NavWorx ADS600-EXP upgrade

[rainbird]

For those who have one of these units that the FAA said doesn't conform to the GPS requirements. There is now a upgrade kit to make it compliant. Go to the Dallas Aviaonics website. dallasavionics.com Put in the search box ADS600-EXP. a list will come up. In the list you will find 2 upgrades for this unit, pick the one that applies to your serial number. You have to order from Dallas Avionics as they are now the sales agent for NavWorx. Now the bite! It will cost you $299.00 even though you already paid $2000 for a unit that the advertising brochure says"Compliant to FAR 91.225 and FAR 91.227". "Internal ADS-B Compliant WAAS GPS". "TSO/STC for 2020 ADS-B OUT mandate".. My comments redacted.
Installing the kit is supposed to take about 5 minutes.

[jrevens]

NavWorx just went out of business, and Dallas Avionics is no longer having anything to do with them. What a sad, crappy saga... I was one of the "early adopters", and bought an ADS600-EXP at OSH a couple of years ago. I guess it's worth exactly nothing now.

I did get one of the new uAvionix ECHO units for my Kitfox. It seems like a strong, well-established company, and a very nice unit.

[rainbird]

Thanks for letting me know I now have a very expensive target. It's too light to use as a boat anchor. I think I will wait till the last minute to get a replacement. I don't want to get a second dud.

[Esser]

What transponder are you running?

[airlina]

NavWorx just went out of business, and Dallas Avionics is no longer having anything to do with them. What a sad, crappy saga... I was one of the "early adopters", and bought an ADS600-EXP at OSH a couple of years ago. I guess it's worth exactly nothing now.

I did get one of the new uAvionix ECHO units for my Kitfox. It seems like a strong, well-established company, and a very nice unit.

Hi John, Just wanted to know if you have installed the Echo unit yet. I am leaning toward that unit but will be waiting another year or so. If you haven't done the installation yet, can you do one of your great pictured tutorials of the install for the rest of us. I suspect this unit will be popular for teamkitfoxers. Thanks Bruce N199CL

[jrevens]

Hi John, Just wanted to know if you have installed the Echo unit yet. I am leaning toward that unit but will be waiting another year or so. If you haven't done the installation yet, can you do one of your great pictured tutorials of the install for the rest of us. I suspect this unit will be popular for teamkitfoxers. Thanks Bruce N199CL

I have installed it, but haven't flown or tested it yet. Here is a link that tells all about the unit and it's capabilities -
https://www.uavionix.com/products/echo-uat/

I think someone else has posted good pictures of their installation of these units. It's really amazingly versatile, and it will be able to transmit weather and traffic info to both my iPad & my iFly 740 via built-in WiFi (which is also used for configuration and updating). It's compatible with Foreflight, iFly, FlyQ EFB, and a bunch of others. It's very small & light - approx. 2 oz. and 2.2 x 3.2 x 0.75". I don't have a compatible WAAS certified GPS source, so I coupled it with their Sky FYX GPS module which is packaged in the same type case as the ECHO. I think they have packaged that in an even smaller case since I bought mine. They also have an option with the WAAS GPS built into a GPS antenna. That way requires a data line, power and ground between the ECHO and antenna. Mine uses coax from the antenna to the Sky FYX, and the FYX & ECHO a joined with a data line. It's dead simple to install - it comes with a transponder-like 978 MHz (UAT) antenna. It monitors/reads the transponder signal directly, or can be connected with a data line to the transponder's RS232 output, if it has one. This means it is compatible with most mode C legacy transponders (including Terra, etc.). It also receives on both frequencies - 1090ES and 978 MHz.

I had built a couple of panels to extend the cargo area behind the baggage sack (I installed a zipper in the back wall of the bag) in case I wanted to transport long , light objects ( i.e. - my favorite fly rod). The picture shows the rear-most panel, and I used that to mount the UAT antenna (facing down). This gave it a good amount of separation from the transponder antenna, which is necessary. I mounted both little modules on an aluminum plate, and mounted that above my radio and transponder. That's about it. I don't have any pictures of it mounted behind the panel.

[airlina]

As usual John, excellent feedback on the installation and nice workmanship. Looks like a straightforward installation and probably the simplest and least expensive way to get 2020 compliant so far. thanks again Bruce N199CL

[jiott]

John, its interesting you mounted the ADS-B antenna inside the airframe structure. I thought it had to be outside; would have simplified my installation had I known it could be inside. My unit is the one Dynon sells-made by uavionix.

[jrevens]

John, its interesting you mounted the ADS-B antenna inside the airframe structure. I thought it had to be outside; would have simplified my installation had I known it could be inside. My unit is the one Dynon sells-made by uavionix.

I think it should work well there, Jim. There is a lot of unobstructed fabric down & to the sides. As far as reception goes, the cockpit located receivers seem to work well with the ADS-B ground stations. Finally, I talked to Dorsal, on this forum, and he mounted his ADS-B in/out antenna inside in the tail area where there is more density of tube structure and other metallic things, and he said it worked well. Others have had similar experiences.

[jrevens]

As usual John, excellent feedback on the installation and nice workmanship. Looks like a straightforward installation and probably the simplest and least expensive way to get 2020 compliant so far. thanks again Bruce N199CL

Thanks, Bruce. The price is the best yet for what you get, and it's hard to imagine that they could get very much smaller & lighter. It's amazing to me that so many features can be built into such a compact package. It has a full 20 watt transmitter, dual frequency receiver, and even the built-in WiFi has it's antenna inside the case. How dey do 'dat? :confused:

[Rodney]

FYI. I have been flying with the SkyguardTWX unit for about two years.

Am very pleased with it and it shows traffic n weather on my Ifly 720 , Ipad and Iphone. It too is a simple installation.

For those of you that are electronically challanged like me, let me share a little story.

I have a TrigTrio TT31 mode S transponder that sends out a 1090 out signal to the ADSB system. So when I installed the Skyguard, it has a connection for a 978? UAT out signal, in addition to two connections for antennas to receive the 978 and 1090 "in" signals.

So, as I said, being electronically challanged, I figured I should install an antenna and turn on the 978 out signal. I too installed the 978 antenna behind the baggage compartment on the inside of the airplane.

So, I'm happily flying along seeing traffic n weather, and for some reason, I always had a target showing up right on my six o'clock and right on my tail. I figured it might be something called ghosting. Remember, I'm EC

Next I get this nice letter from the FAA asking me to please give them a call cause I'm doing something to mess up their Adsb system. (The guy I worked with really was very nice).

OK, long story short, I was transmitting two "out" signals. One on 978 and the other on 1090. Big NoNo. Now I understood why the airplane on my six o'clock was so close; it was me. :eek:

So, I turned off the Skyguard 978 out signal and removed the antenna. This fixed the problem and now the FAA is happy.

It did feel kinda strange getting a printout from thr FAA showing all my flights. Where I took off n where I landed and when I flew. No more anonymity, so Big Brother really is watching n keeping the data.

Hope this helps somebody to not make the mistake I did

Rodney