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Traffic: NavWorx or Zaon?

kentb

kentb

Well Known Member
I am rebuilding my panel and would like to include traffic information on my EFIS. So I am trying to decide which to buy:
1. Zaon XRX $1495.00 - street price about $100 off.
2. NavWorx ADS600 $1495.00 - I have not seen any discounts and I believe that I need to buy a GPS antenna separate. Maybe I also need the receiver antenna also = $200 - $300 more.

The price difference isn't a major consideration, it is the performance that is more interesting.

Here is what I think that I understand about the two products.

Zaon relies on ATC radar pinging the mode C to find the altitude and triangulates the position with their antenna array. Any aircraft that doesn't squawk mode C will not be displayed. Any aircraft flying where there is no radar service will not be displayed.

NavWorx uses ADS-B which is broadcast by ATC. Currently any ADS-B broadcast equipped aircraft (not many of those yet) will be displayed. ADS-B will also include any aircraft that radar has pinged. The mode C aircraft will have altitude information and those without mode C will not have altitude information (don't know how useful those would be). Any aircraft without a transponder, but that the radar can see would be transmitted on the ADS-B.

Did it get this right? Other then the fact that I don't like the antenna setting on my glare-shield, is there any pros and cons to these two units?

Kent
 
kentb said:
Zaon relies on ATC radar pinging the mode C to find the altitude and triangulates the position with their antenna array. Any aircraft flying where there is no radar service will not be displayed.
Click to expand...
Remember, aircraft with TCAS also "ping" transponders. The Zaon is not entirely dependent on ATC's pinging.
As far as placement of the antenna, the Zaon may be mounted in the rear of the cockpit of you use a remote indicator such as a Garmin GPS.
 
Good information Mel.

Mel said:
Remember, aircraft with TCAS also "ping" transponders. The Zaon is not entirely dependent on ATC's pinging.
As far as placement of the antenna, the Zaon may be mounted in the rear of the cockpit of you use a remote indicator such as a Garmin GPS.
Click to expand...

What type aircraft would be doing that? Is TCAS standard on the airlines?

Kent
 
I recently got a Zaon for my Cessna. Seems to work fine, but even more cables running around the cockpit now. Nice to have an idea where some of the other planes are. I was surprised how hard some of them are to spot.

Best price a couple weeks ago was Sarasota Avionics.

David
 
Last edited:
Thanks David.

David Paule said:
I recently got a Zaon for my Cessna. Seems to work fine, but even more cables running around the cockpit now. Nice to have an idea where someof the other planes are. I was surprised how hard some of them are to spot.

Best price a couple weeks ago was Sarasota Avionics.

David
Click to expand...

That is a good price. Over $200.00 off.

Kent
 
I have a Zaon. I ran the wires to it behind the panel and hooked the audio into the audio panel on the Aux button.... I tried the -396 interface and did not like it because the range for the traffic and the range for navigation are not the same. Also, the Zaon is on the glareshield so I can glance at it while looking for traffic without looking down. A better solution.

With regard to comparing the Zaon to ADS-B, right now the Zaon is going to be a much better deal unless you live and fly where ADS-B is deployed. Our airport is near a High Alt VOR so there are airlines overhead all the time and the Zaon works almost always on the ground. We do not have radar coverage until 3000 ft MSL departing here.

The problem with TCAS of any sort at uncontrolled airports in high traffic areas is that it is barking so much that it is imperative that you turn it off, look out the window and fly the airplane. If you try to find every target it paints, you will crash your airplane because no one will be flying it.....

Out in the hinterland the Zaon is Wonderful, but under the Class B at MSP it barks like a dog and is just as annoying....

I would go for the Zaon now, and the ADS-B in a few years, and in a few years, there will be more, better, and cheaper options.

Tailwinds,
Doug Rozendaal
 
Zaon

I can offer my thoughts although not a lot different than previous posts.

I have the Zaon XRX wired to a 496 GPS and the included adapter wired directly into the input jack of my headset. This is all in my 172 that I intend to move over to the 9A and will feed to a 695 GPS when complete.

I have flown behind it for two years now and would not do without it. It picks up many airplanes I absolutely know I would not have seen without it. The only drawback I have is when flying with others and know they are there the "**tching Betty" audio is very annoying. It is constantly repeating its warning. In this situation when I know the traffic exists I will MUTE the audio.

Other than that I have to say, everyone should have this technology in their cockpit.

P.S. The unit sits on the glareshield of the dash but it really is not a factor.
 
rleffler said:
For comments on Navworx, may I suggest reading one of Tim Olson's reviews:

Tim's initial testing and thoughts

Tim's install process

bob
Click to expand...

