transponder question...

DKirkpatrick

DKirkpatrick

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DKirkpatrick
Hello. I'm trying to upgrade a panel on a 172 and need an ADS-B transponder for compliance. The airplane's going to be flown IFR... Use a Stratus 3 for traffic and weather right now.

Looking at a Garmin GTX330es, GTX 335, and GTX345. The basic 330es goes for about 1500 bucks on eBay... are the newer 335 and 345s just alot better?

And it's not like money's not an issue... but I don't want to underbuy for the mission of the airplane, either...

Coaching will be MUCH appreciated. This stuffs expensive and confusing.

thanks
dan
 
Go for the 345 in and out. Have it, love it, no problems with it. Info goes right to the iPad or multiple iPads. Works with Garmin and Avidyne GPS.
 
Since you have the Stratus 3, get a Stratus ES or ESG and an interface kit fir the Stratus 3.
 
I'm looking at 4K for the gtx345. just seems like alot of bucks for a transponder. I know I get ads-b in... is that just way better than what I'm getting from the stratus 3? thanks for the input
dan
 
The GTX345 doesn't give you better information than you get from your Stratus if you are using the iPad. It will display on an IFR navigator, which the Stratus 3 will not, but if you are using your iPad for ADS-B In, then the Stratus transponder would work great, and with the interface kit the Stratus receiver will use the external antennas for GPS and ADS-B.
 
what does the stratus es or esg have on the Garmin 330es?
 
The 330ES is not going to be supported much longer. Also, it's ADS-b out only. The GTX345 will display traffic and weather on certain navigators. Keep in mind, the unit will require WAAS GPS signal. So you either have to install the GPS version with an antenna or supply position data from a WAAS navigator.

If, as you say, money is no issue: buy the GTX345
 
I don't know why you think Garmin will drop support for their flagship unit. As bad as Garmin's service policies are, killing perhaps the most popular transponder since the Narco AT50 shouldn't happen.
 
The GTX345 does not need the FS210.
 
So maybe an uninformed perspective here… but if the 430/530 gps boxes are on the unsupport chopping block… seems like they aren’t afraid to un-support anything
 
You didn’t mention other items in your panel. But in the rare chance you don’t have a moving map GPS, check out the GNX-375. My 172 was 1978 original. Partners and I considered a sky beacon and a refurbed 430W. But then we’d be a generation behind and the crappy mode C transponder could blow it’s costly (and not uncommon-to-fail) transistor. My partners and I are thrilled with the 375
 
installing a PAR PS Engineering audio/comm panel, a Garmin 175 GPS, Apollo SL30 nav com, and probably the Garmin GTX330es... the 345 is just out of my pocketbook parameters...
 
What about the GNX-375 instead of the 175-330es combo. You'll spend a little more, but it's 1 unit, which I would think would save a little on labor and new generation stuff, so it will be supported a lot longer.
 
A missing piece of information: What Navigation unit do you currently have, or do you not have one?

Garmins seem to like playing with other Garmins - so if you have a GTN 650 or a GNS 430W, the Garmin 345 will offer you the option of show ADBS In on those units as well as future scalability on any G5's, 275's, or anything else you might put in down the road.

IF you don't have a Nav Unit, and your Nav/Coms are fine, then the GNX 375 would take care of both needs AND be scalable in the future.
 
currently had some old stuff...no Garmin. Had an Apollo 50 GPS, old huge nav/com, a val760 Comm and old Cessna ARC transponder. No audio panel... a gizzed-up switch between the comms. thanks for the help with this
 
With what you currently have - easiest route is a 375. Take the Apollo and Cessna transponder to the trash
 
Curious - how’s the overall performance of the “375” vs the Xi series as far as interface snappy-ness, screen refreshes, etc? Supposedly there was a decent upgrade from 650 to 650Xi, but curious if the 375 is previous gen chipset, new gen, or something else.
 
dans2992 said:
Curious - how’s the overall performance of the “375” vs the Xi series as far as interface snappy-ness, screen refreshes, etc? Supposedly there was a decent upgrade from 650 to 650Xi, but curious if the 375 is previous gen chipset, new gen, or something else.
Click to expand...

I've had my 375 for two years and have no problem with response time.

Since the original 650 is over ten years old, I can't think the 375 is made with anything previous to an old 650.
 
I supposed if you wanted to update everything at once, you'd do a 650xi, GTX 345, and a new 345 Audio panel. That would be a very nice, modern panel, and also a very large bill. A 375 will let you still upgrade as you need and spread the financial pain over time. You can always still add a new audio panel, Garmin GNC 225 Nav/Com radio, even some 275's in the future. It might be overall cheaper to do all at once, but its better to do piecemeal vs wait several years.
 
We have the nav light ADSB on lots of our ships.

One also has a lynx, pretty cool interface on that one
 
DKirkpatrick said:
installing a PAR PS Engineering audio/comm panel, a Garmin 175 GPS, Apollo SL30 nav com, and probably the Garmin GTX330es... the 345 is just out of my pocketbook parameters...
Click to expand...

So if you're going to install the 175 ($5K) and a 330es (~$1.5K), seems like the 375 ($7.2K) combo box for only $700 more would be money well spent. You'd get a new transponder instead of used, with ADS-B IN included. Probably save that much on the install alone. Kind of a no-brainer to me.

C.
 
What transponder is currently installed? What is your GPS WAAS input for the transponder? There are some side in replacements that can reduce your install costs.
 
Currently an old Cessna arc transponder
 
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