The Skyguard unit is considered to be "portable" by the FAA. However, the actual case is that you would want to mount it somewhere that it works well and leave it. The issue is that there is an array of antennae that have to interact with other antennae that are likely already mounted in your aircraft. For example, this unit has one antenna that is dedicated to interrogating your transponder once a second to pick up the squawk code and pressure altitude. If it's mounted too close to or too far from the transponder antenna, it won't get the squawk code and altitude reliably. I spent my afternoon Saturday sorting out just that problem. It also has a dedicated UAT out antenna that transmits a 30 watt pulse once a second on 978 mhz. If that antenna is mounted too close to the cockpit, it can cause your ANR headsets to click with every pulse. The GPS antenna is an active Antenna, so can also cause RF interference. There are a number of rules about antenna placement to avoid interference issues. It's best to download and read the installation manual before buying. The KR is a small aircraft with very little metal to reflect RF signals, so antenna placement can be difficult to get right.
My installation is using the "rubber ducky" type antennae that came with the unit and a single portable 10" blade hung in the back for UAT Out. My unit is mounted to the bulkhead behind the seat with the UAT out blade hung in the aft fuselage. I think Joe's installation is using several transponder antennae, probably mounted with a ground plane of sorts, which makes for an even more permanent installation. The NavWorx Unit has fewer antennae and can use a ring that clamps around the transponder coax to interrogate the transponder for squawk and pressure altitude data, so makes for an easier installation and may be a bit more portable. However, NavWorx recent issues with the FAA have been well publicized, and with the numerous issues I have had with my Skyguard installation, the support from SkyGuard has been first rate. You are right. This is the single most expensive electronic device in my KR, but also makes me legal to fly anywhere in the continental US after 2020. For now, I'm enjoying having the traffic on screen as well as local NexRad weather and AWOS reported conditions at every airport nationwide. I find that I miss having the traffic displayed so I know where to look for potential conflicting traffic when I'm in the SuperCub. -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM ----------------------------------- Sent: Monday, March 27, 2017 at 8:06 AM From: "RdRacer53--- via KRnet" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: KR> Dynon Duel Band ADS-B Jeff, Thanks for the info. $1500 is getting to look a lot more reasonable. That would still make it the most expensive piece of equipment on the airplane, but not as bad as I had thought, considering most of the articles I had read were advertising costs reaching to more than a third of what the airplane cost. And then there will be the cost of installation on top of that, since I am not a builder. Unless of course there is a portable unit out there that can just be stuck to the front of the panel or something like that. Todd Thelin Spanaway, WA _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html. see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options. To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to [email protected]
