Advice please:

Any opinions on whether this is a decent unit ? It comes fully assembled ready to go out of the box.
There is a killer promo price at the moment of 149.99 ( Osh Special )
What's the competition at this price point?
Any other models worth considering?



Stratux RXWX Dual Band ADS-B Receiver with AHRS & GPS Source

Link: https://www.iflygps.com/STORE/Product/stratux

It features Dual Band ADS-B SDR's (978 & 1090)
It has an AHRS Chip
Internal Stratux GPYes GPS
It is totally good to go out of the box.

I am not sure about the current draw, which with a power plug in might not be that critical vs being run on a battery.

As background info, I have an ipad Mini2 (cellular), Foreflight, and an old Dual 150A Hockeypuck GPS + Android Galaxy Note 4 Cell Phone. Oh yeah... Happy Bastille Day

ADSB in doesn't meet the FAA mandate.

It's a decent ADS-B IN (only) unit. The Stratux series have come a long way since the original design, and the AHRS was the missing ingredient until recently. But if you're not a bit "self-sufficient" when it comes to tinkering with computer stuff, probably best to buy something else, as the Stratux will require periodic software updates, etc. that require a small amount of "tinkering" (and the willingness to do it).

JP256 wrote:

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as the Stratux will require periodic software updates, etc. that require a small amount of "tinkering" (and the willingness to do it).

Maybe this feature can be viewed, for many, as an advantage as well to allow future enhancements and additional capabilities to be added.
So maybe the take away at this point is :

Great Price
Capable Device
Potentially cumbersome for the technically challenged when applying future upgrades.

I have been advised by a close friend to buy one Pro-Osh, and welcome any additional BCP advice.

I really like my non-AHRS Stratux, but as noted earlier it is only ADS-B In. That is a good price for pre-built, I don't know how much extra the AHRS unit costs but I think the kit I got was about $120 with the external GPS antenna. I would imagine the AHRS is just using a solid state accelerometer/gyro for IMU like the SparkFun Arduino chips which are $30-40. The assembly was really quick and easy with the kit, there is no complicated work necessary because everything came loaded on a micro SD. Updates are a simple re-flash via the micro SD in my computer. I actually like my unit more for weather than traffic. The weather seems to update faster than XM on my Garmin Aera. The traffic is cool, but I don't trust that I'm seeing everybody that's actually out there, I would rather keep looking outside than at my phone screen...

coloradokevbot wrote:The traffic is cool, but I don't trust that I'm seeing everybody that's actually out there, I would rather keep looking outside than at my phone screen...

And that's the main reason I have a little $15 ADS-B IN unit that works great with my iPad Mini and I don't even carry it in the plane. I used to worry about weather when I was flying for a living but now I look outside and online. If I like what I see I fly, if not I go do something else. I don't know how many times I have to tell pilots I'm giving some kind of dual or refresher to LOOK OUTSIDE !!!!! Just as I loved to see the face of the student when I pulled power on downwind or on take off in a multi-engine, now I pull the power plug and see the equipment shutdown then ask "now what?"

Learn to read the clouds and since you're flying VFR if it looks bad turn or land, can't get simpler than that. Of course IFR is another ball game.

EastTexasPilot wrote:I pull the power plug and see the equipment shutdown then ask "now what?"

Learn to read the clouds and since you're flying VFR if it looks bad turn or land, can't get simpler than that. Of course IFR is another ball game.

You'd get tired of pulling all the plugs and waiting for the 8+ hours of battery life from my iPad, iPhone, and Stratus to expire... Plus, I doubt that you could reach any of them from the back seat of my Citabria 7ECA... LOL

But seriously – you do make a good point about over-reliance on the technology, but isn't it equally poor practice to deny yourself the advantages of a "second set of eyes" that can see traffic where you cannot (behind and below or above, etc.)? Is it so bad to use the moving map EFB instead of a paper map? That paper map can fly out the window, you know... (It's happened to me more than once.) And my "aviation grade" VOR receiver has crapped out on my at least three times in the past year, whereas my iPad/ForeFlight/Stratus combo has never quit on me – but if it does, I have a second device, a second EFB software (updated with the latest maps and data), and the embedded GPS as a fallback. Actually FAR more redundancy than I ever had with paper maps... (As I learned when my sectional got sucked out the window somewhere between El Paso, TX and Deming, NM...)

