Best ADS-B IN to match TailBeacon

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MountainDude

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MountainDude
What should I get for ADS-B IN to match my TailBeacon?
I love Wing-X app, so it would be nice if it works with it.
Thank you
 
MountainDude said:
What should I get for ADS-B IN to match my TailBeacon?
I love Wing-X app, so it would be nice if it works with it.
Click to expand...
Installed? Or portable?

Looking at this list, your portable choices are:
Stratus 3
Stratux and derivatives
Dual XGPS series
iLevil series
SkyRadar series

Between those 5, I'd go Stratux or Stratus.
 
I have stratux and it's been a suxus. It has not worked but twice in the last 2 years.
I will check out Stratus. Thank you
 
MountainDude said:
I have stratux and it's been a suxus. It has not worked but twice in the last 2 years.
I will check out Stratus. Thank you
Click to expand...

FWIW, I fly with a Stratux I built, and I've built several others for friends. Mine hasn't hiccupped once since I built it a year and a half ago. Feel free to PM/IM/Conversation me (or whatever it's called here) if I can be of any help. What seems to be the problem? One of the guys I built one for wanted me to build for him because his Stratus kept crapping out on him...
 
Mine does not transmit data to FltPlan Go. It says it is connected, but nothing shows up.
 
MountainDude said:
Mine does not transmit data to FltPlan Go. It says it is connected, but nothing shows up.
Click to expand...

Best place to start would be using the Stratux diagnostic/setup screen accessed by pointing your browser to 192.165.10.1 ... if memory serves. If you're getting data there, i.e., GPS location is accurate (if you have one installed), traffic signals are coming in, it shows "connected", etc., the AHRS chip (if you have one installed) can be oriented (step 1) and calibrated (step 2), then you know the Stratux is functioning properly. AFTER that, check the connection to FltPlan Go. I used mine w/ FltPlan Go on an Android tablet for over a year, and it worked great. Recently, I purchased a subscription to iFlyGPS since it supports AHRS on android tabs (and FltPlan Go does not) and the Stratux works flawlessly with that... traffic, weather, GPS, AHRS all there and glitch-free.

Soo...

1. Power up your Stratux, make sure your tablet is connected to the "Stratux" wifi network, point your browser to 192.168.10.1, and check for signals and configuration settings. Once that's verified...
2. Open FltPlan Go, choose the "External" menu option, and make sure "Stratux" is checked/selected, and that it shows it's "connected."

That SHOULD do it. If not.. get back to me with specifics.. what components you (or whoever built it for you) used in the build (especially which Pi3 motherboard.. the Pi3+ doesn't work with Stratux usually), which version of the software you're using, what tablet (iOS? Android?), and screen shots if you can of anything helpful. I'm sure we can get it working for you.

edit: Another potential place for problems is in the power supply. Stratuxes (Stratuxae? Stratuxi?) are power hungry as Pi3 builds go... two radios, gps, ahrs, etc... so make SURE you're feeding it w/ at least a 2.5 amp capable power supply.
 
I like the Stratux that I built, and it has been awhile. You have to be disciplined about the shut down sequence.
I usually start it after my ground run up is done.
 
Garmin GDL-50 and Area-660.

I built a Statux...............but could never depend on it. Probably my poor IT skills!!
 
Since your choice of the tailbeacon indicates how much money you’re willing/able to spend, Stratux is the obvious choice. I used one for a long time before upgrading transponders in both planes and it worked great. I gave it to a friend and it’s still working great. It’s so cheap what do you have to lose?
 
Thank you. I will troubleshoot. I have the FlightBox, which is the same as Stratux.

MuseChaser said:
Best place to start would be using the Stratux diagnostic/setup screen accessed by pointing your browser to 192.165.10.1 ... if memory serves. If you're getting data there, i.e., GPS location is accurate (if you have one installed), traffic signals are coming in, it shows "connected", etc., the AHRS chip (if you have one installed) can be oriented (step 1) and calibrated (step 2), then you know the Stratux is functioning properly. AFTER that, check the connection to FltPlan Go. I used mine w/ FltPlan Go on an Android tablet for over a year, and it worked great. Recently, I purchased a subscription to iFlyGPS since it supports AHRS on android tabs (and FltPlan Go does not) and the Stratux works flawlessly with that... traffic, weather, GPS, AHRS all there and glitch-free.

Soo...

1. Power up your Stratux, make sure your tablet is connected to the "Stratux" wifi network, point your browser to 192.168.10.1, and check for signals and configuration settings. Once that's verified...
2. Open FltPlan Go, choose the "External" menu option, and make sure "Stratux" is checked/selected, and that it shows it's "connected."

