iFly GPS Forum

ADS-B includes 2 frequences, 978 and 1090. Commercial traffic that flys above 18,000 feet uses 1090 and general aviation traffic flying below 18,000 feet uses 978. ADS-B traffic can be received direct from aircraft to aircraft if they are transmitting an ADS-B out signal, or from a ground station within range. However, to receive from a ground station, you must have ADS-B out to activate the ground station signal back to your ADS-B in receiver. Or, you must be flying in close proximity to another airplane with ADS-B out and intercept the ground station signal sent to them. The traffic signal received from the ground station includes all traffic with a mode C transponder.

The Dual XGPS170 is ADS-B in only and 978 only. I purchased one a few months ago and it worked great for weather, but the traffic feature was not very adaquate IMHO. So, I sold it on Ebay and purchased a SkyGuardTWX transceiver. It is ADS-B in and out and receives both 978 and 1090 traffic.

I have an Android Nexus 7 and Asus TF700 I use with my SkyGuard and IFly GPS for Android. I did not purchase a tablet with cellular capability because I did not want to pay for a data plan. I have unlimited Verizon data with my Droid phone. All you need is a WIFI tablet to connect to the SkyGuard or bluetooth to connect to the Dual XGPS170. Most tablets also have built in GPS, but you will want to use the GPS that is built into the SkyGuard or Dual XGPS170 as they are WAAS and more accurate.

In my opinion, the way to go is ADS-B in and out. ADS-B in by itself is good for weather, but inadaquate for traffic. I like Android, but have considered buying an IPad Mini Retina (WIFI only), just to see how I like it. I'm sure it's a great tablet.

ComputerDoc said, "The multi-component ADS-B sounds like a real Rube Goldburg. Bottom line seeming to be if you throw enough cash in the plane AND have room for all the pieces (we have a very small, crowded cockpit and panel inour LSA) you can have your weather and traffic too. ;-)"

I guess "Rube Goldberg" is in the eye of the beholder. If you want any ADSB services on your portable tablet, you'll need a separate receiver box. Right now, all the portable receivers are similar in size (about the size of a medium-large sandwich, I'd say). If you want to use their GPS signal, then you need to use their GPS antenna (you can also choose to use your tablet's internal GPS, if you're not using ADSB-out). These are typically pucks about the size of a medium cookie. If you want ADSB-out for the best traffic info, then the transmitting antenna is a blade about the size of 3 sticks of Wrigley's chewing gum laid end-to-end (can you tell I like to eat?).

So if you want any ADSB service at all, you buy into a sandwich-sized box, maybe with a cookie nearby and mayby not depending on your needs/desires. If you want traffic, then you buy into the cookie (because the GPS position is part of the output signal) and the blade antenna.

Not sure how much room you have behind the seats in your aircraft, but I have the ADSB box sitting on the hat shelf in the back of my Cherokee, with the GPS puck nestled in the corner of one aft window and the blade antenna on the opposide side of the aircraft suctioned to another window. All that stuff's behind me and so not in my way at all. Wires are routed behind plastic trim.

To me, it's not that big a deal, but your mileage may vary.