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echoUAT+SkyFYX-EXT

vgb

Well Known Member
Would like to know ever ones experience with the echoUAT+SkyFYX-EXT . I'm thinking of going this route and would like to know first hand from pilots that use it.
 
My experience - -

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This was a recent trip to Janesville Wisc. I am using an iPad pro 10". I backed out the screen so I could see all the traffic. For this part of the country, this shows there was a lot of traffic. Maybe 21 targets. Works well I would say.
 
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A couple years back I started a thread on this topic. You can find it here: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=154051&highlight=Uavionics

The installation is quite straightforward. It is important to get all the setup parameters set correctly. I use the ?sniffing? feature to grab the transponder code and altitude, and it took a fair amount of trial and error to get the gain set correctly. I think I ended up at 1350. Customer support is excellent.
 
Uat

I hooked mine to a KT76A and have no problems. My sensitivity is set at 1350 also. Traffic and weather on my 740 works great.
 
EchoUATSkyFix EXT

-8A. Mounted GPS antenna on a fabricated bracket under the cowl, UAT antenna under the right wing root, the box under the floor forward of the rear stick. Hardwire connection to AFS 4500; did not hardwire to the GTX-327 - connector plug access issues.

UAvionix support was superb in troubleshooting performance problems (the "system" couldn't recognize me). After going through numerous troubleshooting scenarios, turned out the problem was a bad self-built coax cable, proving once again life is a lot harder when you're stupid.

Amazing performance for under $1400.
 
You're not having disappearing targets like those in the other thread? uAvionix acknowledged there was a problem.

I plan to go with the EchoUAT as well and have been following this thread. If you read the latest updates from the Beta testers it?s looking like this problem may be fixed.
 
Great product

I am very happy with it especially considering what you get for your money (compared to others) I personally think people are missing the point if you only have ADS-B out? Install was very simple, also I called for support with one question and they where very helpful. Just my two cents
 
EchoUAT +SkyFX +RV8

I installed the EchoUAT/SkyFX bundle in my RV a couple of weeks back. The first EchoUAT device was DOA. It would not keep the configuration stored through a power cycle and would not transmit or receive. Got a replacement unit from uAvionix in the mail right away and installed that one. I'm using this with the transponder sniffing feature and it did not sniff anything initially. With the help of the service dept and trial end error a transponder threshold of 1300 was determined to make it work to pass the performance report once.

However there is a big caveat: The encoder (ACK-A30 early model) takes 6 to 10 minutes to warm up and become ready. During this time if your transponder is being pinged the UAT sends out a report with a missing pressure altitude resulting in a performance report guaranteed to fail "Missing element: Pressure altitude". Where I fly the transponder is being pinged as soon as I get out of the hangar and I get UAT TIS-B data even while I'm in the hangar. Even if the ADSB device would not send any reports until I'm in the air I certainly could get off the ground in the 10 minutes or so it takes for the transponder to warm up.

I'm going to install an encoder that has a faster warm up time of no more than 3 minutes and hope for the best ... so much for an quick and easy installation.
 
I installed the EchoUAT/SkyFX bundle in my RV a couple of weeks back. The first EchoUAT device was DOA. It would not keep the configuration stored through a power cycle and would not transmit or receive. Got a replacement unit from uAvionix in the mail right away and installed that one. I'm using this with the transponder sniffing feature and it did not sniff anything initially. With the help of the service dept and trial end error a transponder threshold of 1300 was determined to make it work to pass the performance report once.

However there is a big caveat: The encoder (ACK-A30 early model) takes 6 to 10 minutes to warm up and become ready. During this time if your transponder is being pinged the UAT sends out a report with a missing pressure altitude resulting in a performance report guaranteed to fail "Missing element: Pressure altitude". Where I fly the transponder is being pinged as soon as I get out of the hangar and I get UAT TIS-B data even while I'm in the hangar. Even if the ADSB device would not send any reports until I'm in the air I certainly could get off the ground in the 10 minutes or so it takes for the transponder to warm up.

I'm going to install an encoder that has a faster warm up time of no more than 3 minutes and hope for the best ... so much for an quick and easy installation.

Why don't you just keep your transponder on stand by instead of on mode C or Alt and let everything warm up so it doesn't get pinged. Then you place it on Alt just before take off and you should be fine by then.
 
You're not having disappearing targets like those in the other thread? uAvionix acknowledged there was a problem.

I've noticed 1 or 2 targets temporarily disappear and reappear, but it's still better than the other 2 systems I have used in other aircraft. I assumed the targets were being masked by the terrain or had other issues unrelated to my hardware. I was not aware of the acknowledged problem. I will search the archives.

