAS unless they also
have Mode C/S transponders.

Mike Schumann

"jcarlyle" wrote in message

...

Given where I fly and my limited panel space, I would only buy a Flarm
if it offered the capabilities of a Zaon MRX as well. Perhaps Flarm
and Zaon should get together and discuss building a single, small
device that detects Flarm mode, A/C/S transponder modes, and ADS-B
mode?

-John