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Old June 1st 12, 04:52 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dave Nadler
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Posts: 1,610
Default New $1700 transponder - a disappointment

On Friday, June 1, 2012 11:25:51 AM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Sandia announced a new transponder that is "ideal for LSA - Glider - UAV
Operations"; unfortunately, the only good thing about this transponder
is the price.

It's an odd shape for glider panels at 2" high by 3.5" wide, but the
worst part is the 500 ma current draw at 12.5 volts, twice what the Trig
21 uses. Almost as bad - it's a Mode C unit instead of Mode S, limiting
your options for ADS-B in the future.

At about $500 less than the Trig 21, it might still be attractive to
some pilots that want a new transponder with an integral encoder, and
can accommodate the odd size and high drain.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)


Don't do it - get Mode S !
You'll be much happier as will your neighbors...