Bob has turned you onto an excellent link. I purchased the ADS600 and will upgrade to the ADS600-B when it becomes available (hopefully in the next couple of months). The "becomes available" part is NOT due to NavWorx being without a product. It is due to the government working "at the speed of government!" :rolleyes: Bill Moffitt (Mr. NavWorx) is way ahead of the power curve on this and if you are looking into the future as outlined by the FAA the ADS600 is the way to go. Give him a call as he is very approachable.
I am installing it and it will display on my Garmin 430W as well as my Grand Rapids EFIS.
 
Zaon MRX

I had the same decision to make. I think ADS-B is the way to go but there currently is no competition with only NavWorx. So as a temporary solution I bought and installed a Zaon MRX ($450) while I wait for ADS-B to mature.

P.S. I actually like the MRX unit and may keep it when I get ADS-B.
 
NavWorx introduction

Someone called today to let me know about this forum - so thought I would come over and answer any ADS-B questions you might have.

Some background on myself; I'm a private pilot, IFR rated, and also have a glider rating. I've built 1.5 experimentals (I donated my Avid MKIV to the local high school A&P program before I could finish it.), and some day I intend to build another one (was thinking Lancair a few years ago, but after flying in Tim Olson's RV-10, it's hard to think of anything else at this point).

ADS-B (UAT) is the future - offering traffic and weather awareness practically everywhere, and if you don't buy from NavWorx, get it somewhere else, but please get it! This system will (should) prevent the kinds of mid-airs that have occurred in the last 6 months (Hudson river, Reno NV).

We're very close to releasing the transmitter module, making our product both an ADS-B (UAT) OUT & IN unit. We accelerated this effort because the FAA recently changed the way TIS-B traffic is sent out from their ground stations, and unfortunately that change now requires one to transmit your GPS position to the FAA. So if you have a receiver-only unit, you won't receive the vast majority of today's traffic.

I wish I could sell it to anyone now (as we've been selling to government agencies [read FAA, and defense contractors] for awhile), but we must first satisfy FCC testing in order to sell it to the general public. We'll be offering a promotional discount in a few days time; this will allow us to fine-tune our production planning, as well as give everyone a chance to reserve their production number Either watch our web page or check back here (If I'm allowed to post such an announcement we will). The promotion will also include those who currently have purchased our ADS600 UAT receiver, and we do thank you for your continued support.

Things in the works for those who want or need to know; 1090ES receiver will be available as an option or retrofit, close to supporting Garmin MX20/GMX200 ADS-B traffic and ADS-B weather (currently can display traffic via their ARINC429 interface), new portable unit with integrated display (will be showing at SunNFun), and other exciting upgrades coming after that.




Bill Moffitt
President
NavWorx Inc.
"Affordable ADS-B"
www.navworx.com
 
I have both of the Zaon units

Both of the Zaon portable units have built in altimeters. As a glider pilot, I used that feature to make the decision, since gliders or motorgliders usually don't have the capacity to run Mode C all the time that they're soaring. And other portable units require your Mode C to be on to compare altitudes with the threat aircraft.

But back to the RV's, I really like the XRX, the one with the four antennas that sits on the glareshield. All I did was to select 'low wing' from the menu choices, and maximum sensitivity (6nm) and plugged in the audio. It has in and out audio jacks that will sum the unit's audio with your headset or existing aux audio, such as terrain warnings from the 396/496, etc.

I decided not to send the position display to the Garmin since it works very well as is, and is up in my line of sight as it is. When a plane is right over, or right under you, it doesn't quite know what to do, and you have to 'lead' your scan if the target is changing angle quickly, since radar hits are not continuous and there is a few seconds lag. But it works great in an RV! I'm all for traffic avoidance equipment in addition to looking outside.

Like all of them, if a plane has just blasted off and has an old transponder that hasn't quite 'warmed up', you won't get any warning in advance......they all depend on transponders except that one that has optical recognition, but it's best for head-on threats.

Bottom line: it's one of the real safety advances that I will continue to upgrade. I appreciate the designer of the other system explaining more of what is involved, also.
 
NavWorx

Had the chance to chat with Mr. Moffitt a few days ago on ADS-B and it's future. He was very informative and approachable (spent 30 minutes on the phone with him). I have had the chance to play with ADS-B through work, and it does seem to be the wave of the future.

Just making a comment and thought I'd mention excellent customer service. I am going to purchase the transciever -- of course it will be a year + before I fly and by then, there will be more ADS-B stations. Dave
 
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