Greetings All,

How about a discussion on what everyone is using for their adsb in/weather solutions? What device do you use for adsb in and what weather, adsb or XM? What are the pros and cons of what you use? A friend recommended a Garmin GDL 52, but I have seen several other options. I just recently moved into the ADSB world so I quest I have some catching up to do,

TIA, Wes.

I have a GDL-52 that is bluetoothed to a 796. I put the 52 in my glovebox so it doesn't clutter up the top of the glareshield. I subscribe to XM weather as well as XM music. I get XM weather because I can't get ADSB weather at the back country strips. The 796 is set to auto for the weather choice, it uses which ever it thinks is best.

I’m not a fan of cockpit clutter with suction cupped devices and yoke mounted portables. I’m aware that this is a minority opinion. I prefer the Garmin Aera 660 or 760 in a panel dock, hardwired. A Garmin gdl50r is remote mounted behind the panel and feeds the 660/760 with traffic, weather, and all of the available adsb-in information. My Bearhawk has a 660 and the 185 has the 760. Honestly, I absolutely love this setup. So, to answer the question directly…big thumbs up on the Garmin gdl series. Mike

GDL50, displaying on aera660 and/or iPad with ForeFlight. I also dislike stuff on the glareshield so I’ve made mounts for the GDL behind the panel in the last couple planes I’ve had.

The AHRS in the GDL also gives you synthetic vision in both ForeFlight and Aera660.

Have had the GDL for 2 years and no issues. It has worked well even surrounded by 0.020” aluminum behind the panel.

For the work planes I fly XM and also have onboard radar

I think ADSB is nice because it’s “free” but seems to be a less refined image and lacks the extra data compared to XM

ADSB goes off of ground based ADSB towers, XM is satellite based so it has better coverage especially if you’re low level in some hills, as I recall XM also gives cell tops which helps figure how spicy that cloud is going to be


Obviously both XM and ADSB are stale weather (old) when it comes to the serious stuff like navigating CBs, I like it for a strategic outlook/planning/diversions vs tactical immediate data where only eyeballs (if able) or real onboard radar are appropriate, of course watching the wind, temp and pressure shifts can help kinda

There was one of those air safety institute crash videos about a pilot who tried to pick his was around some nasty weather with XM or ADSB and it turned out poorly due to the delay

I’d say if you’re flying short hops ADSB would be fine, if you’re putting some legs on the plane XM is a good investment, plus you get XM radio


I agree with what others said about suction cups and yoke mounts, I like a panel solution, I also like to be able to look at it on my iPad which is in my side pocket when not in use, not a fan of junking up windows or my flight controls with iPads and such

If you’re going to be in the backcountry, consider a subscription to XM Satellite Weather. It’s essentially 100% coverage. You can suspend your subscription seasonally if you don’t fly much in winter.

MTV

mpm wrote:II prefer the Garmin Aera 660 or 760 in a panel dock, hardwired. A Garmin gdl50r is remote mounted behind the panel and feeds the 660/760 with traffic, weather, and all of the available adsb-in information.

This is exactly how I plan to equip my aircraft. I've made as far as having a stack of Garmin boxes.

On my 182 I mounted the GDL 52 on the top of the battery box in the aft baggage, because it's a level surface and out of the way. Theres no problem with bluetooth connectivity being that far from the iPad or Aera, however since the unit is directional, it needs to be mounted with the indicator lights facing back. Mounting it in the glovebox seems like a better idea.
On my C-205 project, I mounted it on the hat rack in the back. I used remote antennas and hardwired the unit in both cases.

On the 182 I do not have ADSB out, only a mode S transponder, yet I'm showing up on the traffic screens of other planes. Has anyone else found this to be the case?

I second/third/fourth ,,,the no wires, suction cups, chargers approach to this.

Some(many really) airplanes are a hodgepodge of devices and wires, ncluding some very expensive machines, with expensive panels.

Sermon over on that. Our solution:

GDL 39(predecessor to the GDL52) mounted on the flap tunnel forward of the flap handle(C180)
-Hard wired to power.
-Hard wired to a small ADS-D in antenna on the belly TV
-Hard wired to an Aera 660 permanently mounted to the panel
-Ability to Bluetooth the the GDL 39 to any iPad/iPhone that any copilot/traveling companion chooses to bring along.

Understand that in remote areas, XM is more universal, but we have good ADS-B coverage in the NE, hope this helps…

Typo, antenna mounted on the belly. Disregard “TV”

So, to clarify, for you folks mounting a GDL 5X in glove box/under sheet metal, are you or are you not utilizing an external antenna for XM weather?

Thanks, I too hate that thing on top of the glareshield.

MTV

mtv wrote:So, to clarify, for you folks mounting a GDL 5X in glove box/under sheet metal, are you or are you not utilizing an external antenna for XM weather?

Thanks, I too hate that thing on top of the glareshield.

MTV

Prior to my avionics upgrade - I had the GDL 39 on the glare shield. The FIS-B weather was pretty bad using this technique. I have GTX 345R now with an externally mounted antenna and there is a huge difference in weather reception. Still not that great in the more remote parts of the world but way better than when using the internally mounted GDL 39 antenna. I think the quality of the Antenna made a big difference too.


Josh

mtv wrote:So, to clarify, for you folks mounting a GDL 5X in glove box/under sheet metal, are you or are you not utilizing an external antenna for XM weather?

Thanks, I too hate that thing on top of the glareshield.

MTV

My set up.

Bonanza Man wrote:

mtv wrote:So, to clarify, for you folks mounting a GDL 5X in glove box/under sheet metal, are you or are you not utilizing an external antenna for XM weather?

Thanks, I too hate that thing on top of the glareshield.

MTV

My set up.

Thanks, Scott, that makes sense. The way I was reading previous posts, it sounded like some had GDL mounted internally, but with no external antenna, and I was trying to comprehend how that is possible.

MTV

mtv wrote:

Bonanza Man wrote:

mtv wrote:So, to clarify, for you folks mounting a GDL 5X in glove box/under sheet metal, are you or are you not utilizing an external antenna for XM weather?

Thanks, I too hate that thing on top of the glareshield.

MTV

My set up.

Thanks, Scott, that makes sense. The way I was reading previous posts, it sounded like some had GDL mounted internally, but with no external antenna, and I was trying to comprehend how that is possible.

MTV

Mike, I've never used XM but have had a GDL50 mounted internally on my Scout and my first Maule with no external antenna. Both had great ADS-B coverage. On the scout it was under the transponder in the radio stack, surrounded by aluminum boot cowl. On the M7 I made a little shelf behind the panel, also surrounded by boot cowl and firewall. I was pleasantly surprised. Just a data point.