It seems that there are a number of folks out there who just reject any technology they believe pulls someone's attention inside the cockpit, instead of helping them to learn to use it correctly and safely. Would you turn off the GPS, VOR, and ADF, and navigates all your IFR by dead reckoning, all in the name of "improving safety"? All technology can be both good and bad. Over-reliance on ANY technology is poor practice. But in my opinion, refusing to learn to use it properly (or as an instructor - refusing to teach others to use it properly) is just as bad, if not even worse! I strongly believe that if you know your EFB inside-out and backwards, so that you aren't "fumbling around with it" when you need something, you'll likely spend LESS time with your head in the cockpit than otherwise. I know that I can get a position fix with ForeFlight in about 1/10 the time it takes me to do a cross-radial check between two VORs to get that same position fix... And my head is "in the cockpit" for a LOT less time...

Why not spend instruction time teaching your students how to use the technology appropriately, instead of "turning it off" or "unplugging it"?
Of course, before you teach them to use it properly, you have to learn to do that for yourself... Either that, or just become one of those "Get off my lawn!" guys who sits in the pilot's lounge, cursing at all the "danged new-fangled crap that's crowding out the steam gauges..." [Said with tongue in cheek, but only slightly...]

JP256 wrote:

EastTexasPilot wrote:I pull the power plug and see the equipment shutdown then ask "now what?"

Learn to read the clouds and since you're flying VFR if it looks bad turn or land, can't get simpler than that. Of course IFR is another ball game.

You'd get tired of pulling all the plugs and waiting for the 8+ hours of battery life from my iPad, iPhone, and Stratus to expire... Plus, I doubt that you could reach any of them from the back seat of my Citabria 7ECA... LOL

But seriously – you do make a good point about over-reliance on the technology, but isn't it equally poor practice to deny yourself the advantages of a "second set of eyes" that can see traffic where you cannot (behind and below or above, etc.)? Is it so bad to use the moving map EFB instead of a paper map? That paper map can fly out the window, you know... (It's happened to me more than once.) And my "aviation grade" VOR receiver has crapped out on my at least three times in the past year, whereas my iPad/ForeFlight/Stratus combo has never quit on me – but if it does, I have a second device, a second EFB software (updated with the latest maps and data), and the embedded GPS as a fallback. Actually FAR more redundancy than I ever had with paper maps... (As I learned when my sectional got sucked out the window somewhere between El Paso, TX and Deming, NM...)

It seems that there are a number of folks out there who just reject any technology they believe pulls someone's attention inside the cockpit, instead of helping them to learn to use it correctly and safely. Would you turn off the GPS, VOR, and ADF, and navigates all your IFR by dead reckoning, all in the name of "improving safety"? All technology can be both good and bad. Over-reliance on ANY technology is poor practice. But in my opinion, refusing to learn to use it properly (or as an instructor - refusing to teach others to use it properly) is just as bad, if not even worse! I strongly believe that if you know your EFB inside-out and backwards, so that you aren't "fumbling around with it" when you need something, you'll likely spend LESS time with your head in the cockpit than otherwise. I know that I can get a position fix with ForeFlight in about 1/10 the time it takes me to do a cross-radial check between two VORs to get that same position fix... And my head is "in the cockpit" for a LOT less time...

Why not spend instruction time teaching your students how to use the technology appropriately, instead of "turning it off" or "unplugging it"?
Of course, before you teach them to use it properly, you have to learn to do that for yourself... Either that, or just become one of those "Get off my lawn!" guys who sits in the pilot's lounge, cursing at all the "danged new-fangled crap that's crowding out the steam gauges..." [Said with tongue in cheek, but only slightly...]

