Possible Cheap / Easy ADS-B for 2020

See http://www.flyingmag.com/uavionix-ads-b-solution-weighs-25-ounces?src=SOC

Very cool, although the complete 2020 compliant system looks to be $2000 right now ($1200 for the transmitter and $800 for the GPS unit). Still very promising though...

Chris

That's encouraging. I'm hoping for a stand-alone ADS-B in/out at the $1K price point in roughly mid-2019. With enough competition, it might happen!

I'm still expecting someone proficient in Raspberry Pi hacking and programming to come out with something kit-based like the Stratux...

Thanks to the UAV market

"The company?s Echo ATU-20 transmits ADS-B Out on 978 MHz as a universal access transceiver, and receives ADS-B transmissions on both the 978UAT and 1090ES frequencies. It includes an integrated WAAS GPS and altitude encoder, and wirelessly interrogates the aircraft?s existing transponder. Wi-Fi data is compatible with popular apps including ForeFlight, WingX, and FlyQ, the company said; the unit weighs 75 grams and costs $1,300"

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/august/03/new-ads-b-transceiver-is-smallest?

What Matt said. They had a booth at OSH. Stopped and talked with them. They have a lot going for them. I am looking forward to seeing the performance characteristics of their ADS-B OUT product but they are not delivering it yet. Hope they have a robust successful product but only time will tell.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the GPS position source need to be a higher level of integrity than just WAAS? Does the unit you're talking about meet the more stringent ADSB spec's?

There are a number of portable WAAS GPS receivers but they don't meet the spec's to provide a valid position source for ADSB Out.

First you need a GPS position source that meets the FAA specs. Not your common cheap WAAS GPS module. For people without something like that already on board, I'm not seeing anything on the cheap end of the scale. Maybe Ameri-King will come out with a $100 cheap-o GPS module that just sets the bits in software to pretend it meets the requirements.

Now since you need to transmit on 978 MHz, you need an FCC type accepted device. Not a big deal but testing will cost you a few grand (I've done it, and that was just for Part 15 certification). There's the biggest barrier to the DIY approach.

I see Uavionics says their Ping2020 is available, but I don't see a price listed for just that bit. If it really is $1200 for just the transceiver, then Navworx would seem to still be a better solution. If someone makes a 978 transmitter cheap enough, the DIY approach could work... otherwise it's going to be tough to break that $1399 mark.

Hey, either way beats the heck out of a new $5K-plus transponder, right?

By the time you add all of the ancillaries, isn't this more expensive than the Navworx solution?

More expensive

And more effort too