Stratus 2S Users - Mounting Question

CC268

CC268

Final Approach
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Nov 4, 2015
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CC268
For those of you with a Stratus 2S - have you found the window mount to be sufficient? As of now I will mount mine on the rear pilot side window in my Cherokee. They have a GPS and ADS-B antenna you can buy (another $110), but then you got more wires in the cockpit.
 
Works great for me on that same window of my Cherokee. I'm surprised, in fact, by just how well it works.
Just remember to turn it on in the mount before you start up, so the attitude indicator is calibrated.
 
tawood said:
Works great for me on that same window of my Cherokee. I'm surprised, in fact, by just how well it works.
Just remember to turn it on in the mount before you start up, so the attitude indicator is calibrated.
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Awesome to hear! I'm tempted to go fly tonight and try it out! If not then tomorrow
 
Window mount works great as long as you don't fly near a big gaping hole :)



ADS-B_Coverage_Map_Vector_4_041514-01.jpg
 
Mine used to go on the glare shield but it would get too hot on hot days. I tried it on the floor (C182) just to the rear of the fuel selector and only one time has reception been an issue. In that case I moved it to the right seat (it's in the rubber base that comes with it).
 
I use that back window on a 182 and don't have reception issues.
 
I window mount mine in my Cherokee. I use an ads-b antenna that I suction cup on the baggage window. Works great for me. Flew like that to Oshkosh a few days ago..

protip: when flying in to osh, make sure hide distant traffic is enabled. I had so much traffic FF kept crapping out. Turned traffic off and worked like a charm. Talked with them at the booth and they never heard that and blamed it on my iPad. I talked with stratus peeps and they said talk to FF peeps...sigh....
 
I always mounted mine on the rear side window, never had the suction mount fall off.... even when I performed my customary aircraft carrier landings !
 
Xscaliber said:
I always mounted mine on the rear side window, never had the suction mount fall off.... even when I performed my customary aircraft carrier landings !
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Hah! we must have gone to the same flight school...

Mine was mounted in the rear passenger side window of the Cherokee but found it on the floor a couple times since the suction mount un-suctioned. Now it's over my left shoulder so I know where it is at all times. But I think I could also just re-suction the mount before each flight, instead of assuming it stays in place after not being used for a week, to ensure it sticks for the duration.
 
Tried it out yesterday mounted on the pilot side rear window (basically right behind my left shoulder) - it worked great, was getting 5 towers
 
I've only used the suction cup setup, works fine without an external antenna.

It does fall off quite a bit though.
 
cowman said:
I've only used the suction cup setup, works fine without an external antenna.

It does fall off quite a bit though.
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Yes, the suction cup mount is a complete piece of junk in my experience. RAM mounts are supposed to be good but my experience has been the exact opposite. Mine worked fine on a 2 day ~8 hr XC and after that was useless. It got to the point that it would not even stick to my bathroom mirror and hold up a towel. Tried all the normal suction cub tricks (cleaning, heating it up, etc) with no success. I finally got so fed up I bought an extra GoPro suction cup mount and did some light plastic fabrication with a file and some automotive goop (super strong glue that works well on plastic) to mate the stratus cradle to the stock GoPro arm that comes off the suction cup mount. Not a single problem with the suction cup falling off since then, GoPros suction cups are absolutely bulletproof.

As for reception, never used an external antenna for ADS-B or GPS and always get 1m GPS accuracy and at least 5 towers once above 1K' in the Northeast anyways. No complaints. Even the AHRS has been impressively accurate. Obviously Id never completely rely on it but I always switch it on at least momentarily before entering actual IMC and its always tracking the panel AI nicely. Im confident that it could actually save me in an extreme pinch if it came to it.
 
I had a little different approach. After having it fall off a couple times in flight I ditched the suction cup. I bought some heavy duty Velcro and mounted it down low near the fuel selector (PA-32). I bought the external antennae (gps / adsb) plugged the power up to a power outlet. Tucked all wires in tidy fashion.

Changed setting on foreflight for it to switch off when foreflight closes.

With this setup it's rock solid. Never have a battery issue. With antennae the reception is excellent all the time.
 
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