uAvionix skyBeacon: A false sense of security?

[bkspero]

So for the shrink-wrap idea to work, I would have to put something in the hole above the screw before shrink-wrapping.

I am working from what too often has been a faulty memory, but I believe the single setscrew connectors also have slightly recessed setscrews when tightened on the wires.

 

[pfarber]

I prefer solder joints over either set screws or crimps. That nuke ET/ETMS training makes me twitch at crimps. I'm not the A&P.

Solder joints work harden and fail. As a nuke ET you should know this.

On the old SSBNs we had entire computers that were wire wrapped and not soldered.

FTB3/SS just for reference.

 

[Kiddo's Driver]

Solder joints work harden and fail. As a nuke ET you should know this.

On the old SSBNs we had entire computers that were wire wrapped and not soldered.

FTB3/SS just for reference.

Copper at the end of the crimp joints work harden & fail too. You can support the solder joint with marine shrink wrap, but that just moves the movement point to the edge of the shrink wrap. Support your wires and carry on with your life. There is no perfect solution.

 

[GeorgeC]

Ed, I was really hoping the reflection in your profile photo was something other than your fingers on your camera.

oof size: large

 

[jmercmon]

Had lunch with a high school friend of mine a month ago. He’s been flying for some 45 years. Suggested I get ADSB so we could, along with some other folks, fly to areas inside of Mode C around the East Coast, where we all live.

So, I picked up a uAvionix skyBeacon. That being the least expensive way to get ADSB, I felt.

Now, all this time later I still have not passed a single FAA PAPR flight test. Failure to pass the test means your system is not in compliance as far as the FAA is concerned. Hundreds of dollars in fuel and some dozen hours of flight time… all for nothing.

As it turns out, the first unit was defective. Only after many emails to tech support (they were not taking calls as they were at some aviation event) and several hours on the phone with them later on did they suggest I return the unit for a new one.

That solved one issue. The missing altitude output.

I still was failing what is called NIC and NACp on every flight. As I have since learned, this has to do with the skyBeacon’s GPS reception failing or dropping out during some portion of my flight. If it does at all, you fail the PAPR test!

With the help of my high school buddy, who happens to be a top avionics service technician, and another flying buddy who is an electrical engineer at a major defense aviation manufacturer…. We came up with the reason for the failures.

The GPS receiver in the skyBeacon is not up to the task nor is it installed
properly within the unit for adequate reception. We did come up with a potential fix and, so far, it appears to work.

Had breakfast with my former CFI. Some 38 years of flying. Also has the skyBeacon on his Cessna 172. Flys all over the coast doing these medical “angel” flights for folks who need fast transportation after an operation or procedure.

Asked him about any issues with his skyBeacon. He said, “nope, works fine”. I ran his tail number and he’s failing just as I am and he does not even know it.

Avionics shops do not want anything to do with this device. Two shops in my area said they do not install them or service them. The idea uAvionix has put forth that the average A&P can verify this is working in 10 minutes is ludicrous. They are deceiving us.

One last thought. Once installed, the ADSB must be on all the time you are flying. That is a formal rule. There is a case where a gal with 60 years of flying did a stupid stunt and her ADSB cut out. She lost her license because the FAA claims she turned off the ADSB so as not to be detected. She said she did not but has no way to prove it.

Did she or did the GPS fail on her?

My advice to anyone looking at purchasing this device to get into ADSB is DON’T!

I have a Skybeacon and it works and it does not work, it passes all the tests from FAA and never had a complaint from ATC but tracking my plane when daughter is flying it sucks, I resort to using find my phone to see where she's at ..... Really its not the skybeacons fault its 978Mhz ADSB. While 978Mhz ADSB works its does not work as good as 1090Mhz systems. It works fine for Air to Air with other planes and also works great when your near a controlled airport with radar but you can fly right over an ADSB tower and never show up on the popular tracking sites. If you get flight following it works a little better but still spotty. After talking to the Skybeacon support many times I came to the conclusion it was never going to work like I wanted until I replaced it with a 1090Mhz unit. So the Skybeacon fits a specific need, if you just wanted it to be compliant and never use other features of ADSB like tracking etc well its great but if you want more it sucks. One day I will repalvce it but it came with the plane so for now I just deal with it. Find my family on iphone works great.

 

[MRC01]

I have a Skybeacon and it works and it does not work, it passes all the tests from FAA and never had a complaint from ATC but tracking my plane when daughter is flying it sucks, I resort to using find my phone to see where she's at ..... Really its not the skybeacons fault its 978Mhz ADSB. ...

the Skybeacon fits a specific need, if you just wanted it to be compliant and never use other features of ADSB like tracking etc

Yep, that is an inherent limitation not of the Skybeacon, but of UAT 978 MHz. It's based on ground stations and when you're not near one, it goes silent. To be fair, 978 was designed for ADS-B out compliance in mandated airspace. When you fly into remote areas, there may not be any ground stations in range, and that is not a problem for regulatory compliance since you're not required to have it.