That SHOULD do it. If not.. get back to me with specifics.. what components you (or whoever built it for you) used in the build (especially which Pi3 motherboard.. the Pi3+ doesn't work with Stratux usually), which version of the software you're using, what tablet (iOS? Android?), and screen shots if you can of anything helpful. I'm sure we can get it working for you.

edit: Another potential place for problems is in the power supply. Stratuxes (Stratuxae? Stratuxi?) are power hungry as Pi3 builds go... two radios, gps, ahrs, etc... so make SURE you're feeding it w/ at least a 2.5 amp capable power supply.
Click to expand...
 
I like and use the Stratus with foreflight. Tried wing X when it first came out but preferred Foreflight.
 
Stratux with an external antenna on an inspection plate, power hard wired to a pass through battery pack. FTW. 300 trouble free hours with WingX.
 
I'm a big fan of my Stratus 3 and it works well with WingX. I have it mounted under the glove box and it's plugged into my Stratus ESG. Powers up and connects seamlessly (finally something in this world that works right).
 
Aviatordoc said:
I like the Stratux that I built, and it has been awhile. You have to be disciplined about the shut down sequence.
I usually start it after my ground run up is done.
Click to expand...
Umm, nope on the shutdown. Unless I am doing it perfectly by accident, mine is directly plugged into a cig lighter USB adapter and turns on with the master and off with the master. That means it also turns on and off quickly when I do pre flight.
No issues in a year other than one random time early on when I had to reinstall the sd card software (unknown issue, but easily solved). Since then at least a hundred flights and more times powered up and down with no issues.
 
Matthew Rogers said:
Umm, nope on the shutdown. Unless I am doing it perfectly by accident, mine is directly plugged into a cig lighter USB adapter and turns on with the master and off with the master. That means it also turns on and off quickly when I do pre flight.
No issues in a year other than one random time early on when I had to reinstall the sd card software (unknown issue, but easily solved). Since then at least a hundred flights and more times powered up and down with no issues.
Click to expand...

Ditto, my Stratux is set up the same. I have it remotely mounted behind the panel powered directly by cig lighter and using remote antennas.
 
MountainDude said:
I have stratux and it's been a suxus. It has not worked but twice in the last 2 years.
I will check out Stratus. Thank you
Click to expand...
You're not alone. I had a Stratux, but the reception was horrible, as well as lack of battery life (mine used a HUGE Kmashi as big as the stratux itself, but still only got 4 hours). I have a Stratus 2s now, and its great: works 8-10 hours on an internal battery, outperforms my Stratux on reception, and includes AHRS for a backup.
My friend had a Stratux he swears by. We went flying the other day in his plane, and he commented on how he doesn't get ADS-B weather reception where we were going. I had my flight bag with my Stratus, and I pulled it out and received wx just fine. He's now getting a Stratus 3.
 
Weekend Warrior said:
You're not alone. I had a Stratux, but the reception was horrible, as well as lack of battery life (mine used a HUGE Kmashi as big as the stratux itself, but still only got 4 hours). I have a Stratus 2s now, and its great: works 8-10 hours on an internal battery, outperforms my Stratux on reception, and includes AHRS for a backup.
My friend had a Stratux he swears by. We went flying the other day in his plane, and he commented on how he doesn't get ADS-B weather reception where we were going. I had my flight bag with my Stratus, and I pulled it out and received wx just fine. He's now getting a Stratus 3.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, where did you or your friend typically mount your Stratuxes (Stratuxi?), and which antenna(s)(ae) did you use? Did you use your Stratus2 w/ the same antenna?

Just to clarify for anyone who isn't familiar with what a "Stratux" is, it's a Raspberry Pi-based device running open source software, and there are various hardware options you can include when you build one. You can decide whether or not to build a barebones on that only includes, say, one or both radios (978 and 1090ES), and even there, there choices as to which radios...some are more efficient than others. Or, you can choose to include a WAAS GPS module....and/or an AHRS module. You'll get better battery life using a high efficiency radio receiver. Just saying that "Stratux" is much less specific a descriptor than "Stratus 3i," for instance.

I built mine with two radios, a gps module, and an ahrs module, and I use the two flexible antennae attached directly to the unit. The longest flight I've taken with it has been just over two hours, and the 6000mah battery I use with it went from a full charge to 3/4. Weather, traffic, and gps reception have been great with it living on a suction cup mount on the window behind the passenger seat.

A Stratus certainly requires less "user involvement," and may very well work better... I've never used one. I also have to admit that it'd be nice to have a 3i to hide behind my panel and interface w/ my ESG so I wouldn't have to mess w/ a battery and suction cup mount every flight, and I like it's built-in battery design (the non-"i" models), but I couldn't bring myself to pay $500 or more for the convenience...I could build three fully-optioned Stratuxes for that. I just ordered the parts to build another Stratux for a friend who has problems with his Stratus 2.

I'm sure there are Stratuxes out there that don't work well, but a great many of the problems might be traced to poor component selection and/or user errors in construction or configuration.
 
I too have a box of Stratux parts, that worked for a while. But the GDL-50, which was the replacement, works much better....MUCH!
 
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