I was not exactly quick to embrace the new tech stuff--I didn't get a panel-mounted GPS until 5 1/2 years ago, and not my original iPad Mini until about 4 1/2 years ago. Soon after, I got my Stratus 2. It then took me about 8 months to cancel my paper chart subscription, because I didn't quite trust this "new fangled stuff"--but in that 8 months, although I carried the paper charts with me, I never looked at them! Not once. Originally once I got rid of the paper, I backed up the Mini with my iPhone, but now I use the Mini as a backup to my newer Mini 4. All 3 devices are kept current (the new ForeFlight updates effective July 20th came out today, and I'm downloading them right this minute--they'll automatically update in 5 days).

And having weather (albeit a few minutes old--up to 20 minutes--is so much better than not having it. I added ADS-B Out about 1 1/2 years ago, and now I'm seeing more and more traffic--it's all good.

If I were still instructing, though, I wouldn't allow my students to use any of that stuff at first. They first would need to learn to fly the airplane, not the doodads. I would gradually introduce them for navigation, but first it would be pilotage and ded reckoning, then VORs, then GPS (including the iPad/GPS combo or a handheld or a panel mount, whatever was available). I wouldn't have any trouble using the iPad like a chart, but not as a moving map at first.

I really believe in learning the fundamentals first, because the danger of learning the easy-to-use doodads first is that there's nothing to fall back on if the doodads fail. The human mind is an interesting thing, often defaulting to the easiest way and putting the somewhat harder ways so far in the background that they can't be easily used, especially if they weren't learned well to begin with. But if students learn those harder ways first and practice them, they tend to stick with them more--it's the concepts of primacy and repetition at their best.

There's one very good additional reason for not relying on GPS as the only method to navigate--until the DoD stops its interference testing, GPS reliability is less than it should be.

Cary

Built ads b in with gps about like the one shown. Works well with Nexus 7 and Avare. Took some time to get most of the kinks out. Like the weather and ads b out aircraft locations.
I fly out of kpdt. There are some large UAVs that fly here. The military RQ12 has nothing that shows up. The Artic Shark that is here has a S mode out. It also never shows up. The main problem is transponders do not work reliable here below 4000ft at this location. That is the UAV ceiling. Tower is no help other than general location. No radar.
Map,weather,winds,cloud cover, preps and runway use suggestions are important and usable information . Have found that I do not spent much eye time on the screens and reading information that I had before ads b usage. Am from the map and vor usage age, so have had eyes out most of the time.
The price looks good. Will have to find the ahrs parts to add to mine. Keep the software up is important . Have found I talk to approch and flight service less. Info is there and usable. There is a setup and learning curve that can be frustrating but worth the time.
ML

JP256 wrote:

EastTexasPilot wrote:I pull the power plug and see the equipment shutdown then ask "now what?"

Learn to read the clouds and since you're flying VFR if it looks bad turn or land, can't get simpler than that. Of course IFR is another ball game.

You'd get tired of pulling all the plugs and waiting for the 8+ hours of battery life from my iPad, iPhone, and Stratus to expire... Plus, I doubt that you could reach any of them from the back seat of my Citabria 7ECA... LOL

But seriously – you do make a good point about over-reliance on the technology, but isn't it equally poor practice to deny yourself the advantages of a "second set of eyes" that can see traffic where you cannot (behind and below or above, etc.)? Is it so bad to use the moving map EFB instead of a paper map? That paper map can fly out the window, you know... (It's happened to me more than once.) And my "aviation grade" VOR receiver has crapped out on my at least three times in the past year, whereas my iPad/ForeFlight/Stratus combo has never quit on me – but if it does, I have a second device, a second EFB software (updated with the latest maps and data), and the embedded GPS as a fallback. Actually FAR more redundancy than I ever had with paper maps... (As I learned when my sectional got sucked out the window somewhere between El Paso, TX and Deming, NM...)