If you want to have ADS-B tracking in remote areas where ADS-B out is not required, or if you fly in class A airspace, or you fly internationally, you need 1090. However, I believe (not sure?) ADS-B weather and Nexrad is only on 978? If so, you might want that even if you transmit ADS-B out on 1090.

BTW, many ADS-B in receivers are dual band, including the Stratux ADS-B (Raspberry Pi with open source software).

 

[jmercmon]

Yep, that is an inherent limitation not of the Skybeacon, but of UAT 978 MHz. It's based on ground stations and when you're not near one, it goes silent. To be fair, 978 was designed for ADS-B out compliance in mandated airspace. When you fly into remote areas, there may not be any ground stations in range, and that is not a problem for regulatory compliance since you're not required to have it.

If you want to have ADS-B tracking in remote areas where ADS-B out is not required, or if you fly in class A airspace, or you fly internationally, you need 1090. However, I believe (not sure?) ADS-B weather and Nexrad is only on 978? If so, you might want that even if you transmit ADS-B out on 1090.

BTW, many ADS-B in receivers are dual band, including the Stratux ADS-B (Raspberry Pi with open source software).

What I finally noticed about 978 is it only shows on tracking site if you get flight following or are in the radar range of a Charlie (all I have around my area) say about 20 miles. There is an airport that is about 22 miles from the Charlie and it has an ADSB tower. I can fly from my airport just outside the Charlie towards the other airport with tower at 3000ft and never fails about 1-2 miles form the airport tracking stops. But if I ask one of the flight school planes buzzing around if they can see me the answer is always yes.

But as we both have said it’s not really the Skybeacons fault they do work it’s really how 978Mhz ADSB works. One day I will find someone local discarding a 330ES or a 335 transponder for a deal and snap it up so I can have 1090.

 

[AV8R_87]

Yep, that is an inherent limitation not of the Skybeacon, but of UAT 978 MHz. It's based on ground stations and when you're not near one, it goes silent.

Not really. Tracking websites rely on a network of receivers feeding data into them, separate from the FAA tower network.
Most websites are interested primarily in airline traffic, so the receivers only pick up 1090MHz traffic. Only a limited number of receivers are dual band and capable of 978MHz reception, hence the problem with tracking a UAT aircraft on a website.

 

[MRC01]

Not really. Tracking websites rely on a network of receivers feeding data into them, separate from the FAA tower network.
Most websites are interested primarily in airline traffic, so the receivers only pick up 1090MHz traffic. Only a limited number of receivers are dual band and capable of 978MHz reception, hence the problem with tracking a UAT aircraft on a website.

My point was that 978 relies on ground stations and in some rural areas no ground stations are near enough to get a signal. In this case, ADS-B out with 978/UAT only won't be tracked.

 

[Jon Wilder]

Yep, that is an inherent limitation not of the Skybeacon, but of UAT 978 MHz. It's based on ground stations and when you're not near one, it goes silent. To be fair, 978 was designed for ADS-B out compliance in mandated airspace. When you fly into remote areas, there may not be any ground stations in range, and that is not a problem for regulatory compliance since you're not required to have it.

If you want to have ADS-B tracking in remote areas where ADS-B out is not required, or if you fly in class A airspace, or you fly internationally, you need 1090. However, I believe (not sure?) ADS-B weather and Nexrad is only on 978? If so, you might want that even if you transmit ADS-B out on 1090.

BTW, many ADS-B in receivers are dual band, including the Stratux ADS-B (Raspberry Pi with open source software).

Even if your receiver were single band (say you have only 1090 in/out), you can take advantage of ADS-R (Automated Dependent Surveillance Rebroadcast) by programming your unit to report that you can only receive on 1090. This tells the ground station to rebroadcast the 978 data (FIS-B wx and 978 traffic) on 1090.

 

[Lindberg]

Not really. Tracking websites rely on a network of receivers feeding data into them, separate from the FAA tower network.

Some websites use a network of receivers in addition to feeds of FAA data.

 

[Jon Wilder]

My point was that 978 relies on ground stations and in some rural areas no ground stations are near enough to get a signal. In this case, ADS-B out with 978/UAT only won't be tracked.

All ADS-B relies on ground stations (although aircraft can receive traffic data air to air). 1090 just has a much wider coverage area than 978.

 

[MRC01]

All ADS-B relies on ground stations (although aircraft can receive traffic data air to air). 1090 just has a much wider coverage area than 978.

1090 is both ground & space. Satellite/Space based ADS-B uses satellites to receive the 1090 signal. For example Aireon uses the Iridium satellite network to do that. Wikipedia has more info on this in the ADSB article.

 

[Jon Wilder]

1090 is both ground & space. Satellite/Space based ADS-B uses satellites to receive the 1090 signal. For example Aireon uses the Iridium satellite network to do that. Wikipedia has more info on this in the ADSB article.

A diversity transponder would be required for space based ADS-B, which most private GA planes do not have.