I thought I'd share some avionics upgrades that are in the works. I've been tire-kicking some of this stuff for a while, and it just sort of all came together this winter. The patient is a VFR C-170B with a center stack.

-Removing old GNC 250XL radio. It works fine, but the GPS display doesn't hold a candle to newer stuff. Worse, it only monitors one frequency at a time, so no standby monitoring.

-Removing old Narco AT-50 transponder. Also works fine, and I have buddy who can use it, so win-win.

-Removing Turn-and Bank indicator that had a bad seal and condensation behind the glass.

-Removing 695 w/ panel dock.

-Installing GTR 225 radio. Voila- monitoring of active and standby frequencies.

-Installing GTX 335- Updated transponder, plus ADS-B Out solution.

-Installing GDL 50R- ADS-B In solution. (The "R" is for "remote", meaning it installs up under the panel, out of view). [edit- thought this was compatible with my Garmin 695, but evidently not so. 795 was an unexpected, but welcome upgrade that resulted.]

-Installing 795 w/ panel dock.

-Installing a G5.


Hoping to be able to share some pictures and a pirep before too long.

-DP

Why GTX335 + GDL rather than 345? price?

Very nice, I'm on a similar mission with the similar platform, 1952 170B but with a focus on maintaining the original look and feel of a traditional 170 panel. So to that end NO magenta in my plans I get enough of that in my day job. I'm planning to use two of the AeroVonics AV-30 configured in traditional colours, one as an ADI and the second as an HSI with lateral guidance from a suitable gps nav/comm unit. Thankfully for the "fun" flying I do ADS-B in/out or sideways isn't an issue........yet !!!!!

asa wrote:Why GTX335 + GDL rather than 345? price?

Fair question. Everything was selected in consultation with a couple local avionics shops. Additionally there was a $400 Garmin rebate through the end of last month on the GTX 335 /GDL 50 combo, on top of the retail price difference. And I'm indifferent about bluetooth.

-DP

What did ya do with the GNC250XL ?

Mapleflt wrote:What did ya do with the GNC250XL ?

Asked the avionics shop to get what they could for it.

denalipilot wrote:

asa wrote:Why GTX335 + GDL rather than 345? price?

Fair question. Everything was selected in consultation with a couple local avionics shops. Additionally there was a $400 Garmin rebate through the end of last month on the GTX 335 /GDL 50 combo, on top of the retail price difference. And I'm indifferent about bluetooth.

-DP

Thats why I picked the 335 over the 345 too. That and the 335 is installable by non-garmin certified shops while the 345 must be a Garmin shop.

I'm looking forward to the GDL-50R too. I have it wired to an Aera 660 which provides synthetic vision and other cool stuff I really hope to never have to use

denalipilot wrote:

asa wrote:Why GTX335 + GDL rather than 345? price?

And I'm indifferent about bluetooth.

-DP

I'm installing the 335 and GDL50R this week. What do you mean by this? Doesn't the 50R bluetooth to an iPad? Or is it Wifi? I've been so buried in garmin manuals rebuilding this stack I can't remember what does what...

AEROPOD wrote:

denalipilot wrote:

asa wrote:Why GTX335 + GDL rather than 345? price?

And I'm indifferent about bluetooth.

-DP

I'm installing the 335 and GDL50R this week. What do you mean by this? Doesn't the 50R bluetooth to an iPad? Or is it Wifi? I've been so buried in garmin manuals rebuilding this stack I can't remember what does what...

The GDL-50R has bluetooth for ipads and such plus two RS-232 ports. Pretty sure the Aera 660 can talk to it via Bluetooth as well.

FWIW, you can not connect a GTX-335 to the GDL-5x(R) as a GPS position source. I verified that with Garmin as I wanted the 335 to drive the G5 and the GDL-50. The 335 will provide GPS source to the G5 tho.
In my case, the GDL-50R will get GPS from the Aera 660.
Or, you can connect a dedicated GPS antenna to the GDL-50R along with the needed ADS-B IN antenna.