It seems that there are a number of folks out there who just reject any technology they believe pulls someone's attention inside the cockpit, instead of helping them to learn to use it correctly and safely. Would you turn off the GPS, VOR, and ADF, and navigates all your IFR by dead reckoning, all in the name of "improving safety"? All technology can be both good and bad. Over-reliance on ANY technology is poor practice. But in my opinion, refusing to learn to use it properly (or as an instructor - refusing to teach others to use it properly) is just as bad, if not even worse! I strongly believe that if you know your EFB inside-out and backwards, so that you aren't "fumbling around with it" when you need something, you'll likely spend LESS time with your head in the cockpit than otherwise. I know that I can get a position fix with ForeFlight in about 1/10 the time it takes me to do a cross-radial check between two VORs to get that same position fix... And my head is "in the cockpit" for a LOT less time...

Why not spend instruction time teaching your students how to use the technology appropriately, instead of "turning it off" or "unplugging it"?
Of course, before you teach them to use it properly, you have to learn to do that for yourself... Either that, or just become one of those "Get off my lawn!" guys who sits in the pilot's lounge, cursing at all the "danged new-fangled crap that's crowding out the steam gauges..." [Said with tongue in cheek, but only slightly...]

The problem with not having time to write a complete answer is that sometimes the message doesn't come out complete. I'm not against technology, in fact I can remember getting rushed by a nurse who wanted me to take off before the GPS in the helicopter was completely in sync with all the satellites ( loooong time ago when GPS units were still very slow) and all dispatch had given us were coordinates so we didn't know in what direction to head out. Then years later when we started using NVGs and some pilots preferred to fly in pitch black instead of using the goggles because they were uncomfortable and "we've always flown without them and we're still here" mentality I hate to hear. I was one of the pilots who would use them all the time as they were intended so I got used to them quicker and saw the advantage over the discomfort. I'm all for technology.

I do teach my students how to use paper maps first with dead reckoning and navigation while at the same time comparing it with the VORs. After I know they're good to go I'll teach them the iPad apps that they use. I make sure they know every inch of that aircraft before I'm done with them. What I was trying to convey earlier for example is that I have a student that has a GPS on the yoke and even though on the ground she can show you quickly everything about the paper map, in the air if I turn off the GPS she turns on another one, and if I ask her what if that one goes bad, she tells me she has her phone, etc... Like Cary said, what about military GPS interference? My point was when it comes to ADS-B IN some people get all excited and don't look outside while flying in perfect severe clear VFR weather, where the majority of mid air accidents occur.

I know how to use GPS and all the apps on my iPad Mini and make sure the student knows all of that too, in fact I also knew how to use the double autopilots and double GPS units in the Single Pilot IFR helicopters I flew for a living in really crappy weather in God forsaken parts of the world, but now that I'm retired when I'm flying at home in great weather aside from it being safer to look outside it's also the purpose of the flight, to enjoy the view !

PS: I owned a 7ECA about 24 years ago (N9531S), fun plane.

Very convenient email I got this morning. What happens when you trust an iPad instead of doing the correct thing? This can happen when we spend lots of time with an iPad app. When it comes to what we believe is a normal flight we can get bitten in the rear. Trust the certified instruments and confirm with your electronic gadgets.


April 2, 2017, Blue Earth, Minn.
Cessna 182 Skylane

The pilot reported that while approaching the destination airport, in night marginal visual meteorological conditions, he turned on the pilot-controlled runway lights. He began a descent to the runway, without observing the runway lights or airport, and encountered “ground fog” about 200 to 300 feet agl. He continued descending while referencing the moving map and GPS altitude on his electronic flight bag. Subsequently, while in a left turn, the airplane impacted terrain about one nm south of the runway.

