On Dec 9, 8:22*am, Andy wrote:
On Dec 9, 8:58*am, Richard wrote:

Trig TT21 Class 2 Mode C Transponder with Built-in Altitude Encoder
$2095

If you compare to the 35,000' * * * $700 to $800 Less

Right, but you can buy the TT21 for a lot less than that if you shop
around. *Trig has a minimum advertised retail price policy but some
vendors are selling much lower. *It's the old "put one in the order
basket to see the real price" trick.

Check Aircraft Spruce as an example.

Andy


Richard

You seem to be referring to this page http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/trig.htm
I expect Paul will have the "Mode C" typo fixed asap, but the same
page has lots of information on the Trig TT21/22 making clear they are
Mode S transponder.

---

There are at least three USA glider dealers actively selling the Trig
TT21.

Cumulus Soaring - http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/trig.htm
Williams Soaring - http://www.williamssoaring.com/catalog/index.html
(a dealer but no Trig info on their web store yet)
Wings and Wheels -
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/Transp...20Microair.htm

And Tim there is advertising this new Sandia transponder as well. Jeez
Tim! Maybe Tim or Richard can clarify the actual 12 VDC power
consumption of the Sandia transponder.

I understand the USA Trig distributor wanted higher upfront commitment
from the channel than other distributors and that may be a reason why
fewer dealers are carrying them than other brands. I don't know why
Craggy Aero does not sell the Trig transponders. It would seems a very
natural fit for the PowerFLARM that Craggy Aero has been doing a great
job promoting.

As for the relative cost. Most glider pilots do just fine installing a
lower cost and lower power consumption 125W transponder (whether a new
Trig TT21 or the Becker ATC-4401-175 many of us use). So for new
transponders for gliders in the USA any price comparison really should
be against the street price of a TT21. It really is irrelevant that
the Sandia is a 200W transponder, that does not justify a price
comparison to a Trig TT22 200W transponder. And as others have pointed
out we need to be a little careful comparing advertised and actual
street prices.

It is great to see pilots using a transponder (any transponder) where
we have high density airliner and fast jet traffic etc. and a Mode S
or Mode C transponder works well there today (but its the long term
ADS-B future where a Mode S shines). But I'd hate to see glider pilots
not aware of the issues and thinking that buying a cheaper Mode C
transponder today is a better decision than a slightly more expensive
Mode S transponder, especially when all the other important specs are
better with the Mode S. And I'd definitively not like to see us as a
community back in a situation where pilots are discussing debilitating
transponder power usage and more rounds of misinformation on power
consumption, and lack of use of transponders, because of this.

So Richard or Tim or anybody else do you have actual 12 VDC power
consumption specs on the Sandia transponder?

Darryl