AEROPOD wrote:I'm installing the 335 and GDL50R this week. What do you mean by this? Doesn't the 50R bluetooth to an iPad? Or is it Wifi? I've been so buried in garmin manuals rebuilding this stack I can't remember what does what...

Haha- I hear ya- I am in this for the flying, not to try to earn an engineering degree in Garmin components. I was referring above to the GTX 335 vs the GTX 345. Bluetooth may be the wrong term, but the 345 includes, among other things, the ability to connect wirelessly to portables which the 335 does not.

-DP

DP, nice job on getting this done. Only hearing one channel at a time is so antiquated
I already had a GDL39 3D that has been sitting around for a year waiting to be installed. Don’t ask. The GTX335 for my “out” was the logical choice simply because of cost and install. Garmin shops are expensive. I have dedicated GPS antennas for everything and its all hard wired. Bluetooth makes me nervous. Info shows up on my 796 and I’m bummed I didn’t do it all sooner. It’s been a year now and love it. It crazy at times how many targets are on the screen and I can’t see a damn one of them

akgreg wrote:DP, nice job on getting this done. Only hearing one channel at a time is so antiquated

Last year I installed an icom base station at work and ran it on scan and it really reminded me what I was missing out on.

-DP

Bagarre wrote:The 335 will provide GPS source to the G5 tho.

Does it actually let you select navigational points? Or just drive the GPS ground speed and ground track?

hamer wrote:

Bagarre wrote:The 335 will provide GPS source to the G5 tho.

Does it actually let you select navigational points? Or just drive the GPS ground speed and ground track?

It doesn't provide any navigational data (where you're going), Just position data (where you are).

Looks like I’ll be spending some quality time at the hangar...



GTX335
Encoder
GPS Antenna
Transponder/ADSB Blade Antenna
Coax
Wiring harness
Altimeter/encoder calibrated

All in: $3995

I had them “stub out” an RS232 lead in case I want to get a G5 down the line.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Update, and corrected product info:

The install is underway and I hope to have the plane back mid next week. Turns out that the earlier info I received (from a different shop) about the GDL50R showing traffic on the Garmin 695 was apparently incorrect. So, I am the proud new owner of a 795. Kinda bummed at first because there was nothing else wrong with the 695, but seeing the improved graphics and capabilities of the 795 helped ease the sting.

Open to offers on a GNC 250XL and a 695 with panel dock- both working fine at time of removal.

-DP

I just got off the phone with Garmin product support, which confirmed that the GDL-50R does not integrate with the GPSMap 695/ 696 for showing ADSB-In targets. The Aera 795/ 796 is compatible, and fits in the same hole the 695 is coming out of, and has the cool synthetic vision, better topo resolution, faster map-drawing, etc. The bummer is that Garmin product support also said that effective recently, they no longer support the Aera 795/ 796 with software updates, etc. I asked him what was going to fill its niche, and he couldn't/ wouldn't tell me- All he could say was "watch this space" and "hoping to have something new along sometime soon". If my timing was different I'd probably wait and see what that is, but as it is I need the 795 today, so looks like I have to drop some bucks on an upgrade that is unsupported right out of the box.

-DP

DP looks like the announcement was made today GPS 175/375.

Kicking myself for buying a Stratus ESGi last year.

nickelb wrote:DP looks like the announcement was made today GPS 175/375.

Kicking myself for buying a Stratus ESGi last year.

Yea, the 375 looks like a great option.

Wow, timing is everything, ain't it. Well, even in light of that, I'm not sure I would have done anything differently. I'm spoiled for having a 7" panel dock-mounted display. The main thing I'm having trouble letting go of, as silly as it sounds, is actual buttons and knobs on the GPSMap 695. My ideal would be both touch screen and buttons/ knobs. Seems that's the direction the new GNX 375 is taking.

-DP