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Stratus/Stratux/Sentry installation in an RV

pjc

Well Known Member
I have a Stratux, 10? iPad and an RV6. All work well, but I?m kind of tired of having the Stratux and IPad temporarily installed/floating around the cabin. (I have been velcrowing the Stratux to the top of the seat back crossbar behind my shoulders).

I?m sure others have found better and more permanent mounting locations for this (or similar) devices ... please share, photos especially appreciated. Are you using external antennas (GPS and/or UAT) ? How did you accomplish power wiring and switchology?

Thanks,
Peter

PS. My meager search skills only turned up one example of an installation in an RV10 tailcone. If this has been well covered and I missed it, no need to repost if you can provide a pointer.
 
I?ll tell you how I did it... not saying it?s the best way, but it?s A way.

The typical Stratux normally uses 2 antennas attached directly to the Stratux case. It only needs one and in a more or less permanent mount situation, one is certainly easier to install than 2. I used a Y adapter to attach a single antenna to both SDR radios inside the Stratux box. Here?s the cable on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015ASUJ48/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I connected this to a simple, standard TED 104-12 transponder antenna mounted in an inspection plate on the underside of my right wing. This way, when I install a compliant ADSB solution, I can just reinstall the original inspection plate and leave no sign of the Stratux installation.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TED-104-12...364020&hash=item20d1c55a38:g:rtgAAOxyQ45Q9jyT

You?ll also want an external GPS receiver so you can bury the Stratux box inside your airframe.

https://www.amazon.com/Navigation-E...&keywords=stratux+vk-162+remote+mount+usb+gps

You?ll then need a USB 5 volt power supply. This is the one I used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071J6Q94X/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has 2 USB ports. I zip tied one behind the panel and use it for the Stratux. I mounted the 2nd usb power port to my panel in place of my 12volt cigarette lighter plug.

I hardwired the USB power box to the battery bus, so I also installed a really cool little push on/push off switch to turn the box on and off. It?s sometimes nice to give the Stratux a head start booting up before I fire up the plane. Here?s the switch I used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071H9KWL6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The only other thing I?d add if I had to do it over again would be a 6? usb jumper cable so I could unplug the external GPS from the Stratux box without having to remove the screws and open the Stratux case.

https://www.amazon.com/C2G-52119-US...44888432&sr=1-6&keywords=USB+6+inch+extension

I velcroed the Stratux box to the inside of my fuselage next to the header tank in my Midget Mustang. It?s very stable and has been 100% reliable. I probably have less than $200 in the entire setup.

Hope this helps!
 
My Stratux installation in the RV-6 is similar to Rod's. The box is attached to one of the flap actuator covers in the baggage compartment and the TED antenna is located on the aft belly. I don't use an on-off switch, just power the box from the avionics bus. I don't need the GPS stick because location is supplied by the iFly GPS that receives the wifi info from the Stratux. This setup works flawlessly and is practically invisible.
 
My current installation of the Stratux is similar to Sam’s but I use the remote antenna mount sold by Steve Sokol at Openflightsoultions and mount that with both antennas pointed up just behind the cp seat again using Velcro. Pointing the antennas in any position other than vertical will dramatically reduce signal reception.

However I’m in the middle of an interior upgrade and last week moved the Stratux from where Sam has his to now behind the back cargo wall, mounting it to the side of the aircraft using industrial grade Velcro. As for power I still use a usb line plugged into the panel mounted auxiliary outlet power port. But I’m also thinking about hard wiring the usb power line to the panel ads-b circuit breaker my Garmin 335 unit uses.

The Stratux is hardwired to my GRT Horizon WS (separate wire) running next to the usb wire (these are secured under the canopy rail). The GRT EFIS receives its position data from my 430. My ForeFlight iPad position data is provided by the iPads internal gps since it has its own gps due to a cellular connection.

Since Stratux transmits traffic data as lat/long information both the iPad and EFIS correctly display traffic using separate gps’. One hardwired and one via WiFi.
 
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Thanks!

Excellent info, just the kinds of ideas I was looking for!
Thanks.
 
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