On Nov 3, 8:03*pm, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Saturday, November 3, 2012 6:18:45 PM UTC-7, K wrote:
On Saturday, November 3, 2012 6:33:26 PM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:

Sorry - I was unaware of that.

Guess I'll have to just suffer the bad spelin' and gramr...

Just had to change the atrocious spelling in the subject line...

Dan,

God, I am so sorry for making you suffer. Can I buy you dinner at the next convention? I swear that if I start another TX thread I will not use a plural tense and end it in a Z. You have my word.

The reason I started this thread is because there seems to be an ever increasing variety of these things (Including something called a Sandia STX165 on WW) and I was wondering if I would end up with something that would be obsolete with the implementation of ADS-B. I have intended Mode S from the start.

I flew most of last season with the portable PF and it worked great with transponders and the occasional ADS-B but I did not get much chance to fly with other PFs.

Will probably go with the Trig. Thanks to everyone for the comments.

So there is one possible thing to consider with Mode-S transponders and possible ADS-B data-out futures. If I was buying any Mode-S transponder today lookign for that future ADS-B data-out possibility I would buy a higher power output transponder (in the case of the Trig that's the TT-22).

This is different than the operation as a transponder and any of the class 1 / class 2 approval and suitable use questions that have come up on r.a.s in the past. Its just that AFAIK the FAA is still not clear on final ADS-B data-out power requirements. The Trig TT-21 and similar lower power transponders all meet RTCA DO-260B and other standards for 1090ES data-out but its unclear (at least to me) if that will be acceptable to the FAA or if they will actually end up requiring a higher output power to enable communications via the FAA's ADS-B GBTs (Ground Based Transceivers). While I would have hoped the FAA spaced the GBTs close enough that current spec low-power 1090ES data-out would be compatible its not clear that is what finally happened. And who knows what would happen in practice, possibly the devices could still be installed, but if an install needs an STC (as currently) or TSO approved device or is otherwise strictly enforced you may have no ADS-B data-out option.

Sorry for the lack of hard info, I don't want to worry anybody and I wish I was more up to speed on the status here. This is just a personal caution, and again remember that if you are buying a transponder for ADS-B data-out futures that is all currently a world of hurt, at least for certified aircraft, *with STC requirements and IFR/TSO'ed GPS requirements. And there are uncertainties with what will happen with 'non-complaint' installs in experiential aircraft. Personally I'd get a Trig TT-21 or TT-22 today for lots of reasons, but probably go for the TT-22 just to cover my ass a bit on the output power uncertainty.

I'd not hold my breath for the FAA to sort out ADS-B data-out mess. Both the Trig TT-21 and TT-22 are just fantastic transponders. Another way to look at either of these is in a decade you just throw them out, that two hundred dollars or so per year. Money likely very well spent if fly near airliners, fast jets and busy GA traffic.

As stated before but several of us here, buying a Mode C transponder today makes _no_ sense, and the Sandia STX165 is a Mode C transponder. It seems a case of a vendor following silly FAA thinking that the future for GA is Mode C + UAT data out/in. Unfortunately organizations like AOPA also wanted/supported this, at least in concept, instead of calling bull**** on the whole FAA ADS-B dual-link mess.

Thanks for flying with a transponder.

Darryl

Thanks for the info Darryl.

My choice at the time was a Mode S and no Flarm or a really great deal
on a Sandia Mode C and a Flarm.

Some of us have to make compromises based on income.

Mike