Thanks,
 
I have the transpo0nder antenna directly under the pilot stick and the com antenna under the rear passenger seat, so in order to get the 1 meter separation required I put the UAT antenna in the first wing access cover on the RH wing. The coax cable feeds trough the bottom corner gaps of the ribs and spar and then up through the feed-trough of the spar and up trough the LG tower. The UAT box is on the front baggage compartment wall right next to the rear end of the transponder. Power and gnd is picked up from the same terminal where the transponder is hooked up to. I placed the GPS puck on the very front of the dashboard, just under the windscreen, but I get glare from it. A better location might be in the engine cowling on a shelf if you can find room. I already had holes on the dashboard from a smaller Garmin antenna that was black which never bothered me before. but I guess the shiny white plastic enclosure is better at reflecting. Some pictures here https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ez39SSjkfCnK8S2CAWUkLl37Glg3rddg



Gary, I just purchased the same bundle for my RV-8. Could you share with us where you installed the components, in particular the ADSB antenna?

Tks!

Mike
 
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According to Uavionix, As soon as you leave the ground the device sends "airborne" reports at a fixed 1HZ interval. If the encoder is not ready when you pass VS0, or if there is no transponder ping yet for the device to sniff it will not report pressure altitude because there is nothing to report thus creating the "missing element" squawk on the report. Putting the Transponder into STB mode will not help this. The solution it seems is to get an encoder that warms up faster, like the late models ACK in my case which are open for business in less than 3 minutes. Also, using a direct-wire capable encoder (RS232) and bypassing the transponder sniffing feature altogether will eliminate the potential issue that you might be flying where nobody pings your transponder while you still have good UAT coverage it would not have a fresh enough pressure altitude to report.

Uavionix also told me that the FAA is aware of these limitations and will not punish you if these "failures" appear sporadically.

Overall I'm really happy with the level of support from uAvionix, no bull**** service and straight up answers. The guy even offered me a full refund if I was not happy with it, which of course I declined.

Integration with Avair is a snap, enter port number 4000 in the Avair setup, choose METAR/Nexrad from ADSB Uplink and click "Connect" on the I/O tab (every time). It could not be easier.

Gary




Why don't you just keep your transponder on stand by instead of on mode C or Alt and let everything warm up so it doesn't get pinged. Then you place it on Alt just before take off and you should be fine by then.
 
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I have the transpo0nder antenna directly under the pilot stick and the com antenna under the rear passenger seat, so in order to get the 1 meter separation required I put the UAT antenna in the first wing access cover on the RH wing.

Great idea installing the UAT antenna in the wing inspection cover! I like that better than installing it aft of the rear bell crank.
 
Finished up my echoUAT+SkyFYX-EXT install on my RV-8. I am not a fan of long expensive coax runs so I installed both the echoUAT transceiver and the antenna on the left inboard wing inspection panel. The ADSB antenna is 5+ feet from the transponder antenna and 3+ feet from my comm antenna. There are no obstructions between the ADSB and transponder antenna.

The SkyFYX GPS receiver was installed on the rear turtledeck. I used 20 gauge shielded twisted pair for the entire install. I purchased the SMA right angle male to BNC righ angle male pigtail on ebay for less than $10.

I'm running a Garmin 327 GTX and a Dynon D100 EFIS. Nothing hardwired to the Garmin or Dynon. I had to tweak the transponder threshold parameters via the app to get it reporting at 100%. I get a strong WiFi signal in the cockpit and the ADSB-in works effortlessly with my panel mounted IFly 740. Overall a great value and easy install.

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Finished up my echoUAT+SkyFYX-EXT install on my RV-8. I am not a fan of long expensive coax runs so I installed both the echoUAT transceiver and the antenna on the left inboard wing inspection panel. The ADSB antenna is 5+ feet from the transponder antenna and 3+ feet from my comm antenna. There are no obstructions between the ADSB and transponder antenna.

The SkyFYX GPS receiver was installed on the rear turtledeck. I used 20 gauge shielded twisted pair for the entire install. I purchased the SMA right angle male to BNC righ angle male pigtail on ebay for less than $10.

I'm running a Garmin 327 GTX and a Dynon D100 EFIS. Nothing hardwired to the Garmin or Dynon. I had to tweak the transponder threshold parameters via the app to get it reporting at 100%. I get a strong WiFi signal in the cockpit and the ADSB-in works effortlessly with my panel mounted IFly 740. Overall a great value and easy install.

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That?s what I love, simplicity!! I have a 327 and a D-180 and I plan to use the same Echo and SkyFx combo to my IPad.
 
What threshold numbers are you using? I set it at 1340 and get a 2% failure rate on Baro. Are you going even lower?

Echo UAT with GTX 327.

Thanks.

Vic
 
Garmin 327

I see a couple of owners are "sniffing" rather than RS232 from their Garmin transponders. I might suggest, when possible... use the serial line.
That way the UAT always has altitude data, even if the transponder is not replying. Flying away from radar and TCAS can leave the transponder quiet some of the time.
uAvionix will supply a MUX serial adapter for those with Garmins that split the data into two serial connections. Other models of trasnponder use a single serial line which is more common.
BTW, my digital encoder in the Sandia 165 transponder is almost instant. And it never drifts, as may happen with older encoders. At any rate, it is worth upgrading to a newer style encoder for some Van's builders. The cost will probably be recovered when doing two year checks, and you avoid the symptoms of drifting encoder data and adjustments needed at the avionics shop. Cheers.
 
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