EastTexasPilot wrote:Very convenient email I got this morning. What happens when you trust an iPad instead of doing the correct thing? This can happen when we spend lots of time with an iPad app. When it comes to what we believe is a normal flight we can get bitten in the rear. Trust the certified instruments and confirm with your electronic gadgets.

Now, on this we are in 100% agreement!

$199 option from Foreflight and uAvionix:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07348TPJT

Quick Update:

+1 to ASA for mentioning the latest "SCOUT" ADS-B unit from uAvionix / ForeFlight. This thing used to be the Ping Buddy 2 . My thoughts are that It does not have AHRS or a GPS, and requires a power cord as there is no battery. The unit is tiny and has both 978 and 1090 antennas integrated into the small case. I think I prefer 2 somewhat larger antennas, that can also be independently reoriented if needed. The old ham radio spirit in me I suppose. It's also $200 vs. $150 for the Stratux. In any case it is a great alternative for sure, so thanks to ASA for mentioning it.



Regarding the iflygps Stratux ADS-B unit:



This is an Oshkosh Special and nothing ships until July 24, 2017 at the earliest.
The GPS is WAAS level and the refresh rate is 10 hz, ie 10 refresh cycles per second.
The unit does have a fan controller module to vary the speed of the fan as needed to keep things cool (and quiet).
Updates are performed via an SD card that slides into a socket on the unit.
The SDR (Software Defined Radio) receiver is latest 3rd Generation, and the unit has the latest version Raspberry Pi 3B Board.
There is also a pressure sensor for pressure altitude on the AHRS module (included)
Flight date recorder capabilities are also included.
I am not sure what EFIS connectivity, if any, is available.
Detachable large swiveling dual 978/1090 antennas can be adjusted if needed for better reception; or external antenna inputs are possible.

The bad part, sort of, is that the AHRS will not play nicely with Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight. Otherwise the Stratux works great with FF. Stratux developers did get the AHRS module to work with earlier versions of FF, but FF kept changing their data protocols so as to limit full AHRS functionality to their Stratus line of ADS-B receivers. Fair enough I suppose. There is an active programmer community that continues to work to permit the Stratux AHRS to fully function with ForeFlight. I'm sure they'll manage it, but it is all unofficial.
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/stratux/comments/6daby0/experimental_builds_view_attitude_data_in_ff/

I think for $ 149.99. fully constructed and ready to go out of the box, it seems a better deal will be hard to find.

Eggs is your Beer

I simply don't believe that ForeFlight is making any changes to their AHRS protocol with the intention of denying others the ability to use it, but rather that they simply have not published any information about that protocol, and that some (many?) of the "guesses" people have made have been incorrect.

In support of my statement, I would offer the fact that my Stratus 2 was purchased many years ago, right when the "2" first came out, and has not had a firmware update for at least three years, and yet it still works perfectly with ForeFlight's most recent version released only a few days ago... If ForeFlight had changed their AHRS protocol, the AHRS in my Stratus 2 would not work correctly with the later releases, but that is not the case.

To me, there would appear to be a HUGE difference between ForeFlight retaining their confidential information (co-developed with Appareo in order to establish competitive advantage in the marketplace), versus the assertion that they would willfully sabotage attempts by others to make their add-on products work with ForeFlight. I see the former as just good business practice, while the second would be borderline unethical behavior. I see no justification for accusing ForeFlight of changing the AHRS protocol to deny others the ability to function properly with their products.

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To me, there would appear to be a HUGE difference between ForeFlight retaining their confidential information (co-developed with Appareo in order to establish competitive advantage in the marketplace), versus the assertion that they would willfully sabotage attempts by others to make their add-on products work with ForeFlight. I see the former as just good business practice, while the second would be borderline unethical behavior. I see no justification for accusing ForeFlight of changing the AHRS protocol to deny others the ability to function properly with their products.

I was told by the folks at iflygps ( Adventure Pilot) that at one point the Stratux ADSB AHRS module was in fact working quite nicely with FF. Subsequent versions of FF however did not play so nicely. Now whether this AHRS situation is due to honest changes and improvements in FF which the Stratux platform has yet to catch up with, or some reason, well that I don't know about. The reddit discussions indicate that there is no direct encryption of the AHRS FF code so the Stratux community is still seeing what can be done re making the Pi3 Raspberry AHRS modules fully functional.

I would not ever fault FF for taking measures to protect and enhance their intellectual property, and limiting access to their AHRS code. It is not what I would view as sabotage. As JP256 said, it is just a good business practice. It promotes sales of their competing Stratus platform.

I was told that Chris Young, one of the major players in the Stratux platform, had in fact managed to gain full AHRS access to earlier FF EFB versions.

I will be interested to see how the Stratux AHRS and FF relationship works out regardless of the reason for any current incompatibilities. I think Adventure Pilot and FF they are both great companies. Garmin is also a great company and I likewise would never fault them for limiting certain access to some of their platforms.

POST EDIT:. I said earlier

.
but FF kept changing their data protocols so as to limit full AHRS functionality to their Stratus line of ADS-B receivers.

@JP256: Yeah, I think what I said earlier is a bit too strong, and looking at it now it is not what I meant to say. The phrase "so as to limit " seems to imply direct intent. Perhaps it would have been better to simply have said " therefore resulting in ..." My Bad.

Yep, FF works so well with the Stratux that they have bought some and branded them as theirs and sell it for $150 dollar more than if you bought it and built it yourself.

I have been using a DIY Stratux for several months, and for what it is it works fine. You do miss 10-20% of what you'd get from a fixed install just from signal differences, however if you have ADS-B out you will get the towers pinging you directly with data, so there's that.

I got the AHRS module which included the fan control, but pulled it back out because it was hitting the case and shorting. Apparently you need to re-drill and move the antenna to use it. Maybe the assembled ones take care of that bit. I don't really need AHRS for VFR flying anyway, if I am down to looking at an iPad for attitude reference I've already lost the war. It does provide GPS though which is very useful.

I run mine from a battery pack, all located in the rear seat area. Stratux is suctioned to a rear side window. I have also begun running the iPad and other things from USB batteries instead of cig adapters while I sort out some radio static. Some have recently noted that a newer Stratux code release caused interference in the COM radios, so there was a CPU clock config change you could make. They also realized if you put metal tape inside of the case to shield things, it helps. I have not tried either yet.

Just realize Stratux is not a commercial product, so much as a collection of parts running a community developed software package. If you're cool with that, it'll serve you well.

As for reliance on tech in the cockpit, I'd put it like this. My eyes are outside, but that thing has spotted more aircraft I've never seen than I can count. Even when I know exactly where they are because their GPS coords are painted on my display, I've still had occasion to not see them at all. I have even avoided mishaps because of TIS alerts. I have also been able to determine weather trends and navigate around storm areas in flight, where I might have otherwise had to land just to get a visual picture of what was evolving. I do believe in all the usual pilotage stuff, but to ignore these capabilities especially now when it's so cheap is just wrong IMO.

Like anything else in flying, you need to train with it and learn how to incorporate it into your workflow in a way that improves safety, not the other way around. You must be capable of functioning without it at any point; as much as I like this stuff, I have had brief iPad app failures and more prolonged all-out tablet shutdowns in flight several times, and that cannot be a crisis when it does occur. However when that stuff works as intended (which is >99% of the time), I will use it every time I fly.

Oh, strongly consider a fan tray for your tablet. As you begin to enable all the cool stuff (traffic, animated weather, terrain avoidance, glide advisors, flight planning, etc etc) the CPU will heat up. If the battery wasn't 100% to begin with, you're adding heat from charging that back up too. Finish it off with a little direct sunlight and it'll overheat, usually at inconvenient times. I've started using an X-Naut case and so far it's working well. I power mine from the same USB pack I am keeping power to the iPad on, though the case can use AA's if you really want to.